We have now three Sundays left. Three extra Sundays till that IV is ripped out of our arms and we’re compelled to trudge by way of the following eight months not with the ability to begin the week with not less than 10 NFL video games. With the vacations on the way in which to offer a little bit of a distraction from that destiny, let’s discuss MVP whereas the NFL has your full and undivided consideration.
The final actually aggressive MVP race was in 2005. That yr Shaun Alexander, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady every obtained not less than 10 of fifty potential votes. Alexander gained after a season through which he broke the document for many touchdowns scored by a non-quarterback — which was topped the following season by LaDanian Tomlinson.
Since then, the winner of the MVP normally will get a robust majority of the votes. Even when Adrian Peterson beat out Manning in 2012 — the final non-quarterback to win the award — the margin was 11 votes.
With 11 weeks of play practically full, there isn’t any clear favourite for the award. If the Dallas Cowboys had not less than put up a combat in opposition to the Buffalo Bills, Dak Prescott could be the front-runner. Nonetheless, the Cowboys’ offense seemed to be affected by couvade syndrome in the way in which that they responded to the protection getting worn down like a baby’s favourite Christmas toy.
Tyreek Hill didn’t play in Week 15 due to harm. Brock Purdy performed one other glorious workforce offensive efficiency and Lamar Jackson was dazzling amidst offensive line accidents. At face worth, these 4 gamers seem like working step-by-step with one another on the 350-meter mark of the 400-meter sprint.
Since nobody has been capable of distinguish himself as a transparent and apparent MVP, I really feel that eight days earlier than Christmas is the perfect time to take a detailed have a look at the case for the award to go to Prescott, Purdy, Hill, or Jackson.
Tyreek Hill is the No. 1 recreation breaker within the NFL
No huge receiver has ever gained MVP. Solely 4 huge receivers have gained the Heisman trophy and each a type of gamers has recorded a landing that was not the results of a reception. Large receiver is essentially the most co-dependent place in sports activities. Outdated-school facilities could not have been capable of provoke offense in basketball, however that they had the chance to attain on putbacks and block pictures on protection. A No. 1 NFL huge receiver will get the vast majority of his touches from a ball being hurled into the air that he has to corral with out it touching the bottom.
In 13 video games this season, Hill has been focused 132 instances. He has totaled 97 receptions for 1,542 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Week 14, Hill suffered an ankle harm on Monday Evening Soccer. He performed by way of it, however his lack of explosiveness was evident in the course of the Miami Dolphins’ loss to the Tennessee Titans. They throttled the New York Jets the next Sunday with Hill in avenue garments. Possibly that may be a purpose to doubt the worth of a large receiver once more. Or perhaps the Dolphins performed in opposition to a foul soccer workforce that they’re conversant in since they share a division.
It’s much more doubtless that they might not be 10-4 with out Hill’s dominance on offense. He is likely to be the quickest participant within the NFL, however he’s completely the league’s high game-breaker. Defending him shouldn’t be so simple as utilizing a considerably softer protection than regular. Hill can catch a 12-yard drag and take it 40 yards to the top zone. Groups trying to defend the Dolphins should account for him earlier than anybody else on the offense. Hill is essentially the most harmful participant on a 10-4 workforce and that’s deserving of MVP consideration.
Brock Purdy retains rolling alongside
The San Francisco 49ers misplaced the entire video games that Deebo Samuel and Trent Williams didn’t play. Samuel missed all of Week 6, 7 and eight. Williams suffered a leg harm in the course of the first quarter of the 49ers’ Week 6 matchup in opposition to the Cleveland Browns.
Nonetheless, Purdy stored the workforce regular in all three of these losses. The 49ers had been a missed 41-yard discipline purpose away from defeating the Browns on the highway. He threw some unhealthy interceptions in losses to the Minnesota Vikings and Cincinnati Bengals, but it surely is also argued that these 4 interceptions had been his solely unhealthy passes in these two video games.
Purdy nonetheless accomplished a minimal of 70 % of his passes for 270 yards in each defeats. Going into Week 15, he led the NFL in Whole QBR. On Sunday, in opposition to the Arizona Cardinals, he accomplished 64 % of his passes at 9.7 yards per try, and threw for 4 touchdowns.
Because the 49ers offense acquired wholesome after the bye week, they’re undefeated. That features dominating highway wins in opposition to the Jacksonville Jaguars — when Trevor Lawrence was not battling by way of a high-ankle sprain — and the Philadelphia Eagles. Purdy threw for a mixed seven touchdowns and no interceptions in these video games.
The 49ers have a loaded roster, however they don’t seem to be excellent. Williams is likely to be the perfect offensive lineman within the league, however as an entire, the road is nowhere close to a high unit. Purdy has the advantage of enjoying alongside nice particular person expertise, however he nonetheless has to make massive throws. He isn’t heaving the ball into double protection and hoping that somebody within the crew of Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle will wrestle the soccer away from the protection. Purdy throws with anticipation and timing, which places his go catchers in the perfect place for achievement.
Lamar Jackson is the perfect playmaker within the NFL
Jackson will get that distinction this yr largely as a result of go catchers lined up alongside Patrick Mahomes do not make performs on the identical charge because the gamers on the Ravens. That being stated, Mahomes started his NFL profession with Hill and Travis Kelce, so Jackson deserves that title for this season.
The Ravens entered the 2023 season with the purpose of throwing out their earlier offense for a brand new one. Sadly, for them, the harm bug bit them early within the season. With veteran huge receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Rashod Bateman lacking time, and in addition working again J.Okay. Dobbins’ season-ending harm, the Ravens resorted again to among the predictable performs of their current previous.
As the remainder of the workforce acquired wholesome, and Zay Flowers has grown right into a reliable goal, the Ravens have been arguably the perfect workforce within the NFL since Week 7. They’ve among the best defenses within the league, however with out Jackson’s play behind heart they might not at the moment possess the perfect document within the AFC.
Jackson has a skillset no different quarterback within the league possesses. That will not make him higher than the highest quarterbacks within the league, but it surely does hold him within the dialog. There’s a purpose Cris Collinsworth gushes over Jackson’s play with out regret for 3 hours. He is aware of that he’s watching a real one-of-a-kind expertise.
Going into Week 15, Jackson had the tenth finest Whole QBR and did so whereas throwing solely six interceptions. He put up these elite passing statistics whereas additionally main the Ravens in dashing with 644 yards on 5.2 yards per try. He performed behind a gimpy offensive line, and in opposition to the Jaguars’ ferocious go rush, and nonetheless led his workforce to a 23-7 victory.
Sunday night time was a type of Jackson video games through which the numbers don’t inform the whole story. Sure, he was the Ravens’ high rusher, and his QBR was practically the identical that night time because it had been for the season, he didn’t go for 300 yards, however he held the Jaguars’ protection within the palm of his hand for a lot of the night time.
Dak Prescott had a tough day in opposition to the Buffalo Payments, however ought to nonetheless be MVP favourite
Josh Allen didn’t should match Prescott throw for throw in Week 15. The Payments’ offense delivered a punishment to the Cowboys’ protection that they doubtless remembered all too effectively. Final season, throughout a house playoff recreation, the Bengals put the Payments on ice for the whole recreation. Joe Burrow & Co. moved that Buffalo protection up and down the Highmark Stadium turf at will.
As dominant because the Bengals had been that day, the Payments topped that Week 15 in opposition to one of many hottest groups within the NFL. The Cowboys had not misplaced a recreation since Week 9. Of their 5 consecutive victories, just one was by lower than 13 factors.
The Payments bludgeoned the Cowboys to the tune of 266 yards dashing and an 11 minute benefit in time of possession. Allen didn’t go for 100 yards on the day and Dallas nonetheless misplaced, 31-10.
The Cowboys regarded unhealthy within the featured 4:25 p.m. EST Sunday matchup and I used to be certain all week they had been going to lose that recreation. I don’t wager on video games, however I used to be so sure a foul day was on the way in which that I benched one of many 2023 high fantasy soccer performers — the Cowboys’ DST. Enjoying a workforce on the highway that was determined to remain within the playoff image had all of the makings for a foul Cowboys’ loss instantly following their domination of the Eagles.
With 4 losses on the season, Prescott will nonetheless end the season at an MVP degree even after his 3.9 yards per try efficiency on Sunday. He entered Week 15 No. 2 in complete QBR. Prescott was additionally main the league in landing passes, fifth in passing yards and had thrown solely the twenty fourth most interceptions whereas trying the sixth-most passes.
Dumping on Prescott is simple as a result of he performs for the Cowboys and isn’t as dynamic of a participant as Mahomes, Jackson, or Allen. That being stated, this season he has run his workforce higher than all three of them. If he finishes this season on a excessive be aware, he ought to win MVP.
