Brady likely wins MVP for being Brady, not for being better than Rams Gurley

The expectation is that Patriots quarterback Tom Brady wins the MVP award. But is he a better candidate than Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley?

The talking heads on sports radio or on television have pretty much conceded the MVP to Tom Brady, with only some courtesy mentions of Le’Veon Bell at Pittsburgh and even less for Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley.

The arguments they make are based on one or more of the following:

A. The Patriots factor
B. He’s 40+
C. He’s Tom Brady
D. See ‘C.’

Damn the numbers, and embrace the hypocrisy of the typical East Coast media bias that bathe in the lagoon of the Brady legacy, the ongoing idol worship of the Patriots Way, and Gisele.

As recently as this week, the shock and awe of how MVP a season Gurley has had is only now being legitimately mentioned, though only briefly. After the obligatory media genuflect to ‘Tommy Terrific’, the mere West Coast mention is an indication that maybe his Los Angeles residency could be a factor in his genuine lack of consideration despite how MVP like he has been.

Hey, I get it.

In my lifetime, I always believed that the model franchise was the San Francisco 49ers with Bill Walsh and Joe Montana. Now, as I’ve grown a bit more grayer, it’s the New England Patriots, Bill Belichick, and the Golden Boy Brady.

Further, I get the “value” part of the equation.

But I’d point to the occasions when Tommy wasn’t available and quarterbacks like Matt Cassel, Jacoby Brissett, and most recently Jimmy Garoppolo kept the machine running at a pretty high clip.

What I’d ask is where are the Rams without Gurley?

How much better is quarterback Jared Goff without Gurley?

Is Los Angeles a bonafide playoff team or even Super Bowl contender without Gurley?

Probably not.
Most definitely not.

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Brady is absolutely deserving of all the kudos he receives year in and year out. His longevity is something of legend. He’s a lock on his first ballot for the Hall of Fame, and his place is secure in the history of the NFL.

But when measuring the absolute value a player brings to a team, overlooking the impact Gurley has had on the Rams shows a continued bias for a player and team who often is more envied than critiqued.

At this stage, Brady wins because of history, despite Gurley being the better MVP candidate today.