Should Drake Maye be MVP?
USA TODAY’s Chris Bumbaca talks about Patriots QB Drake Maye’s Week 9 performance against the Falcons and MVP case, despite the win.
Sports Pulse
If the season ended on Nov. 9, Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford would have a strong argument to be the NFL MVP.
The 37-year-old is looking for his first MVP award in his 17th season. He entered the week leading the league in touchdown passes and only enhanced his odds with a performance that included four touchdown passes. It was the third straight week with at least that many touchdown throws.
Through the afternoon slate of games, sportsbooks also have the second-year New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye among betting favorites to win the league’s most prestigious award. The Patriots took down the NFC South-leading Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the road in Week 10, which helped push the young gunslinger near the top of the latest betting odds.
The other player rounding out the top three is Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who has already won two MVP awards in nine years.
Just outside of the top three is one non-quarterback: Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor, who had three touchdowns in a game for the fifth time this season in Week 10’s international game in Berlin.
The last player to win an MVP outside of the quarterback position was former NFL running back Adrian Peterson with his 2,097-yard season in 2012.
Here are the favorites for the NFL MVP award in Week 10, according to BetMGM:
NFL MVP odds
1. QB Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams (+275)
Stafford added to his NFL passing touchdowns lead with 4 touchdown throws against the 49ers on Nov. 9. The Rams’ veteran also entered the Week 10 game leading the league with 268.4 passing yards per game and improved that number with 280 yards in the air on Nov. 9. With a win over the 49ers, the Rams and their 37-year-old quarterback kept pace with the Seahawks for a share of the NFC West lead.
2. QB Drake Maye, New England Patriots (+300)
Maye’s passer rating dipped below 100 in a game for the first time since Week 1, but it wasn’t enough to hurt his MVP case or the Patriots’ season. Maye’s 270-yard, two-touchdown day also included his fifth interception of the season, but New England took down the Buccaneers on the road to move to 8-2. The Patriots’ win also widened their AFC East lead after the Bills’ loss in Miami.
3. QB Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs (+500)
The Bills’ loss to the Dolphins in Week 10 – during the Chiefs’ bye week – put Mahomes ahead of Allen in MVP betting odds. But strong performances from the two quarterbacks ahead of him during Kansas City’s week off held him to third place in Week 10 odds.
4. RB Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts (+550)
Taylor has already surpassed Peterson’s touchdown total from his 2012 MVP season. He’s just shy of a 2,000-yard pace through 10 games – a 1,936.3-yard pace, to be exact. It’s always an uphill battle for non-quarterbacks to win an MVP award, but Taylor is already a near-lock to win Offensive Player of the Year.
5. QB Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills (+650)
Allen entered the week as the betting favorite to win a second-straight NFL MVP award. He threw for more than 300 yards with two touchdowns in Week 10, but he also threw an interception, lost a fumble and suffered a loss to the Dolphins on the road.
6. QB Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks (+1000)
The Seahawks’ new quarterback entered this week with the NFL’s lead in yards per attempt (9.6), yards per completion (13.7) and QBR (77.7). Darnold’s Week 10 was one of his worst games of the season with an interception and two lost fumbles to go with his 178 passing yards.
7. QB Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles (+2200)
Hurts and the Eagles don’t play until Nov. 10 for a Week 10 edition of “Monday Night Football,” but the quarterback is at the top of a second tier of MVP betting favorites as he’s thrown only one interception this year.
T-8. QB Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens (+2500)
Jackson missed three games earlier in the season with a hamstring injury, but he’s been one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the league when healthy. His 78.8 QBR entering Week 10 would lead all NFL quarterbacks if he qualified (needs 14 pass attempts per team game, per Pro Football Reference).
T-8. QB Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers (+2500)
Herbert and the Chargers will take center stage for a “Sunday Night Football” meeting with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Nov. 9. Entering the week, Herbert was tied for second in the NFL with 18 touchdown passes.
T-8. QB Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers (+2500)
Entering Week 10, Love ranked third of all quarterbacks in completion rate (70.8%), ninth in passing yards (2,071) and sixth in Int% (1.2%).
T-8. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+2500)
Despite the Buccaneers’ Week 10 loss, Tampa Bay still leads the NFC South, and Mayfield threw for 273 yards and three touchdowns.
12. QB Jared Goff, Detroit Lions (+3000)
13. QB Daniel Jones, Indianapolis Colts (+6600)
14. WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks (+12500)
15. QB Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers (+15000)
T-16. QB Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys (+25000)
T-16. RB Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers (+25000)
T-16. QB Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears (+25000)
T-16. QB Bo Nix, Denver Broncos (+25000)
T-16. WR Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams (+25000)
