Copyright Athlon Sports
Tom Brady released updated NFL Power Rankings, naming the Indianapolis Colts as the new No. 1. Brady praised one particular quarterback’s Week 8 performance, calling him a “dark horse” MVP candidate. “That’s the kind of calm under pressure that I like to see from a young quarterback,” Brady said. There was no shortage of action in Week 8 in the NFL, with a couple of games, in particular, catching the eye of seven-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback Tom Brady. The NFL legend turned Fox Sports analyst released his Power Rankings on Tuesday after another round of exhilarating football. Unsurprisingly, the rankings changed significantly, with Brady naming a new No. 1 team for the first time this season. At the same time, the three-time All-Pro quarterback also singled out one player from Week 8 who captured his attention. So much so that Brady was ready to declare him a potential candidate for the MVP race this season. Brady, who signed a 10-year, $375 million contract with Fox Sports to be the network’s lead NFL analyst, wasn’t exactly delighted with the fact that he had to name the Indianapolis Colts as the new top team in his rankings. The 48-year-old admitted, however, that he could not ignore the fact that Daniel Jones and Co. currently have the best record in the league at 7-1. Nevertheless, it’s not Jones who drew a bold declaration from Brady after Week 8. That honor belongs to Jordan Love, who led the Green Bay Packers to an impressive 35-25 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. “The Pack also went on the road to get a big win in an emotional matchup against their old buddy, Aaron Rodgers,” Brady said. “Pittsburgh’s one of the toughest places to play in the NFL, and Green Bay trailed most of the game before a monster fourth quarter.” Love led the Packers with 29-of-37 completed passes for 360 yards and three touchdowns, handing his mentor, Rodgers, his third loss of the season. It was a historic win for Green Bay, too, which secured a victory in Pittsburgh for the first time in 55 years. Love left such an impression on Brady that the legendary quarterback was ready to declare the Packers star a “dark horse” for the MVP title. “That’s the kind of calm under pressure that I like to see from a young quarterback, who might be starting to ascend this season,” said Brady. “Keep an eye on Jordan Love as a dark horse in the MVP race.” Love has led Green Bay to a 5-1-1 record after seven games played. During that stretch, the 26-year-old has registered 151-of-213 completed passes for 1,798 yards, 13 touchdowns and two interceptions. The former Utah State Aggies standout has also logged 25 carries for 109 rushing yards.
