So...who will the NFL's Most Valuable be?

And...how do you define what that is? "Most Valuable" to whom: the team? The league? History? The coffers of the NFL?

So, let's start the conversation with THIS definition: the MVP is the player who contributes the most to his particular team's success on the field that specific year. Not "how spectacular are they?" Not "most popular". Not "award for a career's body of work", not the most surprising, and certainly not the highest selling jerseys, either. Finally, it should be the player who ADDS the most to the win total of his team: a great player whose team would go 16-0 without him adds NO value to his team, while a great player whose team STILL can't win a game also adds NO value to his team in our criteria.

Got it? Good! Here's our short list of whom to consider...

J.J. Watt, Houston. No, he's not going to win, and he probably shouldn't win. But he's probably singlehandedly won at least two games for the Texans with his two-way play, and deserves the credit he gets and then some.

Tom Brady, New England. A very viable candidate because without him, the Pats would be toast. This isn't the team that Matt Cassell could step in and go 11-5 with; a Bradyless New England is third in the division.

Andrew Luck, Indianapolis. See above. 

Peyton Manning, Denver. See above, except that he has so much talent on both sides of the ball this year that it's arguable that even HE isn't indispensable this year.

Russell Wilson, Seattle. A different situation than Luck or Brady: The Seahawks DO have the talent to win with most quarterbacks, but it's Wilson's leadership as much as his throwing or running ability that transform Seattle from a contender into a Super Bowl champ and (increasingly) likely repeat champ.

DeMarco Murray, Dallas. His season will indubitably be the top by a running back this year, but it's the theory of play Jason Garrett has for the Cowboys this year - don't let Romo or the defense lose the game; let the running game win it - that has Murray in the hunt.

Chip Kelly, Philadelphia. Don't laugh: how many extra wins has Kelly come up with for the Eagles this year? If he can make a winning team with Mark Sanchez at quarterback, he's got to be in the conversation as the Most Valuable Something!

Bruce Arians, Arizona. See above, and replace Sanchez with Stanton, and then whomever he threw in after Stanton went out Thursday to beat the Rams with!

Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay.  And last but probably most, the likely favorite in most people's eyes may or may not be the MOST valuable under these criteria, if only because the Packers are really good anyway. Certainly, Rodgers is having an insanely good season; he doesn't even HAVE a touchdown/interception ratio at home, because you must have a non-zero number in the denominator to have a ratio, and he's something like 36:0 at Lambeau. He's very likely the Most Outstanding Player; but we're not convinced he's the most valuable to his particular team.

But we get three more weeks to examine the incoming evidence!