The throw won't be celebrated in Canton ...
The football came off the hand of an undrafted Case Keenum, a rookie -- for all intents and purposes, as he'd spent his entire first year on the practice squad -- keeping an undermanned and overwhelmed Texans team in a game against Bruce Arians' Cardinals. This was before Keenum got mixed up with the litany of mediocre Houston quarterbacks. Before he was seemingly knocked out, but not pulled out, in a 2015 Rams game in Baltimore. Before he helped the 2016 Rams to a 3-1 start only to eventually lose his job to the No. 1 overall pick. And, of course, before he delivered the "Minnesota Miracle" to stun the Saints this past Sunday.
Before all that, Keenum threw an absolute dime of a touchdown pass to Andre Johnson, a ball that couldn't have been placed any better if Keenum had walked over and handed it to the Texans' franchise wide receiver:
That's when I first thought this kid belonged.
One week prior, Keenum had racked up 350 yards and three touchdown passes (against zero picks) on the Colts. But the game in Arizona, which actually ended up being a Texans loss, was when I really took notice of Keenum. He went on to throw two more TD strikes on the Cards, displaying a pluckiness I couldn't help but love. Houston waived him nine months later, but I always remembered that random Sunday in the desert.
Now, Keenum belongs in the MVP conversation. So, does a fella whose team didn't win Sunday. On that note, here's my top five for NFL MVP:
1) Carson Wentz: The Eagles' offense went kaplooey without him.
2) Todd Gurley: Led the league in scrimmage yards and touchdowns. Made the Rams' offense go.
3) Tom Brady: Could argue he should be over Gurley. Didn't enjoy a great December.
4) Antonio Brown: The Steelers' ability to win without him keeps the game's best receiver from being No. 1.
5) Case Keenum: He belongs here. Case closed.
As for the rankings of teams, take a gander downstairs. Each of the Divisional Round participants are detailed. None of them are shortchanged. Don't spare any of your feedback, including your take on an interesting MVP race: @HarrisonNFL is the place.
Let the dissension commence!
PROGRAMMING NOTE: For more in-depth analysis on the updated league pecking order, tune in to NFL Network every Tuesday night at 6 p.m. ET for the "NFL Power Rankings" show. Want to add YOUR voice? Provide your thoughts at the bottom of this page or tweet @HarrisonNFL, and your comments could be featured on air.
EDITOR'S NOTE: The lineup below reflects changes from our Divisional Round Power Rankings.
**Trivia:** Everyone remembers the
Eagles' three straight NFC Championship Game losses in the early 2000s as a massive organizational failure. But in reality, one of the games was not. No one thought Philadelphia could beat the "Greatest Show on Turf"
Rams in the 2001 NFC title match. They
*almost* did, when, down 29-24, just before the two-minute warning, a certain defensive end came within an eyelash of blocking a
Rams punt deep in St. Louis territory. It would have either been a special teams touchdown or, at the very least, a safety and the ball back. Who was the player?
(@HarrisonNFL)
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*Follow Elliot Harrison on Twitter @HarrisonNFL. And be sure to tune in to the "NFL Power Rankings" show on NFL Network every Tuesday night at 6 p.m. ET. *