Rick Stewart / Getty Images

New York Jets defensive tackle Kris Jenkins, left, has been the best player in the league this season, says columnist Dave Goldberg.

Right now, the “leader” seems to be Warner, a two-time MVP who has surfaced in Arizona to lead the Cardinals to the NFC West title, which when made official this week or next will be the franchise’s first division crown since it won the East as the St. Louis Cardinals in 1975.

Nice guy, nice story. But:

• Warner has five straight games of 300-plus yards passing. The Cardinals have lost two of them, including last week to the Giants when he lost a fumble and threw an interception leading to 10 points in an eight-point loss. His passer rating for the game was 79.9, not MVP stuff.
• He has no real running game but he has two of the NFL’s best receivers, Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin, plus two good young ones: Steve Breaston and Jerheme Urban. So, of course, the offense is built around the pass.
• The other three teams in his division are a combined 7-26 going into the weekend. Arizona’s one quality win is over Dallas, the game in which Tony Romo was hurt on the last play of regulation. There are OK wins over Buffalo and Miami, but losses to the Giants, Jets, Redskins and Panthers that seem to indicate the Cardinals are a rising team not quite up to beating playoff-caliber opponents. Do you win an MVP for beating up on softies?

Let’s keep going.

Collins also is a good guy with a wonderful story, taking over from an injured and discombobulated Vince Young. At 35, Collins is guiding a relatively young offense on a 10-1 team. But the Titans’ success is due primarily to a defense that includes Haynesworth, linebacker Keith Bulluck and scrappy young cornerback Cortland Finnegan, who is tied for the league lead with five interceptions.

Favre? See Jenkins.

Drew Brees of the Saints? If he throws for a zillion yards, breaks Dan Marino’s record by a billion and New Orleans finishes 8-8, what’s his value? That New Orleans might have have gone 3-13 without him? So far, the most valuable thing he’s done is call out Jeremy Shockey in public. Offensive player, yes. MVP, No.

The best offensive MVP candidate right now is probably Clinton Portis, who leads the league in rushing despite injuries that would keep others out and is the prime reason Washington remains in playoff contention.

If you’re thinking defense, go beyond Jenkins and Haynesworth to some others: Pittsburgh’s Troy Polamalu and James Harrison; and Baltimore’s Ray Lewis, back in form after a couple of down seasons. Maybe the Ravens’ Ed Reed, but not Miami’s Joey Porter, a one-trick pony sackmaster.

Realistically, those are candidates for Defensive Player of the Year.

Look to Portis or one of the older QBs to be the MVP because even good voters rarely go against tradition. Unless Matt Cassel keeps throwing for 400 yards every week and gets the Patriots into the playoffs.

Two different New England QBs in two seasons. Now that would be interesting.

More news

Jose Yau / AP

Offseason needs for NFC teams

Silva: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for NFC teams.

Jeff Gross / Getty Images

Wesseling: Offseason priorities for AFC teams

Wesseling: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for AFC teams.

Headlines

• Label

PFT: Ward willing to restructure to stay with Steelers

PFT: Plenty of anti-Peyton sentiment in Washington

PFT: Rams name Snead new GM

PFT: Big Ben fires warning shot at new OC Haley

PFT: Dancing man Gronkowski has ankle surgery

O'Donnell set up Tebow with Jenny McCarthy

PFT: Giants' Cruz will shop a book, Eli won't

PFT: Peyton will return at 'high level,' Polian says