It's crazy to think that a 3-4 defensive end on a 6-6 team is challenging Aaron Rodgers for this year's Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player Award.
But, as Vikings linebacker Jasper Brinkley put it this week, "J.J. Watt is that good."
As one of 50 people who have a vote, it's hard to imagine not writing down Rodgers' name. But Watt sure is making the job tougher by playing the 3-4 end position at an unprecedented level while dabbling as Houston's touchdown pass-catching tight end.
"I like both of them," Brinkley said. "It's hard to pick between them. Aaron is Aaron. But I've not seen a defensive guy win it in my era. So it would be nice to see that."
The Associated Press has voted on a Most Valuable Player or an equivalent term since 1957. Vikings defensive tackle Alan Page (1971) and Giants outside linebacker Lawrence Taylor (1986) are the only defenders to win the award.
Thirty-seven quarterbacks have won the award, including Peyton Manning, who extended his record win total to five a year ago. Other winners include 18 running backs and kicker Mark Moseley (1982). Other Vikings to win besides Page were Fran Tarkenton (1975) and Adrian Peterson (2012).
"I hate to say it as an offensive guy, but J.J. Watt definitely has earned legitimate MVP talk," Vikings receiver Jarius Wright said. "He's helping Houston on both sides of the ball, and I think he's changing the game."
Rodgers remains the favorite. In fact, he might be playing even better than he did in 2011, when he won the award. The Packers are 9-3 with Rodgers completing 66.3 percent of his passes for 3,325 yards, 32 touchdowns and just three interceptions. In November, he threw seven touchdown passes and no interceptions as the Packers went 4-0 with a franchise-record, back-to-back stretch of 50-point games.
