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NFL Quarterly Report: MVP and Super Bowl picks

 
Super Bowl MVP is leading the best defense in the NFL and the Broncos to a 4-0 record. [AP photo]
Super Bowl MVP is leading the best defense in the NFL and the Broncos to a 4-0 record. [AP photo]
Published Oct. 5, 2016

The NFL season is a quarter of the way complete and nothing is as it might have seemed. The Vikings and Eagles are up, the Cardinals and Panthers are down. The Broncos and Patriots have been just fine, even without Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. With Brady set to return from a four-game suspension, the Times' Bucs/NFL coverage team looks at the biggest surprises and disappointments so far this season.

NFL MVP

Rick Stroud, @NFLStroud

MVP Von Miller. The Super Bowl MVP is leading the best defense in the NFL and the Broncos to a 4-0 record.

Tom Jones, @tomwjones

Carson Wentz, Eagles.

Read more:

NFL Quarterly Report: Biggest surprise and disappointment

NFL Quarterly Report: Players, teams to buy and sell

NFL Quarterly Report: Coach of the year and those on the hot seat

Greg Auman, @gregauman

It's early to pick which QB will sustain a strong start, but we'll go with go with Pittsburgh's Ben Roethlisberger, who has 11 touchdowns and a QB rating over 100. If the AFC playoffs can go through Pittsburgh, the Steelers will be tough to beat.

Thomas Bassinger, @tometrics

Matt Ryan, Falcons. Through four games, Ryan leads the NFL in completion percentage (72.1 percent), yards (1,473), touchdowns (11), yards per attempt (10.5), quarterback rating (126.3) and QBR (95.0).

Ernest Hooper, @hoop4you

Von Miller, Denver Broncos

Martin Fennelly, @mjfennelly

Matt Ryan of the Falcons. He has come back from a ragged 2015 and cannot be stopped. The best quarterback at moment in best quarterback division in football. Yeah, even with Jameis present.

Super Bowl picks

Stroud

AFC champion New England Patriots

NFC champion Seahawks

Super Bowl champion Seahawks

Jones

AFC champion: Patriots.

NFL champion: Packers.

Super Bowl champion: Patriots

Auman

AFC champion: Patriots

NFC champion: Seahawks

Super Bowl champion: Seahawks

Bassinger

AFC champion: Steelers. With Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown and now Le'Veon Bell, this is the scariest offense in football.

NFC champion: Seahawks. Seattle's defense, which has allowed the fewest points in the league four straight seasons, is at it again this season, allowing 13.5 points per game. On offense, the Seahawks are leaning more than ever on Russell Wilson's arm. He's on pace to throw 532 passes and pass for 4,256 yards, both of which would be career highs.

Super Bowl champion: Seahawks. Seattle makes a case for dynasty of this decade

Hooper

AFC champion: New England Patriots

NFC champion: Seattle Seahawks

Super Bowl champion: New England Patriots

Fennelly

AFC champion: Patriots. Brady on way back. Fight for home field will be everything. Pats are in if they get it.

NFC champion: Packers. Green Bay is 2-1 and should be favored in most games the rest of the way. Rodgers has Jordy Nelson again and defense is better than last season.

Super Bowl champion: Packers. Rodgers outduels Brady, Belichick.