Patriots’ Brady edges in on Wentz

From Week 1 through Week 17, USA TODAY’s NFL staff will be handicapping the race for league MVP. A firstplace vote is worth five points, a second-place vote is worth three and a third-place vote is worth one.

Our MVP tracker after Week 11 games.

1. QB Carson Wentz, Eagles (29 points): He guided Philly to a leaguebest 9-1 mark Sunday night, embarrassing the Cowboys in front of a national audience while upping his NFLhigh touchdown pass total to 25. However Wentz’s position atop our MVP standings slipped a bit after being the unanimous leader the previous two weeks. This has nothing to do with the second-year star’s play suffering as much as it does with his stiffening competition. Last week: 1

2. QB Tom Brady, Patriots (23 points): The two-time MVP is most responsible for closing the gap on Wentz after taking two of his first-place votes. Brady has thrown for 3,146 yards, 345 more than any other quarterback. He’s also now pacing the NFL in efficiency with a 110.9 passer rating. Brady also has 22 TD passes and just two interceptions, meaning his ratio since last season is a gaudy 50-to-4. Most important, the cresting Pats have won six in a row. LW: 2

3. QB Russell Wilson, Seahawks (7 points): He’s a marvel, maintaining Seattle as a force to be reckoned with despite its failing defense and the still non-existent ground game (aside from Wilson anyway). Only Brady has more yards through the air than Wilson’s 2,801, and his 21 TD passes rank third. But Wilson’s feet set him apart as he provides some of the game’s greatest escape acts while scrambling behind a suspect line, often making sublime passes on the move while managing to rush for a team-high 376 yards. LW: T4

4. WR Antonio Brown, Steelers: (2 points): Is he the best wideout in the NFL? It’s really a matter of preference, with Brown having legitimate supporters in the chocolate vs. vanilla debate while others would probably back Atlanta’s freakish Julio Jones. But AB owns the numbers, with an NFL-best 70 grabs and 1,026 yards, 110 more than second place Adam Thielen through 10 weeks. Brown is well on his way to a fifth consecutive campaign with at least 100 catches and 1,200 yards, just unprecedented production. LW: Unranked

Also receiving votes: QB Drew Brees, Saints (1 point); QB Jared Goff, Rams (1)

MATTHEW EMMONS/USA TODAY SPORTS Philadelphia quarterback Carson Wentz has 25 TD passes and the Eagles at a league-best 9-1.