The NFL MVP Race Likely Hinges on What Happens With Adrian Peterson and Minnesota Today

The outcome of the NFL MVP award voting likely will be determined by what happens in Minnesota today as the Vikings try to win against the Green Bay Packers to gain a playoff spot, while Adrian Peterson pursues a 2,000 yard season and then on to Eric Dickerson.

According to a poll of 18 of the 50 Associated Press voters by the Denver Post, the current voting breaks down like this:

Nine votes for Peyton Manning;
Three votes for Adrian Peterson;
Six voters who said they would wait to see what Adrian Peterson and the Vikings did on Sunday.

Voters like teams that make the playoffs, and if Peterson surpasses Eric Dickerson with a monster game (it will now take 208 yards to break the record) he would receive a boost. That survey would suggest that if the Vikings don’t make the postseason or Peterson has a bad game, Manning is likely to win the award.

If Peterson surpasses 2,000 yards, and Minnesota gets a big win over the Packers, though, well the voting could be very tight. A month ago, most thought Peterson was not a serious candidate when I put him on my list by looking at past seasons and award behavior, but if he gets to that 2,000 mark, he has a good chance, particularly if other voters siphon off a few votes to other quarterbacks like Brady or Rodgers.

[photo via USA Today Sports Images]