Can Manning and Brees rest on their laurels and still be MVP?
 

Can Manning and Brees rest on their laurels and still be MVP?


Drew Brees, QB, New Orleans
How he'll win votes: Unlike Manning, Brees is likely to play in most, if not all, of the remaining games. For one thing, the Minnesota Vikings are only two games behind the Saints in the race for the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs. For another, the Saints, who are new to the world of dominance, are more fascinated by the prospect of going 16-0 than the Colts. It would make sense that if Brees plays a key role through a 3-0 run, he would be hard to top for MVP. The Saints have been living on the edge the past two weeks, but Brees continues his prolific ways. He has remarkable chemistry with his wide receivers. Brees also has firmly established himself as the Saints' strongest team leader.

How he'll lose them: If Brees has more chances to play, he has as many opportunities to struggle as he does to maintain his hot hand. The good news is that the Cowboys are the toughest team the Saints have left. Another potential problem for Brees is the notion that, as important as he is to the Saints' success, he is not a one-man show. His receivers deserve plenty of credit. New Orleans' defense also has played well and has been highly opportunistic. It's possible that voters might say Brees is a little bit more of a product of a total team effort than Manning and perhaps the other candidates.

Can Manning and Brees rest on their laurels and still be MVP?