Who’s the NFL MVP halfway through the season?
Kevin: He was the throw-in in probably the biggest trade of the offseason.
He’s led a team that was supposed to be in the bottom of the AFC. And he’s playing for a coach that may be as brash as they come.
But through it all, quarterback Kyle Orton has led the Denver Broncos to a surprising 6-1 record for rookie head coach Josh McDaniels and has only thrown one interception this season.
Orton was never a glamorous player for his position, but he just goes about his business and helps his teams win. That’s what the great players do.
While McDaniels was taking heat for his handling of ex-Denver quarterback Jay Cutler and feuding with malcontent receiver Brandon Marshall (who has since vouched on behalf of McDaniels), Orton was digging into his new playbook and spending extra time with his receivers to make sure the offense has run smoothly.
And while you could say some of Denver’s wins are a bit of a fluke, Orton is the one who has led the Broncos’ comeback wins. His stats aren’t pretty, but he’s been as efficient as they come and is at the forefront of the surprise team of the AFC. That sounds like an MVP to me.
Pete: There are only really two candidates for first-half MVP. Only two teams remain unbeaten, and their quarterbacks have the top-two passer ratings in the NFL.
Peyton Manning and Drew Brees, rated at 114. 5 and 106.9 respectively, have made huge plays at important times and led their teams to 7-0 starts to command each conference.
Personally, I think Brees has been more impressive because the Colts’ defense is better, but both quarterbacks are playing at a really high level. Brees is tearing through opposing defenses at will, and proved he could win from behind with his demolition of Miami’s defense last week. Manning is his same old self, quietly leading the Colts to an unbeaten start.
These teams look like they’re on the fast track to meeting in the Super Bowl, but they should beware the NFL; every year, some team that got off to a really hot start fades away around this time. Maybe it’s Denver, but maybe it’s one of these teams.
I also like Cedric Benson from Cincinnati, Andre Johnson from Houston and Elvis Dumervil, who has 10 sacks for the Broncos. Benson is surprisingly leading the league in rushing, while Johnson is simply torching every one of his opponents’ secondaries. It really looks unfair.
What NBA team has impressed early?
Kevin: I’m going to have to go with the Denver Nuggets here. It’s not just because they’re undefeated (as of Sunday afternoon) or that Carmelo Anthony is playing out of his mind right now. It’s because of the contributions they are receiving from their unheralded players, particularly rookie point guard Ty Lawson. Lawson was traded to Denver after he was drafted 18th by the Timberwolves, and in two games before Sunday night’s contest, averaged 12 points, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game in only 21.5 minutes a game. Chauncey Billups isn’t getting any younger, and though he’s still solid, he’s still going to need a breather every now and then. Lawson can give them that and more, as he was the most NBA-ready point guard in the draft last year.
Carmelo Anthony is looking like an early MVP candidate because he’s not just settling for jump shots anymore. He’s being aggressive and getting to the rim. He’s dunking everything in sight and he’s an excellent free throw shooter, which is an added bonus when he finishes with contact.
Head coach George Karl isn’t letting his team take any nights off, and the powerful frontcourt that they’ve put together and along with the improved backcourt with its added depth is going to make Denver a very tough team to deal with.
Pete: Don’t you have to go with the Washington Wizards?
Everyone knew they’d be improved, but they smacked the Mavericks in Dallas to open the season and crushed the Nets in the home opener at the Verizon Center. The Wizards sit at 2-1, and the loss was in Atlanta. Even really good teams can expect to lose a few road games to playoff contenders, so there’s nothing to worry about there.
The most impressive thing has really been just watching the team. The trade of the No. 5 pick in exchange for Mike Miller and Randy Foye was obviously a good one; those two guys provide a serious improvement in depth. The Wizards go two or three deep at every position, and with Gilbert Arenas healthy, Washington also has star power. This team is still a little while away from really contending in the East, but you can bet on a top-six seed this year, and possibly a playoff series win.
Other teams worthy of mentioning are Oklahoma City (two wins already?) and Orlando.
I said it before and I’ll say it again: this year is all about the Magic. Vince Carter looks like he’s fitting in, so as long as they’re healthy, the guys in black and blue will win the championship.
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