OT: Does anyone realize what Philip Rivers is doing?

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Maybe everyone should stop dwelling on which QB, Brady or Manning, has it tougher this year and who is doing better with limited talent at receiver.

Philip Rivers is on pace to break the record for passing yards in a season. He is doing it with more injured players than anyone else. Rivers should have won the MVP last year, beating Manning in most statistical categories and cruising to a 13-3 record with a worse defense than the Colts.

Take a look at what Rivers did today. Granted Houston has a very poor secondary, but nonetheless, check this out:

Jackson- Still not back from holdout
Floyd- Injured
Nenee- Injured
Gates- Injured


Philip Rivers(notes) 17 23 295 73.9 4 1 137.2

Receiving
Team Statistics: Receiving for San Diego Chargers San Diego Chargers

Rec Yds Avg Lng TD FumL
Seyi Ajirotutu(notes) 4 111 27.8 55 2 0
Patrick Crayton(notes) 3 70 23.3 47 0 0
Kris Wilson(notes) 1 37 37.0 37 0 0
Jacob Hester(notes) 3 28 9.3 15 0 0
Randy McMichael(notes) 2 23 11.5 12 2 0
Ryan Mathews(notes) 2 18 9.0 13 0 1
Darren Sproles(notes) 1 6 6.0 6 0 0
Mike Tolbert(notes) 1 2 2.0 2 0 0

Are you telling me that Seyi Ajirotutu and Patrick Crayton are better options than guys like Welker, Branch, Hernandez, Wayne, Garcon, etc? Why is this guy never discussed as a serious MVP candidate? He's always just a token "B" candidate.

 

[ausbacker]

I don't think you appreciate how bad the Texans pass defense is. That said Rivers is having an enormous year.

 

[SVN]

he is playing great. And as bad a coach norv turner can be, he is a great offensive coordinator.

 

[SoCal Pmen]

If only they kept a healthy LT

 

[jmt57]

I know a lot of people here don't care for Rivers, but in my opinion I think he's having an MVP year to this point. He won't get it though, because voters don't consider players - especially quarterbacks - on losing teams.

 

[The_Riddler]

Hate to say it, but he's outplaying our QB right now......

 

[RobAllan]

I would agree he's played the best football of any QB the last two years. I would agree he, at this point, should be the MVP.

He's very, very good.

But at some point, your team has to win games. The very thing we're complaining about most with Brady is also true of Rivers. We should at the least be consistent in how important the "W" column and playoff performance actually is.

Marino and Manning both could be #1 on any list if that other stuff didn't matter.

 

[SVN]

I know a lot of people here don't care for Rivers, but in my opinion I think he's having an MVP year to this point. He won't get it though, because voters don't consider players - especially quarterbacks - on losing teams.

i think they wont be a losing team for long. they are starting to make a move and they wll get their injured players back .lots of time left.

 

[TriplecHamp]

Best QB in the NFL? Rivers, Manning, Brady, Brees in that order this year.

 

[sbpatfan]

His receivers looked good today, even though they're a bunch of no namers. No doubt he is having another great year though.

 

[jmt57]

i think they wont be a losing team for long. they are starting to make a move and they wll get their injured players back .lots of time left.

Yeah, I agree; I was ready to change my comment before I submitted it based on that portion of my comment but did not. But even if they do make a big charge (bad pun) I don't see them near the top of the AFC or NFL W-L records at the end of the season.

Voters tend to look for the best (or one of the best) W-L teams, and then that team's best player. Players on 9-7 or 10-6 teams rarely if ever win an MVP trophy - even though the award is supposed to be for the individual and not the team.

 

[Kontradiction]

Norv Turner may not be much of a head coach, but his impact on quarterbacks can't be doubted. Rivers has improved by leaps and bounds since Turner has arrived in San Diego. With that said, though, I agree: we have much better options at receiver than San Diego has had this year. What's scary is that Rivers and the Chargers offense are going to get even better with the arrival of Vincent Jackson.

 

[convertedpatsfan]

He's definitely worthy of MVP talk and should have won it over Manning before. This season has been very impressive, but he's also benefited greatly from playing 3 NFC West teams, plus 3 of the 5 worst pass defense teams (by yards) in Jacksonville, New England, and Houston. If the Chargers can win the division and get close to 10 wins, I could see a serious case being made for him, though they'll probably give it to Peyton since they already got his name engraved on it in the pre-season.

 

[sanvara]

But at some point, your team has to win games. The very thing we're complaining about most with Brady is also true of Rivers. We should at the least be consistent in how important the "W" column and playoff performance actually is.

Isn't MVP for regular season performance, not playoffs?

Rivers has the most passing yards ever through 8 games, but more noteworthy is in games he has started his team has scored the most points per game vs any other QB in NFL history. Now that's impressive.

 

[FilPats]

http://www.philiprivers.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/philip-rivers.jpg

He's smiling

 

[jah]

Best QB in the NFL? Rivers, Manning, Brady, Brees in that order this year.

Rodgers anywhere?

 

[Steamer86]

I would agree he's played the best football of any QB the last two years. I would agree he, at this point, should be the MVP.

He's very, very good.

But at some point, your team has to win games. The very thing we're complaining about most with Brady is also true of Rivers. We should at the least be consistent in how important the "W" column and playoff performance actually is.

Marino and Manning both could be #1 on any list if that other stuff didn't matter.

Football is such a team sport, that it is hard to say that the QB who wins is really better than those who get close but do not win championship. I think virtually everyone would agree that Marino wins 4 SBs with those 49er teams that featured pro-bowler at all the offensive skilled positions and some very good defenses that seemed to always add very good FA vets to the Haley, Lott, Turner core each year. I think Montana wins none with the Dolphins and Marino wins 4 with SF - so is Montana really better? Hell, Grogan probably wins a couple in Pittsburgh in the 70's....Is Neal better than Hannah? Can't always look at it in terms of championships...

 

[zoostation]

If only they kept a healthy LT

or a roided LT

 

[RhodyPatriot]

If Philip Rivers played on the East Coast he'd be a much more appreciated QB. He's a helluva player.

 

[Synovia]

But at some point, your team has to win games. The very thing we're complaining about most with Brady is also true of Rivers. We should at the least be consistent in how important the "W" column and playoff performance actually is.

Marino and Manning both could be #1 on any list if that other stuff didn't matter.

Why do people like to assume that the Quarterback is the only player on the field? The quarterback can only control what the offense does, and teamse win/lose just as many games because of their defense as they do their offense?