Week Seven MVP meter
Tomlinson making run at MVP crown
By Mike Wilkening
Oct. 22, 2002
Week Seven confirmed things we already knew, such as that the endzone is a magnet, and Priest Holmes is one big ‘ol hunk of aluminum. We also figured Marshall Faulk was going to start scoring bundles of touchdowns again, and that the hapless "Who us? Play run defense?" Seahawks were perfect patsies for the Rams' running back.
But what did we learn Sunday? For one, the god of injuries doesn’t care much for logic, because what was with the seemingly indomitable Brett Favre getting injured by two Washington defenders, when the hardest hitting the Redskins’ defense has been doing this season is when it’s snipping at Marvin Lewis’ schemes?
Yet the biggest lesson rendered Sunday came in Oakland, where we learned that San Diego is a legitimate contender for the AFC title. In their 27-21 OT win at Oakland, the Chargers made the leap from “nice team, but where’s the beef?” to “the team before the season you swear you told your buddies was a Super Bowl dark horse, but none of them seem to remember.”
San Diego made the leap because LaDainian Tomlinson carried it there. In a hostile environment with defensive stars Junior Seau and Marcellus Wiley out with injuries, Tomlinson put up All-Pro numbers (39 carries, 153 yards), capping his performance off with a 19-yard TD dash to win the game.
Oakland fans responded by pelting the Chargers with garbage. We responded by bumping up Tomlinson six spots in our MVP meter, which we now unveil:
1. Brett Favre, Packers QB – Why keep Favre in the top spot? Because with Doug Pederson under center for any extended period of time, the Packers are any other team in the NFC North: floundering. Also, he’s sparked Green Bay’s 6-1 start with will as much as talent. So he’s staying put this week, although his ranking is dependent on how he responds to his knee sprain. (Season to date: 153-of-233 passing, 1706 yards, 14 touchdowns, three interceptions.)
2. Priest Holmes, Chiefs RB – Three more touchdowns for Holmes. Another loss for the Chiefs. With Oakland coming to town next Sunday, lots of potential for more big numbers for Holmes. Also big heartbreak potential for Kansas City fans, what with the defense struggling so mightily. (Season to date: 167 carries, 766 yards, 12 touchdowns; 45 catches, 347 yards, two touchdowns.)
3. Drew Bledsoe, Bills QB – Buffalo is suddenly in the thick of the AFC East race, which was thought to be a two-horse race between New England and Miami. Not with Bledsoe in Buffalo it isn’t. (Season to date: 182-of-282 passing, 2,198 yards, 15 touchdowns, five interceptions.)
4. LaDainian Tomlinson, Chargers RB – The bye week comes at a good time for Tomlinson. He’s a horse, yes, but one wonders how many weeks he can carry the ball 39 times without it affecting his — and the Chargers’ — performance. (Season to date: 174 carries, 785 yards, seven touchdowns.)
5. Rich Gannon, Raiders QB – Fun to watch Gannon at the controls of the Oakland offense, but until defense stops anyone, the Raiders are a step below Denver and San Diego. (Season to date: 179-of-259 passing, 2,048 yards, 14 touchdowns, six interceptions.)
6. Donovan McNabb, Eagles QB – Blah performance (12-of-25 passing, 147 yards, one touchdown, one interception) against Warren Sapp and the gang, but good enough, Nice to see Duce Staley lending a hand against the Bucs. (Season to date: 132-of-226 passing, 1,407 yards, 12 touchdowns, four interceptions.)
7. Aaron Brooks, Saints QB – Fourth-quarter comeback vs. San Francisco Sunday is proof that Brooks belongs on the short list of the game’s best quarterbacks. (Season to date: 137-of-233 passing, 1,643 yards, 16 touchdowns, seven interceptions.)
8. Ray Lewis, Ravens MLB – Baltimore gutted out a tough win against Jacksonville without Lewis Sunday. But the Ravens will need him in this week’s battle for first place in the AFC North vs. Pittsburgh. (Season to date: 49 tackles (39 solo), three passes defended, two interceptions, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery.)
9. Ricky Williams, Dolphins RB – Gets well-deserved bye week. One of the major reasons for Dolphins’ 5-2 start. (Season to date: 163 carries, 711 yards, six touchdowns.)
10. Marshall Faulk, Rams RB – Look out behind you, San Francisco and Arizona. (124 carries, 604 yards, seven touchdowns.) |
