Jones-Drew talks up McCaffrey as MVP

[Mr. Scot]

NFL.com RB Index: Week 10

"The 2019 NFL Most Valuable Player is ... Christian McCaffrey."

This is the announcement we SHOULD hear at NFL Honors on the eve of Super Bowl LIV in Miami. Whether we will or won't is still up for debate. Right now, the Carolina Panthers running back is a sure-fire candidate, alongside the likes of quarterbacks Russell Wilson, Lamar Jackson, Deshaun Watson and Aaron Rodgers. But I'm here to tell you why McCaffrey MUST be considered a front-runner for the league's most prestigious award.

In his first two pro seasons, McCaffrey benefited from playing with Cam Newton in the Panthers' offense. This season, though, McCaffrey has been running over defenses weekly with a backup quarterback (Kyle Allen) who does not pose nearly the same threat to defenses as a healthy Newton. Don't get me wrong: Allen has played well, while other skill position players have stepped up -- and they'll need to continue to do so with Newton going on IR on Tuesday. But McCaffrey has been the player putting up gaudy numbers weekly.

McCaffrey is having one of the best seasons by a running back in NFL history and leads the league in touches per game (25.9), rushing yards per game (110.1), scrimmage yards per game (155.5), rushing TDs (10) and scrimmage TDs (13) heading into Week 10. Right now, McCaffrey is on pace for 2,488 scrimmage yards, which would be the second-most in a season in NFL history, behind Chris Johnson's 2,509 in 2009. He's also in line for 26 scrimmage TDs. Notably, three of the four previous players to score as many scrimmage TDs in a season won MVP, including LaDainian Tomlinson (31 in 2006), Shaun Alexander (28 in 2005) and Marshall Faulk (26 in 2000). (Priest Holmes missed out on the MVP award when he had 26 scrimmage TDs in 2003.)

To really put McCaffrey's production in perspective, let's juxtapose it with that of the last two running backs to win the award: Adrian Peterson in 2012 and Tomlinson in 2006. When comparing their numbers per game, the 23-year-old is either on pace with or ahead of them.

McCaffrey in '19: 25.9 touches, 155.5 scrimmage yards, 1.6 scrimmage TDs.
Peterson in '12: 24.3 touches, 144.6 scrimmage yards, 0.8 scrimmage TDs.
Tomlinson in '06: 25.3 touches, 145.2 scrimmage yards, 1.9 scrimmage TDs.

In Peterson's MVP season, he had 2,097 rushing yards -- 9 yards short of breaking the all-time record -- a year after suffering a major knee injury. Tomlinson set the league record for touchdowns with 31 (28 rushing) in his MVP season. It feels as if McCaffrey must put up some tremendous numbers or do something extraordinary to edge out other QB candidates this season.

Even then, he might not win. Just look at Chris Johnson's 2009 campaign as proof. CJ2K had 2,006 rushing yards and more than 2,500 scrimmage yards that season -- and still didn't win. Peyton Manning was named MVP for the fourth time in his career -- despite not stacking up to other QBs that season from a numbers standpoint -- after leading the Indianapolis Colts to a 14-2 record. Johnson's Tennessee Titans finished 8-8 in 2009, which likely played a role in the voting (though I don't think that should be a factor).

Based on past seasons, it feels as if the Panthers must go on a run for the running back to truly be considered for MVP. They are currently 5-3 and just outside the NFC playoff picture heading into Week 10. They have a tough slate ahead, but if they end up making the postseason when all is said and done, it will be because of McCaffrey.

When considering all of these factors, though, if voters aren't going to consider THIS running back the current front-runner for MVP, they should just change the award to MVQB.

[Kuhndog94]

4 minutes ago, GreensboroPirate said:

How can CMC be MVP of the NFL when the Panthers have a bottom tier offense in every ranking or metric.

When Cam won MVP, the Panthers had the top ranked offensive in the entire NFL.  I believe we scored the most points in the entire NFL that year.

For whatever worth our 5-3 record is, it's because we have the 3rd rank passing defense and most sacks in the NFL this year.  Our secondary deserves MVP more than CMC.

I don't dispute CMC is putting up amazing stats for a rb, but if it were having an MVP level impact, we wouldn't have such a poorly ranked offense.

 

Very telling

[Harbingers]

I’m gonna be honest. Cook has better numbers, ya, we have the bye advantage right now. But cook has seriously closed the gap. CMC better step his game up! And we better close down his 4th quarters.

[SmokinwithWilly]

Without CMC, this team could very well be competing with Miami and the Jets for the 1st pick in the draft. 

[uncfan888]

11 minutes ago, GreensboroPirate said:

How can CMC be MVP of the NFL when the Panthers have a bottom tier offense in every ranking or metric.

When Cam won MVP, the Panthers had the top ranked offensive in the entire NFL.  I believe we scored the most points in the entire NFL that year.

For whatever worth our 5-3 record is, it's because we have the 3rd rank passing defense and most sacks in the NFL this year.  Our secondary deserves MVP more than CMC.

I don't dispute CMC is putting up amazing stats for a rb, but if it were having an MVP level impact, we wouldn't have such a poorly ranked offense.

 

Lol

[Harbingers]

4 minutes ago, GreensboroPirate said:

Cook has better numbers, and the Vikings also have a top ranked offense (whereas the Panthers offense is ranked 25th, indicating CMC's bulk carries aren't having an MVP impact by any stretch).

That said, Cousins is a lot better than Allen.  Neither of them should be in MVP contention.

LaDainian Tomlinson powering the Chargers to a great offense can win MVP;  not a guy leading an offense to be 25th ranked while the defense wins games.

That’s completely fair. And CMC is also a game back for a month still. 

Knowing him though he’s going to push to take over 1# with a game behind. 

[Kuhndog94]

8 minutes ago, GreensboroPirate said:

Cook has better numbers, and the Vikings also have a top ranked offense (whereas the Panthers offense is ranked 25th, indicating CMC's bulk carries aren't having an MVP impact by any stretch).

 

You mean the same Vikings team that has Adam Theilin(sp?) and Stefon Diggs? Cook benefits from having other legitimate threats on offense. 

Defenses that play us have one goal in mind: stop CMC. Even with them selling out to stop CMC, he is having a historic year. That's the difference. CMC is carrying the team right now. He is the MVP. Vikings could get the job done with or without Cook. 

[My Goodness My Guinness]

5 minutes ago, GreensboroPirate said:

We have the most sacks in the NFL and the third ranking passing defense in the league.

Our offense is actually one of the worst in the NFL.

Is CMC playing some secret position on defense that I am unaware of?

This is very tortured logic.

 

Last I checked you have to score points to win games. If we don’t have CMC, we don’t put up nearly as many points as we do with him. Also, we are ranked 21st in yards/game, 7th in rush yards/game, and 10th in points/game. 

Not sure how that’s “one of the worst offenses” or how this is tortured logic

[SmokinwithWilly]

1 minute ago, GreensboroPirate said:

We have the most sacks in the NFL and the third ranking passing defense in the league.

Our offense is actually one of the worst in the NFL.

Is CMC playing some secret position on defense that I am unaware of?

This is very tortured logic.

 

No it isn't. CMC is carrying what offense we do have. Without him, it's likely our defense is spending a lot more time on the field. Those magical defensive numbers would be destroyed if our offense was constantly doing 3 and outs because they couldn't move the ball at all. You have to ask yourself, what would our offense be without CMC? The answer. Way worse than it has been, and that hasn't been good. 

[mav1234]

25 minutes ago, GreensboroPirate said:

How can CMC be MVP of the NFL when the Panthers have a bottom tier offense in every ranking or metric.

 

uhhh what, the Panthers have one of the best rushing offenses in the league despite being a one man show... they are #3 in rushing yards per attempt, 7th in rushing yards per game, and 10th in points scored... CMC himself is leading the league in numerous categories.

it is categorically false to say the panthers have a bottom tier offense "in every ranking or metric."

[Kuhndog94]

2 minutes ago, GreensboroPirate said:

CMC is carrying the team?

Yeah, he's carrying the offense to a 25th ranking, while the defense wins games with the most sacks and turnovers in the NFL.

I would love to imagine a reality where you award the MVP to someone who is leading a 25th ranked unit.  Perhaps you could say we'd be ranked dead last in offense without CMC, but Kyle Allen isn't quite that bad (and Olsen, Moore, and Samuel are not terrible).

 

The same defense that gives up 26 points and 360 yards per game or...?

[Kuhndog94]

2 minutes ago, mav1234 said:

uhhh what, the Panthers have one of the best rushing offenses in the league despite being a one man show... they are #3 in rushing yards per attempt, 7th in rushing yards per game, and 10th in points scored... CMC himself is leading the league in numerous categories.

it is categorically false to say the panthers have a bottom tier offense "in every ranking or metric."

Shhhhh. He has an agenda to push

[My Goodness My Guinness]

1 minute ago, mav1234 said:

uhhh what, the Panthers have one of the best rushing offenses in the league despite being a one man show... they are #3 in rushing yards per attempt, 7th in rushing yards per game, and 10th in points scored... CMC himself is leading the league in numerous categories.

it is categorically false to say the panthers have a bottom tier offense "in every ranking or metric."

They don't know what they're talking about. No sure where the "25th ranking" is being pulled from either. 

[LinvilleGorge]

34 minutes ago, GreensboroPirate said:

How can CMC be MVP of the NFL when the Panthers have a bottom tier offense in every ranking or metric.

When Cam won MVP, the Panthers had the top ranked offensive in the entire NFL.  I believe we scored the most points in the entire NFL that year.

For whatever worth our 5-3 record is, it's because we have the 3rd rank passing defense and most sacks in the NFL this year.  Our secondary deserves MVP more than CMC.

I don't dispute CMC is putting up amazing stats for a rb, but if it were having an MVP level impact, we wouldn't have such a poorly ranked offense.

 

Take CMC away from this team and see what's left. We might have the rock bottom offense and be in the race for #1 overall with the Dolphins/Bengals/Jets.