NFL MVP Watch: Tom Brady, Rookie Lead Week 1 Edition
Sep 13, 2015; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Chargers quarterback
Philip Rivers(17) throws the ball during warmups before the game against the Detroit Lions at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
10. Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers
Philip Rivers began the 2014 NFL regular season on an absolute tear, compiling 20 touchdowns to five interceptions through eight weeks. Over the course of his next eight games, he had just 11 scores to 13 picks.
Rivers began Week 1 in the latter form, but closed it out in the former en route to a 33-28 win over the Detroit Lions.
Philip Rivers throws for 404 yards in 33-28 comeback win over Lions. It's Rivers' 7th career game w/ 400+ Pass yds. pic.twitter.com/ZHbl8CiSOT
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 13, 2015
That’s how you open the season with a bang.
Throwing two interceptions hurts Rivers’ case, but he had a league-best 404 passing yards during Week 1. That includes a fourth-quarter touchdown, which gave San Diego its first lead.
Throw in the fact that he completed an insane 83.3 percent of his 42 passing attempts and Rivers was superb.
Philip Rivers: 404 passing yards, sets record for most by a Chargers QB in a season opener
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) September 13, 2015
Not too shabby.
Rivers and the Chargers will hit the road in Week 2, this time facing off against the Cincinnati Bengals. A win at Paul Brown Stadium would push San Diego to an impressive 2-0.
More applicably, it’d push Rivers up the MVP rankings.
Next: The One with Something to Prove