Cris Collinsworth thinks Calvin Johnson should be MVP candidate

Detroit Lions fans already know that Calvin Johnson has made a huge impact on the field for Detroit, but NFL analyst Cris Collinsworth has broken down the game film and he thinks Megatron should be a top-three MVP candidate. Collinsworth gets to see the best players in the NFL up close on Sunday Night Football broadcasts, and he is of the belief that Calvin Johnson and Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson deserve consideration for the top individual honor in the league:

Just finished watching tapes of Adrian Peterson and Calvin Johnson.At this point, both should be top 3 MVP candidates.

— Cris Collinsworth (@CollinsworthNBC) December 5, 2012

Both men play for fringe playoff teams, and neither come from the top-two teams in their own division -- Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers -- but the production is hard to argue with at this point.

Johnson leads the NFL in receiving yards (1,428) and receptions for 20+ yards (29). He averages 119 receiving yards per game, and he's clearly the most dangerous receiver in the league. Meanwhile, Peterson leads the NFL in rushing yards (1,446) and runs for 20+ yards (17). Both players are explosive offensive weapons, but can they beat out top QBs like Tom Brady and Peyton Manning for the Most Valuable Player award?