Peyton Manning is looking like an MVP again; who else?

Peyton Manning's drive for five is alive and well — a fifth league MVP award, that is.

Manning's brilliant second-half performance, erasing a 24-point halftime deficit in the Denver Broncos' stunning 35-24 Monday night victory against the San Diego Chargers, proved the 36-year-old quarterback has returned to peak form. There isn't a quarterback playing better.

And Manning's second-half magic provided a fitting comeback within his own remarkable return from four surgical procedures on his neck.

"I felt like I was watching the Peyton from back in 2003 through 2009. His performance was spectacular," Manning's former offensive coordinator, Tom Moore, told USA TODAY Sports on Tuesday. "Don't ever count Peyton Manning out."

Manning hit 13 of 14 passes for 167 yards and three touchdowns during his second-half clinic. He has 14 touchdowns and four interceptions, with three of those picks coming in one quarter of a Week 2 loss to the Atlanta Falcons.

Manning's 21-yard TD strike Monday to Brandon Stokley's fingertips, a beat ahead of cornerback Marcus Gilchrist, underscored that Manning is not only comeback player of the year front-runner, but he is the lead MVP candidate six weeks into the season. And if the race is close at the end, he will be a heavy sentimental favorite.

A look at the early MVP contenders:

QB Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos

He has 47 game-winning fourth-quarter drives, by the way.

Why he'll win: He is completing 67.8% of his passes and figures to get even better with his new cast.

Why he won't: He must cover for a defense that has issues against the run.

QB Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers

The reigning league MVP answered critics with a six-touchdown torching of the Houston Texans' vaunted defense.

Why he will win: With 16 TD passes and a league-best 105.4 QB rating, he's the game's most talented passer.

Why he won't win: The lack of a run game could haunt him on an off-day.

QB Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons

He was the leader in the clubhouse until three interceptions Sunday against a woeful Oakland Raiders secondary.

Why he'll win: He has lethal weapons in wide receivers Roddy White and Julio Jones and tight end Tony Gonzalez.

Why he won't: Under pressure, he's vulnerable to making poor decisions.

QB Eli Manning, New York Giants

The two-time Super Bowl MVP has never been a regular-season MVP, but he's still getting better at 31.

Why he will win: Ahmad Bradshaw's running has removed the need for all those comebacks.

Why he won't win: He'll never put up stratospheric numbers.

Leading candidates for other awards

Rookie of the year: Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III is the league's most exciting player, with six rushing scores, five TD passes and two interceptions.

Defensive player of the year: Texans defensive end J.J. Watt leads the league with 9 1/2 sacks and has an uncanny knack for batting down passes.

Coach of the year: Despite injuries, Tom Coughlin and his defending Super Bowl champion Giants made a statement by thrashing the San Francisco 49ers.