This is how far we've come. Kansas City Chiefs QB Matt Cassel is an MVP candidate.
This is value: Cassel-less Chiefs go to playoff-contending Chargers, lose by 31; Cassel plays with Chiefs at playoff-contending Rams and win by 14.
Monday Morning Quarterback by Peter King of SI.com is one of the most widely read columns in NFL circles and he lists Cassel at No. 5 on his MVP watch list. The obvious caveat is that this is just one man's opinion but I think it's an important (and respected) one.
This, to me, is almost unfathomable. Maybe we're too close to the situation to truly understand what Cassel's doing and how he's perceived but King's inclusion of him on his MVP list shows the incredible turnaround we've seen with not only Cassel but the Chiefs as a team.
Others on the list, starting with No. 4, include San Diego Chargers QB Philip Rivers, Atlanta Falcons QB Matt Ryan, Philadelphia Eagles QB Michael Vick and New England Patriots QB Tom Brady. Outside of Brady, those are three quarterbacks picked in the top four of the draft.