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Campbell For Team/NFL MVP … Really?
By Chris Mottram | October 28, 2008
No disrespect to Jason Campbell, whom I have inappropriate amounts of man-love for and whose jersey I proudly wear on Sundays, but this is madness: A JC-for-MVP movement seems to be starting.
Let’s get this out of the way first: Clinton Portis is the MVP of both the Redskins and the NFL at the halfway point. It’s not even close and don’t you try to argue with me about it because you’re wrong, I’m right, end of discussion. Alright, fine, Drew Brees deserves consideration, but his team sucks.
But back to this Campbell stuff. Here’s what La Canfora wrote this morning regarding the team’s offensive MVP:
Wide receiver Santana Moss has been explosive and dynamic. Running back Clinton Portis is the most productive running back in the NFL this season by a staggering margin. But both of those guys already hold the single-season franchise yardage marks at their respective positions.
To me, neither would be able to accomplish what they have without Jason Campbell performing at a Pro Bowl level.
If I may interrupt, I don’t know how La Canfora can say Santana and Portis wouldn’t be having amazing seasons “without Jason Campbell performing at a Pro Bowl level.” They had their record-setting seasons with Mark Brunell at QB. In other words, Moss and CP can be awesome with pretty much any live body under center.
Okay, proceed:
To be a young starter in another new system on what is a decidedly veteran outfit on the offensive side of the ball, with people (fans; uneducated media members) ready and willing to run you out of town in the preseason, calling for Colt Brennan and the like, and a wildly popular veteran back-up waiting in the wings, and with your financial future at stake as you get deeper into your rookie contract is pressure enough. But to deliver a 100 passer rating and eight interception-free games, to say nothing of completing two-thirds of your passes, is pretty special.
Alright, now this is making some sense. Expect for the part about people clamoring for Brennan and fans wanting to run Campbell out of town. I never once heard any Skins fans speak about either of those. I’m beginning to think La Canfora is slightly out of touch.
Piggybacking on JLC’s post is Mike Florio, who tends to write things just to get a rise, so take this claim that Campbell is the MVP of the league with a grain of salt:
In eight games, Campbell has thrown zero interceptions. He has a passer rating of 100.5. The Redskins are 6-2, good for second place in the best division in the league.
Most important, Campbell has emerged as a genuine on-field leader despite having to learn yet another new offense.
If Campbell keeps making no mistakes and leading his team to tough wins while competing with the likes of the Cowboys, Giants and Eagles, he should win the prize.
Campbell has been awesome and without him we probably aren’t 6-2, but aside from INTs, he isn’t top-five in any important/semi-important statistical category. Certainly, stats don’t tell the entire story, but I just don’t think anyone could say that Campbell is more important to his team than any other player in the NFL — a claim you could, and I did, make about Portis. Although JC does seem to be a leader, which as we’ve all come to learn this season, is the single most important element in the championship team formula.
Topics: Clinton Portis, Jason Campbell, Media Bird Doggin', Redskins | 9 Comments »
October 28th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
I want this list of “uneducated media members” La Canfora writes of.
Also, I dispute your claim that Brunell is/was a “live body.”
October 28th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
Sadly enough, JLC’s got a point. There are regulars on the RI blog that were questioning JC’s competence at first, and then calling for a trade to take advantage of his “high stock.”
WTF?
My buddy still gets a Colt text from his dad after every game; although it’s become a joke at this point.
I’m not quite sure if I agree or disagree (I’m leaning towards agreeing with JLC though), but I do think that JC is becoming a solid steady presence that can only help keep this team together. You have the celebrity type U guys, the redneck Big Ten and deep South O-linemen, and everything in between. JC’s calm demeanor, unflappable presence and obvious ascension to “team leader” has got to be a large part of this team’s success.
And that ends my two cents.
October 28th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
Your point stops being relevant when you’re basing it on “regulars on the RI blog.”
October 28th, 2008 at 2:18 pm
haha jerkstore!
October 28th, 2008 at 3:21 pm
Colt will forever be a back up to the real QBs just like he was in high school behind Leinart.
I was at the game vs. the Saints where I saw a fan wearing a Brennan jersey (he looked kind of illiterate) yelling that he become the starter. This was the second game of the season. Was he Uninformed? Yes. Did he get bucked in the head with a chicken tender? Yes.
October 28th, 2008 at 4:04 pm
Who would you worry about more getting injured, CP, Tana, or JC?
There’s your MVP. La Canfora is like Jason Whitlock, just saying things to make people pay attention.
October 28th, 2008 at 4:44 pm
@Stet: And that’s exactly why Portis is the clear cut MVP.
October 28th, 2008 at 10:14 pm
Best Redskin so far this season? Easy. London Fletcher. Don’t you guys pay attention?
October 29th, 2008 at 8:20 am
CamL: There’s no question that LFB is the best player on the defense, and yeah, you could argue he’s the best Redskin this season. But I still think that taking Portis away hurts them more than taking Fletcher away. I think anytime Shaun Alexander is in the game, it helps drive this point home.
Just for shits, if I had to list the team MVP in order, I’d probably go: Portis, Fletcher, Campbell, Moss, Rogers, Samuels.