After losing to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz might’ve slid to second behind New England Patriots QB Tom Brady in the NFL Most Valuable Player race.
Don’t tell that to Max Kellerman, though.
During Wednesday’s episode of “First Take” on ESPN, Kellerman stated why he still has Wentz, not Brady, as the “clear” MVP.
While some of Kellerman’s take makes sense, he definitely didn’t start strong.
“Tom Brady’s clearly second and Russell Wilson is breathing down both their necks — but right now it’s Carson Wentz,” Kellerman said. “First of all, he can do things physically that Tom Brady can’t. He can escape pressure using his legs, he has a bigger arm. He can flick the ball down the field in a way — really he can make, not Aaron Rodgers throws, but almost close to Aaron Rodgers throws.
” … Carson Wentz can physically do things that Tom Brady could never do.”
What do physical gifts have to do with winning the MVP? Putting too much stock in physical attributes is precisely why Brady was taken with the 199th pick in the 2000 NFL Draft.
Kellerman eventually acknowledges that Brady is the more “cerebral” quarterback, but still, that’s a pretty horrible way to start your take.
As for which quarterback deserves the award, it’s tough to say. Both players have led their teams to 10-2 records, but Brady seems to have the edge in stats, albeit slightly.
Brady:Â 300-for-438 (68.5 percent); 3,632 yards; 26 TDs; 4 INT; 74.1 Total QBR
Wentz:Â 242-for-399 (60.7 percent); 3,005 yards; 29 TDs; 6 INT; 73.6 Total QBR
If Brady and Wentz keep performing at their current levels, this MVP race could be one of the closest in recent memory.
