MVP meter

Faulk and Warner rise to the top once again

By Michael Holbrook, Managing editor of special projects
Jan. 2, 2002

1. Marshall Faulk, Rams RB — Shredded his former team’s defense for 118 rushing yards on 25 carries and 47 receiving yards on seven catches. Oh, and did I mention that he scored FOUR touchdowns too? He had three rushing and one receiving in the 42-17 romp. In 13 games, Faulk has 240 carries for 1,214 yards (5.1 avg.) with 11 touchdowns. He also has 78 catches for 707 yards (9.1 avg.) with nine touchdowns.
2. Kurt Warner, Rams QB — Was brilliant in a dominating 42-17 victory over the Colts as he completed 23-of-30 passes for 359 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. The win put the Rams one win away from clinching home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. For the season, Warner has taken over as the NFL’s top-ranked passer with a passer rating of 101.3. He has completed 350-of-516 passes (67.8%) for 4,550 yards with 33 touchdowns and 19 interceptions.
3. Brett Favre, Packers QB — Struggled early in freezing temperatures (5-degree wind chill) in Green Bay, but rallied the Packers to a 24-13 win over the Vikings. The win improved his record to an amazing 30-0 at home when the temperature is 34 degrees or colder. He ended up completing 18-of-29 passes for 169 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions. He also threw a key block on WR Donald Driver’s 31-yard end-around TD run in the first half. Favre now has completed 299-of-480 passes (62.3%) for 3,606 yards with 30 touchdowns and 15 interceptions.
4. Kordell Stewart, Steelers QB — Had an up-and-down day in a 26-23 overtime loss to the Bengals as he threw three TD passes but was intercepted four times. He ended up 19-for-35 passing for 251 yards. Despite the loss, the Steelers clinched home-field advantage throughout the playoffs when the Raiders lost in Denver. For the season, Stewart has completed 258-of-426 passes (60.6%) for 3,037 yards with 14 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He also has rushed 92 times for 499 yards (5.4 avg.) with five touchdowns.
5. Brian Urlacher, Bears LB — Had seven tackles as the Bears’ defense shut out the lowly Lions 24-0. It was Chicago’s second shutout of the season and the seventh time the Bears have held an opponent to 10 or less points. He now has 114 tackles, five sacks, two forced fumbles, three interceptions and eight passes defensed as the leader of a standout Chicago stop unit.
6. Rich Gannon, Raiders QB — Was brilliant for much of the Raiders’ 23-17 loss to the Broncos. He ended up completing 35-of-49 passes for 313 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. For the season, Gannon has completed 338-of-511 (66.1%) passing for 3,604 yards with 26 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Eight of his interceptions have come in the last seven weeks.
7. Curtis Martin, New York Jets RB — Rushed 19 times for 115 yards, including a 47-yarder, in the Jets’ upset loss at home to the Bills. Martin also caught six passes for 55 yards. For the season, he leads the AFC in rushing with 1,455 yards on 316 carries (4.6 avg.) with 10 touchdowns. He has also caught 51 passes for 320 yards (6.3 avg.)
8. Jeff Garcia, 49ers QB — Garcia threw for two touchdowns and ran for another in the 49ers’ disappointing 27-21 loss at Dallas. He was 21-of-36 passing for 229 yards. For the season, Garcia has completed 302-of-483 passes (62.5%) for 3,275 yards with 28 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
9. Tom Brady, Patriots QB — Did not play with the Patriots on their bye week. For the season, Brady is the No.2-ranked passer in the AFC with 2,645 yards on 247-of-384 passing (64.3%). The second-year player from Michigan has thrown 17 TD passes and 10 interceptions.
10. Donovan McNabb, Eagles QB — Led the Eagles to10 points in the final 2:33 to overcome a 21-14 deficit and score a 24-21 victory over the Giants. The win clinched the NFC East title for the Eagles, who are now going to the playoffs for the second straight season. He was 21-of-39 for 270 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. He also rushed six times for 48 yards. Overall, McNabb has completed 285-of-493 passes (57.8%) for 3,233 yards with 25 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He also has rushed 81 times for 492 yards (6.0 avg.) and two touchdowns.

 

Best of the rest

11. Ahman Green, Packers RB — Struggled against the Vikings, totaling just 31 rushing yards on 16 carries and 17 receiving yards on three catches. However, he also scored the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter as the Packers slipped past the Vikings 24-13. For the season, Green now has an NFC-best 1,286 rushing yards on 281 carries (4.6 avg.) with seven touchdowns. He also has caught 60 passes for 575 yards (9.6 avg.) and two touchdowns.
12. Michael Strahan, Giants DE — Had a monster game in the Giants’ heartbreaking 24-21 loss at Philadelphia that eliminated them from the playoffs. He ended up with six tackles and collected 3.5 sacks to give him 21.5 sacks on the season. That total broke Lawrence Taylor’s club record and leaves him one sack from breaking ex-Jet Mark Gastineau’s NFL single-season record of 22. For the season, he has 69 tackles, six forced fumbles and two passes defensed.
13. Jerome Bettis, Steelers RB — Didn’t play for a fourth straight week with hip and groin injuries, plus, he’s questionable for this Sunday’s game against Cleveland. All totaled, Bettis has carried the ball 225 times for 1,072 yards (4.8 avg.) with four touchdowns.
14. Priest Holmes, Chiefs RB — Rushed 27 times for 91 yards and a touchdown and caught seven passes for 53 yards in the Chiefs’ 30-26 victory over the Jaguars. For the season, he is second in the AFC in rushing with 1,438 yards on 304 carries (4.7 avg.) with eight touchdowns. He also has caught 56 passes for 562 yards (10.0 avg.) and two touchdowns.
15. David Boston, Cardinals WR — Caught two TD passes and had seven catches for 127 yards in Arizona’s 30-7 romp over Carolina. It was his ninth 100-yard receiving game of the season. Heading into the season finale, he has 96 catches for an NFL-best 1,540 yards (16.0 avg.) with eight touchdowns.

Dropped out

Garrison Hearst, 49ers RB

Last week’s list

1. Marshall Faulk
2. Brett Favre
3. Kurt Warner
4. Rich Gannon
5. Kordell Stewart
6. Jeff Garcia
7. Brian Urlacher
8. Curtis Martin
9. Tom Brady
10. Ahman Green
11. Jerome Bettis
12. Donovan McNabb
13. Michael Strahan
14. Priest Holmes
15. Garrison Hearst

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2001 - 2002 Season