[prohornblower]

[ QUOTE ]


"
Running back is probably the most overrated position in football. Consider this, Peyton passed the ball 557 times this season and LDT touched the ball just over 400 times. If you were to assume Peyton was going to gain the same number of yards per attempt that LDT does per touch, Peyton would obviously be more important because LDT only gets 70% as many touches. Now if you add factor in the extra 2+ yards per touch Peyton gets, its just not close anymore."

That basically sums up everything. This is inarguable. Manning is loads better than any other player in the NFL. QB is the most important position by far in the NFL, and again, it's not close. They have the most touches, and therefore the most impact on the game.

[/ QUOTE ]

It may be "inarguable", but I want to throw some tidbits out there that I may not have been discussed yet. I'll play the devils advocate for LDT, since apparently everyone on this board thinks he's a horrible choice for MVP.
Yes, Peyton gets more yards per touch than LDT. He also has like up to 4 guys to throw to, and an option to run on every play. He literally has more ways to burn a D than an RB does.

Keep in mind that when Peyton gets X yards per touch (pass, since we know he never runs), some of that credit has to go to the receivers. Not half, but certainly some. Sure Peyton is accurate as hell, but you can't tell me he doesn't get occasional help from Marvin and the boys. Hell, Marvin made one of the best catches I've seen this year on a TD. Peyton can't get 100% of the credit for Yards-per-touch when things like this happen.

When an RB gets the ball, he basically IS the option, and there sure as hell aren't 4 or 5 holes that his O-line made for him to hit on each touch. Usually one, if he's lucky. Peyton has several options on each touch.

You also have to account for what LDT does downfield that other RB's can't do, like lay out some damaging stiff-arms to pick up an extra 15 yards here and there. Once LDT hits a hole, it's ain't over. He does some amazing things downfield that other RB's usually can't. (This argument has little to do with Peyton, as basically I'm comparing LDT to his peers).

Also you guys are forgetting that LDT had a couple TD passes this year, so I think he accounted for 33 TD's all-told.

Also factor in LDT's occassional blocking when an OLB is rushing the passer. Not that other RB's don't do that. But you have to add that to his value above Y/T. Just because he doesn't get the ball every snap doesn't mean he isn't blocking, or maybe even open somewhere but not getting the ball.


Also factor in that a QB's numbers go up bigtime when they are trailing late. Because they basically never run the ball, and the D is playing soft to not give up huge gains late. Peyton lost 4 games this year, so I haven't looked at the numbers, but I'm pretty sure he benefitted from getting several attempts to come back late through the air.
Hell, you can routinely see QB's add another 50+ yards late in the game when they are down. Those yards are pretty much meaningless if they still lose the game, and should probably not even count, but meh.

Also take into account that LDT has presumably never called his kicker a "drunken idiot" like Peyton did. His players all seem to love him. He's pretty valuable to those guys. Just look at how they celebrated his efforts when he got the record this year. I think LDT is a pretty damn valuable guy to have on your team.

Honestly, with all this said, I really could care less if Peyton won it. It would in no way have been a shocker. I'm just trying to make arguments for LDT since all the math nerds are pissed off tonight about Peyton getting snuffed.