San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers was once a consensus top-five QB before awful offensive line play nearly ruined his career, but critical upgrades in the 2013 offseason, especially on the coaching staff, allowed Rivers to thrive again last year. I tried to make arguments in favor of giving him more MVP love last year, and it looks like he’s getting that kind of praise this year with Peyton Manning not putting up historically great numbers.
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One of the most accurate and consistent quarterbacks in the NFL (in fact, I think he is THE most accurate QB), Rivers has arguably displaced Tom Brady as one of the four elite quarterbacks in the NFL right now. He’s also one of the favorites to win the MVP, and the U-T San Diego’s Michael Gehlken tweeted that New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan said, “He’s probably the league MVP if you took that vote right now.”
It was depressing to see how some people weren’t willing to give Rivers his due last year, and it’s largely because they didn’t understand how instrumental he was in carrying the Chargers on his back. Rivers’s accuracy, moxie, and elite blitz recognition skills allow him to run an ultra-efficient ball-control offense that’s capable of producing monster upsets.
With a completion percentage over 70% this year, Rivers is only furthering the notion that he’s one of the league’s most accurate passers, and he currently has nine touchdowns to just one pick.