MVP Watch: Brady Enters Fray
A new challenger entered the running for NFL MVP this week: Thomas Edward Patrick Brady.
Perhaps you've heard of him?
Brady already has three regular-season MVP awards in his bustling trophy case, and he's creeping up the oddsmakers' list after settling into his new digs in Tampa Bay.
Here are the top five MVP favorites according to FOX Bet's insights, along with a breakdown of each candidate's recent play and what's on the horizon.
1. Russell Wilson (+100)
How it's going: After a transcendent start to the season, Wilson finally looked mortal in Seattle's overtime loss at Arizona. Wilson still dialed it up offensively for the Seahawks with three passing touchdowns, but he also threw three picks. His interception in OT set the stage for the Cardinals to win, and an earlier turnover should have been returned for a pick-six if not for a superhuman effort from DK Metcalf.
What's up next: The 5-1 Seahawks will face another NFC West foe, this time welcoming in the defending NFC champions San Francisco 49ers. At 12-4 lifetime in the regular season against San Francisco, Wilson's no stranger to facing off against the Niners, a squad fresh off of an impressive 33-6 victory over New England, bumping their record to 4-3 on the season.
What people are saying: "I love the saying 'Let Russ Cook,' but we didn't ask that he runs the whole damn restaurant. He needs a little help as he's cooking ... He has no help. They can't cover anybody [and have] no pass rush." — Colin Cowherd
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Colin Cowherd discusses Russell Wilson's position with the Seattle Seahawks. Hear why Colin believes the Seahawks are relying too heavily on Russ and are in danger of running him into the ground.
T-2. Patrick Mahomes (+400)
How it's going: A little bit of snow couldn't stop Mahomes' magic Sunday, even if Kansas City's defense and special teams stole the show with TDs of their own in a 43-16 demolition of the Denver Broncos. Mahomes had a tidy day, finishing 15-for-23 passing for 200 yards and a touchdown in the blowout.
What's up next: Mahomes will look to keep the 6-1 Chiefs rolling as the winless Jets come into town. The Kansas City quarterback might be licking his chops at the matchup, considering the Jets have given up the sixth-most passing yards in the league this season. No wonder the Chiefs are 19-point favorites.
What people are saying: "He's finding how to go through these games and go through a season where wins are the most important thing, not statistics. He can still put up the big numbers, but at times, they're not needed." — James Palmer
T-2. Aaron Rodgers (+400)
How it's going: Rodgers bounced back from a Week 6 clunker to drop four touchdowns on the Houston Texans in a 35-20 triumph. Rodgers completed 67.6 percent of his passes in the affair, linking up often with wideout Davante Adams, who finished with a whopping 13 catches and 196 yards. In Green Bay's five wins, Rodgers has 17 TDs, zero picks and an average QB rating of 129.2.
What's up next: The 5-1 Packers welcome in the 1-5 Vikings in an NFC North battle Sunday, but calling it a "battle" might be a stretch. In Rodgers' last matchup against the Vikes, he tallied four touchdowns and threw for 364 yards on the road in Week 1.
What people are saying: "Statistically, any number you can quantify, any metric that you can use to look at, Aaron Rodgers has been more impressive [than Tom Brady]." — Emmanuel Acho
4. Tom Brady (+1400)
How it's going: After a slow start to the season (by GOAT standards), Brady is absolutely flying with the Buccaneers. In his last five games, he has 15 touchdowns, one interception and an average QB rating of 111.1. Now that he's feeling like himself in Tampa Bay's offense, he has wrestled away the top spot on the all-time passing TD list from Drew Brees. Expect that to be a back-and-forth battle all season.
What's up next: Despite playing in the AFC his entire career until this season, Brady is well acquainted with Tampa Bay's Week 8 foe: the New York Giants. TB12 is 4-1 in the regular season against the G-Men, but 0-2 in postseason matchups. Those, of course, were Super Bowl losses, so the smart money says Brady will be out for blood against the 1-6 Giants.
What people are saying: “Guess what, ladies and gentlemen? Tom Brady has officially entered the MVP race in the National Football League.” — Skip Bayless
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Tom Brady had another week of impressive play as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had no problem against the Raiders in a 45-to-20 win. Brady threw for 369 yards, 4 touchdowns and had a 5th touchdown on the ground. Brady now has the all-time record for most career passing touchdowns, passing Drew Brees by one with the performance. The New England Patriots, meanwhile, could have used Brady’s play at quarterback in their 33-to-6 loss at home. Cam Newton threw for only 98 yards and was benched after his 3rd interception of the day. It was the worst home loss in Bill Belichick’s coaching tenure. Hear what Skip Bayless and Shannon Sharpe have to say about Belichick's dilemma.
5. Lamar Jackson (+1600)
How it's going: Baltimore had a Week 7 bye, and while the Ravens sit at 5-1, questions are being asked about Jackson and the offense. While expecting Jackson to duplicate his eye-popping 2019 MVP numbers isn't quite fair, it is fair to scrutinize his early-season performance. Nevertheless, he has the Ravens in a good position in the daunting AFC North.
What's up next: Baltimore jumps from a week off straight into a pivotal matchup against the undefeated Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. Pittsburgh, the league's lone unbeaten team, is coming off of an inch-close 27-24 win against the previously undefeated Tennessee Titans. Jackson has had his struggles against the Steelers — with one TD and three interceptions in his only start against them — but he did get the win in that matchup.
What people are saying: “Call it a B+ start to a season that began with A+ expectations from the brigade of people who pick apart Jackson's game every weekend. He's 24-4 as a regular season starter, so take any criticism with a mountain of salt." — Jonas Shaffer, The Baltimore Sun
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