Who is the NFL MVP?

This season's NFL MVP Award has been under hot debate, especially since the Aaron Rodgers-led Green Bay Packers lost to the mediocre Kansas City Chiefs. For the first 10 games of this year's regular season, Aaron Rodgers was the front-runner for the award, having thrown for 2,869 yards, 27 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions through those 10 games. Let's put it this way: he put up quite a few fantasy points. However, the numbers don't stop there; Rodgers kept the pace up throughout the remaining six games--one of which he didn't even play in. He finished with 4,643 yards and 46 touchdowns--a stat which allowed him to become the first Packer to throw for more than 45 touchdowns in a season. Oh, and he only threw 6 interceptions--in 16 games.

Alongside Rodgers, Tom Brady is right up there in the hunt for the MVP Award, as usual. Like Rodgers, Brady put up some ridiculous stats, as he threw for 5,235 yards, which would have broken Dan Marino's record of 5,084, had Saints quarterback Drew Brees not broken it first. Additionally, Brady threw 39 touchdowns and led his Patriots to yet another AFC East title.

The final candidate--Tim Tebow-- ...wait, I mean Drew Brees, set the new record for most passing yards in a season with 5,476 yards and tossed 46 touchdowns as well. Brees was a machine during the team's last seven games of the regular season (all wins), during which he had two 5-touchdown performances, and threw for no less than 300 yards in each of those games. Brees has led the Saints to the recapturing of the NFC South title, and poses a major threat to any team he will face in the playoffs, especially considering the way he closed out the regular season.

Choosing one of these three fine quarterbacks will be quite the challenge; however, I must argue that Aaron Rodgers should NOT win the award. Throughout the regular season, the Packers relied on nothing but the passing game. Upon the end of the Week 17, the Packers finished 27th in rushing yards per game, and 3rd in pass offense, behind the Patriots and the Saints (surprise, surprise). In addition to the fact that the Packers were limited to a pass-heavy offense this season, it seems that they could have survived without Aaron Rodgers. In the last regular season game for the Pack, backup quarterback Matt Flynn out-dueled the Lions' Matt Stafford in a 45-41 shootout victory, in which he threw for 480 yards and 6 touchdowns. Are you kidding me? To me, this clearly shows that the Packers would have been relatively well-off without Rodgers. Whereas, on the other hand, the Saints and the Patriots could not have done much without their star quarterbacks.

Ultimately, at this point, I think the NFL MVP Award has to go to Drew Brees. Thus far he has done nothing but take care of business, and has done so in such a routine manner. To further his case, Brees broke records and put up phenomenal numbers, in addition to the Saints' 6th-ranked rush offense. The fact that Brees was able to put up the stats that he did, while managing the 6th best rush offense in the NFL is absolutely ridiculous, and that is why he should win the award.