The race for the NFL Most Valuable Player (MVP) award is intensifying as standout performances from players like Matthew Stafford, Jonathan Taylor, and Drake Maye reshape the landscape. Stafford has recently taken the lead as the favorite for the MVP title, following a remarkable outing where he threw four touchdown passes in the Los Angeles Rams” 42-26 victory over the San Francisco 49ers.
As the season progresses into its latter stages, Stafford”s consistent excellence has propelled him to the forefront of MVP discussions. He has achieved the unprecedented feat of throwing four or more touchdown passes without any interceptions in three consecutive games. Initially, over 15 players had better odds at BetMGM Sportsbook than Stafford, but he is now the top choice with odds of plus-275, thanks to an impressive stretch of six games featuring 20 touchdown passes and no interceptions.
At 38 years old, Stafford is on track to become the oldest player to win his first MVP award and the third-oldest overall, following Tom Brady in 2017 and Aaron Rodgers in 2021, who both won at ages 40 and 38, respectively.
In a surprising twist, Taylor”s candidacy is gaining momentum as well, despite more than 40 players starting the season with better odds. He aims to become the first running back to win MVP since Adrian Peterson in 2012. Currently, Taylor shares the third-best odds with two-time winner Patrick Mahomes, having played a pivotal role in the Indianapolis Colts” 8-2 start. In a recent game against Atlanta, Taylor rushed for 244 yards and three touchdowns, making him one of only four players to achieve multiple games with at least 200 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns.
With 17 total touchdowns so far this season, Taylor is tied for the third-most touchdowns by any player in their team”s first 10 games, trailing only LaDainian Tomlinson and Shaun Alexander, both of whom went on to win MVP in their respective seasons.
Emerging as another strong contender is Maye, who has rapidly climbed the MVP odds charts to second place behind Stafford. His performance has been instrumental in the New England Patriots” successful start, boasting an 8-2 record. Maye has maintained a passer rating of at least 100 in eight of his ten starts this season, with an overall rating of 113.9. He joins Mahomes and Dak Prescott as the only players under 23 to achieve a rating of at least 100 eight times in their team”s first ten games.
Last season”s MVP, Josh Allen, currently holds the fifth-best odds, while another unexpected candidate, Sam Darnold of the Seattle Seahawks, is making waves. Darnold”s yards-per-attempt average is on track to be the highest for any qualifying quarterback since Norm Van Brocklin in 1954. If Darnold secures the MVP award after signing with the Seahawks, he would join a rare group of players who won the award in their first season with a team.
In coaching news, the New York Giants recently terminated head coach Brian Daboll after a brief tenure following the first-round selection of quarterback Jaxson Dart. This decision reflects a growing trend of teams quickly moving on from coaches after investing high draft picks in quarterbacks. The Tennessee Titans previously made a similar move, firing coach Brian Callahan after just six games with the top overall pick, Cam Ward.
Over the last ten drafts, a total of 35 quarterbacks have been taken in the first round. Among them, eight teams have opted to dismiss their coaches during the rookie season of their quarterbacks, while eight others made changes before the start of the second season.
In a historic moment for the New Orleans Saints, the long wait for a rookie quarterback to win a start has finally ended after 44 years. Second-round pick Tyler Shough led the Saints to victory against Carolina, marking the first win by a Saints rookie quarterback since Dave Wilson did so in 1981. Over the years, New Orleans rookies had accumulated an 0-11 record in starts, with numerous near misses including Shough”s prior outing and six losses by Spencer Rattler last season due to injuries to Derek Carr.
Meanwhile, the weekend brought exciting returns for both the Seattle Seahawks and the New York Jets. The Jets made history with Kene Nwangwu returning a kickoff for a touchdown and Isaiah Williams following with a punt return for a score, marking the first time in franchise history they achieved both in a single game. In Seattle, DeMarcus Lawrence made headlines by returning two fumbles for touchdowns, a feat only accomplished by one other player in the last 75 years.
Both teams showcased remarkable special teams play, with the Jets winning despite gaining minimal offensive yards and Seattle scoring 38 points in the first half of their game, joining an elite group of teams with multiple high-scoring first halves this season.
