Houston Texans running back Arian Foster and Arizona Cardinals strong safety Adrian Wilson are not going to win MVP honors in the NFL this season.
Both appear on the MVP Watch list following Week 1 because they produced so exceptionally well for their teams. The Chicago Bears' Matt Forte and others deserved some consideration, too, but the list would have felt incomplete without including more legitimate longer-term candidates coming off less-spectacular opening weeks (Brett Favre among them).
Someone had to be left off the list, and Forte had company. Tony Romo dropped off the list from last week, but I think he'll be back, Alex Barron permitting.
1. TOM BRADY
Quarterback | New England Patriots ... Next Game: 9/19 at NYJ ... Last Week: 6 
The only Week 1 quarterback to toss at least three TD passes with no INTs against a 2009 playoff team.
2010 Statistics
| CMP | ATT | YDS | CMP% | YPA | LNG | TD | INT | SACK | RAT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | 35 | 258 | 71.4 | 7.37 | 45 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 120.9 |
2. CHRIS JOHNSON
Running Back | Tennessee Titans ... Next Game: 9/19 vs. PIT ... Last Week: 3 
The Titans will not start 0-6 again this season, and that will help Johnson, who owned the longest run in the NFL (76 yards) during Week 1.
2010 Statistics
| ATT | YDS | AVG | LNG | TD | REC | YDS | AVG | LNG | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 | 142 | 5.3 | 76 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 2.0 | 5 | 0 |
3. DREW BREES
Quarterback | New Orleans Saints ... Next Game: 9/20 at SF ... Last Week: 2 
The completion percentage will fall and the yards per attempt will rise. Brees stays in the top five after leading the Saints past Minnesota.
2010 Statistics
| CMP | ATT | YDS | CMP% | YPA | LNG | TD | INT | SACK | RAT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 | 36 | 237 | 75.0 | 6.58 | 29 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 101.3 |
4. PEYTON MANNING
Quarterback | Indianapolis Colts ... Next Game: 9/19 vs. NYG ... Last Week: 1 
Passing for 433 yards and three touchdowns gives Manning a good statistical start. Seven consecutive seasons with at least 12 victories tells us the wins will come.
2010 Statistics
| CMP | ATT | YDS | CMP% | YPA | LNG | TD | INT | SACK | RAT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | 57 | 433 | 70.2 | 7.60 | 73 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 109.8 |
5. ARIAN FOSTER
Running Back | Houston Texans ... Next Game: 9/19 at WAS ... Last Week: NR 
Foster is not going to rush for 3,696 yards this season, but he would if his Week 1 pace held up. Go ahead and dream, but don't count on Foster remaining on this list.
2010 Statistics
| ATT | YDS | AVG | LNG | TD | REC | YDS | AVG | LNG | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33 | 231 | 7.0 | 42 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 7.0 | 7 | 0 |
6. AARON RODGERS
Quarterback | Green Bay Packers ... Next Game: 9/19 vs. BUF ... Last Week: 4 
Rodgers tossed a couple of picks and wasn't all that sharp, so I moved him down, but the Packers still beat a potential NFC contender on the road.
2010 Statistics
| CMP | ATT | YDS | CMP% | YPA | LNG | TD | INT | SACK | RAT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | 31 | 188 | 61.3 | 6.07 | 32 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 73.1 |
7. VINCE YOUNG
Quarterback | Tennessee Titans ... Next Game: 9/19 vs. PIT ... Last Week: NR 
Young owns the highest passer rating in the league. Johnson will draw most of the MVP attention if the Titans keep winning, though.
2010 Statistics
| CMP | ATT | YDS | CMP% | YPA | LNG | TD | INT | SACK | RAT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | 17 | 154 | 76.5 | 9.06 | 56 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 142.8 |
8. MATT SCHAUB
Quarterback | Houston Texans ... Next Game: 9/19 at WAS ... Last Week: 9 
The stats were not exceptional in Week 1, but those will come. Finally beating the Colts raises Schaub's profile more at this point.
2010 Statistics
| CMP | ATT | YDS | CMP% | YPA | LNG | TD | INT | SACK | RAT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 17 | 107 | 52.9 | 6.29 | 23 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 67.5 |
9. DAVID GARRARD
Quarterback | Jacksonville Jaguars ... Next Game: 9/19 at SD ... Last Week: NR 
Garrard joined Brady and Manning as the only QBs with at least three TDs and no INTs in Week 1. Like Brady, Garrard got the "W."
2010 Statistics
| CMP | ATT | YDS | CMP% | YPA | LNG | TD | INT | SACK | RAT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | 21 | 170 | 76.2 | 8.10 | 26 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 138.9 |
10. ADRIAN WILSON
Safety | Arizona Cardinals ... Next Game: 9/19 at ATL ... Last Week: NR 
Two interceptions, one sack and a blocked field goal at St. Louis showed just how dynamic a player Wilson can be.
2010 Statistics
| TOT | SOLO | AST | SACK | INT | YDS | LNG | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 2 | 0 | 1.0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
Mike Sando | email
NFL- NFC West Blogger
- Joined ESPN in 2007
- Lives in the Seattle-Tacoma area with his wife and two sons
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Mike Sando
Sando joined ESPN.com in 2007 after nine seasons covering the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma (Wash.) News Tribune. He lives in the Seattle-Tacoma area with his wife and two sons.
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