Nothing is more inside-the-box than voting for NFL Most Valuable Quarterb …, er, Player.
Currently, the race that seems to exclude anyone who doesn’t play quarterback is between the Patriots’ Drake Maye and the sentimental favorite, 37-year-old Matthew Stafford of the Rams.
Since a quarterback has won every MVP since Vikings running back Adrian Peterson won it in 2012, it seems silly to suggest a more inclusive field to consider. But, what the heck, let’s give it a shot with these four fellas:
- Bears guard Joe Thuney. Like the Vikings, the Bears rebuilt the entirety of their interior offensive line. Unlike the Vikings, it worked. Ask Philly how well Thuney and his inside mates did while pounding out 281 yards and two TDs on 47 carries (6.0 yards per carry) last week. A four-time Super Bowl champion with the Patriots and Chiefs, no player has had a bigger impact on the turnaround in Chicago than Thuney, a soon-to-be three-time first-team All-Pro.
- Seahawks receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. A kicker has won an MVP, but a receiver never has, believe it or not. It’s only Week 14, and JSN already has a franchise-record and league-leading 1,336 yards receiving on a nine-win team. He’s averaging 16.3 yards per catch, has a 123.6 rating when targeted and has only three drops in 111 targets.
- Packers do-it-all superstar Micah Parsons. A year ago, the Packers were the little brothers to the good teams in the NFC North. Now they’re feared. Why? Because Jerry Jones doesn’t appreciate defense, and he made life miserable for the Bears, Lions and Vikings by trading Parsons to the Packers in his prime. Parsons ranks third in sacks with 12.5, third in pressures (67) and probably first in messing up offensive rhythm in general. A defensive player has won MVP only twice (Alan Page in 1971 and Lawrence Taylor in 1986), and you can bet your kid’s future it will never happen again.
- 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey. Unlike the first three, this one at least has a chance of being seriously considered. If it’s not, then why the heck not? McCaffrey is the primary reason the beat-up 49ers are 9-4. He’s the No. 1 reason the 49ers went 5-3 without franchise quarterback Brock Purdy. He’s why the 49ers control games and keep us from even talking about the fact Nick Bosa suffered a season-ending injury 10 games ago. McCaffrey has a league-leading 1,655 yards from scrimmage. He is only 151 yards rushing and 194 yards receiving from posting 1,000 yards in each. And he’s the only player with at least five touchdowns rushing (8) and receiving (5).
Sorry, QBs, but you aren’t the only guys on the field.
Stat of the week
26 and 7. These two numbers explain why the Vikings are looking up at the Bears (9-3) and Packers (8-3-1), who play for the NFC North lead at Lambeau Field on Sunday afternoon. The first number is the Bears’ league-leading number of takeaways. The second number is the Packers’ league-low number of giveaways. Meanwhile, the Vikings are last in turnover differential (minus-15).
Did you know?
The AFC South-leading showdown between the Colts (8-4) and host Jaguars (8-4) features a Colts run game that leads the league in average per carry (5.1) and a Jaguars run defense that allows a league-low 82.4 yards per game. Indy scores a league-leading 29.8 points per game while the Jags are the only AFC team to have allowed 10 or fewer points four times. These two teams meet twice in the next four weeks.
AFC North thought of the week
Overshadowed by the “Fire Tomlin!” chants in Pittsburgh is a tight AFC North race that could result in Mike Tomlin leading the Steelers to a third straight playoff berth since Ben Roethlisberger retired four years ago. The Steelers (6-6) face the Ravens (6-6) twice in the final five weeks, including this week’s trip to Baltimore. The Steelers (minus-8) and Ravens (minus-4) sit atop the division despite a combined point differential of minus-12. The NFC South’s Tampa Bay (minus-22) is the only other division leader on the wrong side of the point differential.
Vikings thought of the week
At 4-8, the goal is pretty simple. Have J.J. McCarthy learn and grow on Sundays and not limp and disappear on Mondays.
