The NFL Most Valuable Player Award race this has been one of the most exciting battles in recent memory.
The past two winners, Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady, were basically locks for the award once the season ended because of their amazing statistics. But this season a group of elite players have performed above and beyond the call of duty.
Most Valuable Player Award
Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos, Quarterback
Manning is having a career renaissance in Denver this season. Everyone knows what the future Hall of Fame quarterback is capable of, but no one knew how his body would respond to four neck surgeries and a year away from football.
Based on his play, clearly Manning has shed any rust that was on his arm. He has led the Broncos to a 10-3 record and has already clinched the AFC West with three games to play. The team got started off just 2-3, but has since won eight games in a row, including Sunday's 26-13 win over the Raiders.
This season he has thrown for 3,812 yards and 30 touchdowns with just ten interceptions. He has thrown for a least 30 touchdowns in seven seasons and is on pace to throw for the most yards in his career.
Manning has won an NFL-record four MVP awards in his career and voters would love to give him another one after the season he had. The Broncos still have games at Baltimore, and home against Cleveland and Kansas City and will be fighting with the Patriots and the Texans for home field advantage in the playoffs.
Tom Brady, New England Patriots, Quarterback
Brady has been just as impressive as Manning this season, throwing for 3,833 yards and 29 touchdowns.
Manning and Brady have combined to win four of the past five MVP awards, with Brady taking home two, including for in 2010 when he threw for 3,900 yards and 36 touchdowns with just four interceptions. Brady has thrown for at least one touchdown in every game this season and had led the Patriots to seven straight wins.
In Monday night's 42-14 throttling of the Houston Texans, Brady threw for 296 yards and four touchdowns with zero interceptions. The win gives the Patriots and Brady the inside track to home field advantage in the playoffs and a first-round bye.
Brady has been the most consistent quarterback in the NFL this season and really hasn't had a single bad game. He threw two interceptions in the loss against the Seattle Seahawks, but has otherwise been stellar.
Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings, Running Back
If Adrian Peterson wins this award, he should dedicate it to his knees.
The Minnesota running back is doing something special this season, leading the NFL in rushing by a wide margin less than year after tearing his ACL and MCL last season. He has rushed for 1,600 yards and 10 touchdowns and has played in every game this year.
Over the past two games he has rushed for 364 yards and three touchdowns and is on pace to have a 2,000 yard rushing season. He has rushed for at least 1,000 every season he has been in the league apart from last year when he got injured.
He has rushed for at least 100-yards in seven straight games and has brought the Vikings into the playoff race after the team fell to 4-4 after a loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Peterson had 210 yards against Green Bay two weeks ago and rushed for 154 and two touchdowns in Sunday's 21-14 win over the Bears.
Peterson's numbers are impressive and could help him win be first running back to win the award since LaDanian Tomlinson with the San Diego Chargers in 2006.
Offensive Player of the Year
LOOK ABOVE! Any of the three could take it home and there would be no argument. The voters may give Peterson the award to celebrate his special season, while giving the MVP to one of the quarterbacks, but then again, voters could split the difference and give one to each quarterback.
Either way, each of the three players above are far and away the most impressive offensive players this season. Other contenders include Drew Brees (32 TDs, 4,028 yards) and Calvin Johnson (1,546 receiving yards, 5 TDs).
Defensive Player of the Year
This award is a two-man battle between defensive end J.J. Watt of the Houston Texans and linebacker Aldon Smith of the San Francisco 49ers. Each has helped to transform their team's defenses into two of the league's best.
Smith is leading the league in sacks with 19.5 and is on pace to break Michael Strahan's all-time single-season record. He has added 47 tackles and three forced fumbles for the top-ranked defense in the league.
Watt is right behind Smith with 16.5 sacks and 12 tackles. He has two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries and is leading the league among lineman in batted balls with 15 this season.
Offensive Rookie of the Year
Robert Griffin III, Washington Redskins, Quarterback
Griffin has simply been the best player in the NFL this season. If there weren't two guys named Manning and Brady in the league, he would probably be the favorite in the for the MVP award.
Instead he will duke it out with another impressive rookie (see below) for an award, just like he did with the Heisman last year (spoiler alert: he won). The result should be the same for Griffin this time around. He injured his knee in what looked like a serious collision in Sunday's comeback win over the Baltimore Ravens, but coach Mike Shanahan did not rule him out of next week's game against the Cleveland Browns.
Griffin is leading the league with a 104.2 quarterback rating and has passed for 2,906 yards and 18 touchdowns and just four interceptions.
Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts, Quarterback
Luck has taken the leadership role on a team that was 2-14 last season and has brought them to a likely playoff spot. The Colts are 9-4 this season and if the playoffs started today they would have one of the Wild Card spots.
The players around Luck have elevated to his level and he has passed for 3,792 yards and 20 touchdowns to go along with 13 interceptions. He has already set the record for wins in a rookie season by a No. 1 overall pick and is poised to become the first No. 1 pick to bring his team to the playoffs in his first year.
Honorable Mention: In any other year, Alfred Morris would win this award hands down. But when the top two picks in the NFL draft are both quarterbacks and are playing as well as they are, there is just no chance. Morris has 1,228 yards rushing and seven touchdowns.
