Tom Brady MVP chatter is still going as the New England Patriots close in on the No. 1 seed in the 2018 AFC Playoffs. Now there are discussions about whether this is the most impressive season that Brady has put together during his tenure with the Patriots. If the Patriots finish the season at 13-3, is there any reason he shouldn’t be named the NFL MVP?
Impressive stats across the board
Through the first 15 games of this season, Tom Brady has completed 67.5 percent of his passes for 4,387 yards and 30 touchdowns. Brady has a quarterback rating of 104.2 and has thrown just eight interceptions in that time.
While his touchdown passes certainly don’t rival the 2007 NFL season when he threw for 50, he is doing this with far fewer weapons to work with on the field.
Brady still has the best tight end in the league with Rob Gronkowski, but he is missing primary receiver Julian Edelman this year. The New England Patriots lost Edelman to injured reserve after eight seasons working with Brady on the team. Replacing that combination has appeared easier than it should be, with Brady simply going with “the next man up” in an offense that continues to flourish with him as the leader. It has almost become the way this team works, with Brady overcoming adversity to find continued success.
Does top seed guarantee a Brady MVP?
When the Patriots beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 15, it gave the team a real shot to clinch the top seed in the AFC Playoffs again. The Patriots have already won the AFC East this season, but would certainly enjoy having home field advantage throughout the postseason by taking that top overall seed.
Getting to play at Foxboro during the month of January serves as a huge advantage, especially to a veteran quarterback like Brady.
The Patriots have overcome a lot this season, including a one-game suspension of Rob Gronkowski due to a late hit against the Buffalo Bills. The team might have folded, though, if the starting quarterback wasn’t Tom Brady.
In Week 17, the NFL schedule has the New England Patriots hosting the New York Jets. Winning that game clinches the top seed in the AFC and should earn Brady another MVP Award.
Brady leads the entire NFL in passing yards, could help the Patriots finish with the best record in the league, and he has put the retirement rumors to bed (again). Now he deserves to raise the MVP trophy once again, in what might be the best team season he has had since joining the league.