Rodgers opens MVP defence against Bears

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers edged JJ Watt to claim his second NFL MVP award in 2014. Now, Rodgers opens his second title reign against the Chicago Bears on Sunday.

Rodgers has a history of success against the Bears, owning a 12-3 record (including playoffs) since taking over the starting role in Green Bay in 2008. Across his career, he has thrown 31 touchdowns to eight interceptions against the Monsters of the Midway and dominated the team again last year.

This season, Rodgers figures to see new looks from the Bears under head coach John Fox, who was hired by the Bears after the Denver Broncos handed him a pink slip.

The 31-year-old will also have to work without his top receiver, Jordy Nelson, who has been with the Packers since Rodgers' first year as a starter. Some believe the injury will be enough to cost Rodgers his third MVP title, though that remains to be seen.

Nelson was lost for the season after tearing his ACL against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 2 of the preseason. The 30-year-old had been Rodgers' top weapon over the past two seasons, accounting for more than 2,800 yards.
 

The Packers will now rely on Randall Cobb to take a bigger role in the offence. The 25-year-old posted a career-high 1,287 yards last season, though most of his damage came out of the slot.

Rodgers will also look for Devante Adams and Jeff Janis, after both were on the roster last season. Adams became a regular producer in the second half of the year, while Janis failed to make a major impact. Adams will take Nelson’s starting spot, while Janis will hope his year of experience gives him an edge over third-rounder Ty Montgomery.

The injury to Nelson could also lead the Packers to lean more on the tight end spot in 2015. Like Adams, Richard Rodgers also emerged as a contributor down the stretch in the 2014 season. He and Andrew Quarless figure to appear in more two-tight end sets this season.

If Rodgers can turn Adams into a 1,000-yard receiver and spread the ball to his young receivers and tight ends, he should be able to post numbers strong enough to earn him the award for the third time. However, if the Packers decide to mask the injury to Nelson with the running game, Rodgers could be in trouble.

The team has two capable runners in Eddie Lacy and James Starks. Lacy has rushed for 1,100 yards in each of his first two NFL seasons, while Starks owns a career 4.3 yards per carry average.

Leaning on the run game would make the Packers a more complete team, but could send Rodgers’ MVP hopes down the drain.

There’s no doubt Rodgers holds enough talent to win the award, and he didn’t set an unreachable bar for himself last season, but the Super Bowl XLV MVP will face an uphill battle to get there.

If he does, he’ll leave his mark as one of the best ever.
 

*NFL record

Rodgers' Competition for MVP

QB Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts

Entering his fourth NFL season, Luck has emerged as one of the NFL’s top quarterbacks and has more skill around him than ever before. The Colts stacked their offence over the offseason, signing receivers Andre Johnson and Duron Carter and running back Frank Gore, before drafting dynamic wide receiver Phillip Dorsett in the first round in May. Those players join Pro Bowler TY Hilton, Donte Moncrief, Dwayne Allen and Colby Fleener in an already productive offence.

Luck exploded in 2014 with 40 touchdown passes – six less than his first two seasons combined. If the 25-year-old can bring his interception total down from 16 while not sacrificing scoring, he should be able to lock down his first MVP title. It could be the first of many.

DE JJ Watt, Houston Texans

Watt is the most dominant player in football, but faces an uphill battle to win the MVP title from the defensive side of the ball. Watt finished second in voting to Rodgers last season and will have a hard time topping his 2014 marks. Watt bullied opposing offensive lines en route to posting 20.5 sacks – two shy of the NFL single-season record. He added 10 passes batted down, an interception returned for a touchdown, four forced fumbles and a safety. Those numbers are impressive, but Watt beefed up the résumé further with three receiving touchdowns on offence.

Aside from topping the NFL’s sack record, the question remains to be asked how much more Watt can possibly do as looks to become the first defensive player to win the award since Lawrence Taylor in 1986 – and second ever defensive lineman (Alan Page, 1971). Perhaps further team success could help Watt’s case, but with an underwhelming quarterback situation, that seems unlikely. Watt is all but a shoe-in to repeat as the defensive player of the year.

QB Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers

Roethlisberger flew under the radar last season as he enjoyed a career year in Pittsburgh. Roethlisberger tied Drew Brees for the league lead in yards and posted the third best quarterback rating in the league. His touchdown total likely held him back slightly at 32, but Roethlisberger proved to be among the NFL’s top passers.

Roethlisberger has one of the NFL’s top receivers at his disposal in Antonio Brown and an elite running back in Le’Veon Bell. Though, Roethlisberger’s MVP stock could soar, or plummet, based on how he performs early in the season. Big Ben and the Steelers will be without Bell for the first two weeks of the season and without deep threat Martavis Bryant for the first due to suspension. If Roethlisberger can shine without two of his top weapons early in the season, he’ll be able to enter himself into the debate.

RB Le’Veon Bell, Pittsburgh Steelers 

As mentioned, Bell will miss the first two weeks of the season, but that’s no reason to rule the workhorse back out of the race. Bell rushed for 1,361 yards last season, while adding a whopping 854 yards on the ground. He faces an uphill battle with just 14 games to accomplish it, but if Bell can rush for 1,000 yards and receive for 1,000 more, he will be in the thick of the race come December.

QB Tom Brady, New England Patriots

After seeing offseason derailed by the distraction of “Deflategate,” Brady is expected to play with more drive than ever before this season. Brady has his entire arsenal of weapons returning from Super Bowl XLIV, including All-Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski.

Brady, a two-time MVP, last won the award in 2010, but can’t be counted out to send the entire league a message after having character questioned for the past eight months. The former sixth-rounder has never lacked motivation, and now he has more than ever.

RB Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings

When Peterson rushed for 2,097 yards in 2012, he was coming off an off-season that forced him to rehab his torn ACL. Now after playing only Week 1 of the 2014 season due to suspension, Peterson enters the season on fresh legs.

Peterson is truly the NFL’s biggest unknown entering the 2015 season. At 30 years old, Peterson has hit the age of decline for running backs, but he’s defied common expectation before. If Peterson can come within reach of his 2012 numbers while leading the Vikings back to the playoffs, he will be a serious contender to win his second MVP title.