theScore's NFL Awards Roundtable: Most Valuable Player

The NFL Awards will be handed out on Jan. 31, but theScore's NFL Editors are making a case for the players they feel deserve to take home the hardware this season. 

theScore's NFL Awards
Offensive Rookie of the Year
Defensive Rookie of the Year
Offensive Player of the Year
Defensive Player of the Year
Most Valuable Player 
Coach of the Year

Most Valuable Player

Aaron Rodgers, QB, Packers
4,381 passing yards, 38 touchdowns

Forget the argument about whether an MVP needs to make the playoffs. Forget the debate about what "valuable" really means. Rodgers is the best football player on earth and thus is the rightful recipient of this award. The numbers are there (2,955 yards, 30 touchdowns and two interceptions in a historic 10-game stretch) and the narrative is, too (dramatic return from injury to clinch a playoff bye). - David P. Woods

Rodgers is without a doubt the NFL's best quarterback, and he carried the Packers throughout the 2014 season. The stat line is impressive enough, but if you've seen the throws Rodgers makes look easy on a weekly basis - throws no other quarterback in the league can make - this is a pretty easy decision. By the time he's done, he's going to be one of the best to have ever played the game. - Dan Wilkins

Rodgers edges out J.J. Watt for what should be one of the closest MVP races in years. The Packers' superstar threw a career-low five interceptions; in fact, he was so dominant that he was picked off in just three games. In one five-game stretch, Rodgers threw 16 touchdowns with no picks, powering Green Bay's march to a playoff bye. - Arun Srinivasan

J.J. Watt, DE, Texans
78 tackles, 119 QB pressures, 20.5 sacks

Many feel this should go to Rodgers, but Watt is more deserving. Rodgers is an incredible player, but how much better did he play this year than Tom Brady or Tony Romo? The gap between Watt and the next best defensive end, though, is astronomical. He nearly carried the Texans to the playoffs on his back with a subpar roster that featured the likes of Ryan Fitzpatrick, Ryan Mallett and Case Keenum at quarterback. If you replaced Watt with the next best player at his position, Houston probably finishes 2014 with two or three wins. - Michael Amato

Rob Gronkowski, TE, Patriots
82 receptions, 1,124 yards, 12 touchdowns

Gronkowski finished the regular season with an impressive stat line, but what's more impressive is the impact his presence had on New England's offense. With Gronkowski sidelined for nine games last season, Tom Brady finished with a completion percentage of 60.5 (21st among quarterbacks) and a QB rating of 87.3 (17th). This season, he had a completion percentage of 64.1 (14th) and a QB rating of 97.4 (fifth). The Patriots are a good team regardless of whether Gronk is on the field, but with a healthy Gronk at their disposal, they become a Super Bowl contender. - Caitlyn Holroyd