After Hurts sustained an injury during Week 15, Mahomes’ hiatus from the No. 1 spot didn’t last long. Can the Chiefs QB maintain the position in the closing weeks of the regular season?
With three games left in the regular season, the NFL’s MVP race is down to two likely contenders: Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes and Philadelphia Eagles QB Jalen Hurts. Playing incredible football all season, the two are in a heated race for the league’s top prize.
Entering Week 16, however, Mahomes may have a slight advantage. According to the Associated Press, Hurts suffered a sprained right shoulder and might not suit up ahead of Saturday’s Christmas Eve showdown against the Dallas Cowboys, and sportsbooks are taking notice.
Hurts showed no signs of serious pain following the 25-20 win against the Chicago Bears, but with this new revelation, the Cowboys open as six-point favorites for Sunday’s rivalry matchup. Philadelphia needs one more win to clinch the NFC East and the top seed in the conference. Should Hurts be sidelined, former Jacksonville Jaguars QB and mullet/mustache enthusiast Gardner Minshew will be the leader under center.
While we wait on bated breath on Hurts’ status, let’s take a look at the FanDuel Sportsbook updated MVP odds.
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NFL MVP Odds 2022: Week 16
All odds are via FanDuel Sportsbook as of Dec. 20 following the conclusion of Week 15 and are subject to change.
- Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes: -350
- Eagles QB Jalen Hurts: +550
- Bills QB Josh Allen: +600
- Bengals QB Joe Burrow: +600
- Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa: +15000
- Vikings WR Justin Jefferson: +15000
After Saturday’s win in primetime against the Dolphins, Allen found himself back in the top three. For weeks, he had been locked between fourth and fifth place. As of Dec. 20, the AFC leader is tied for the third-best odds alongside Bengals’ Joe Burrow at +600. Against Miami, Allen completed 25-of-40 passes for 304 yards and four touchdowns. On the ground, he rushed for 77 yards on 10 carries.
Allen will need to finish the season strong if he wants to edge out the Chiefs for home-field advantage throughout the playoffs while convincing the voters why he’s the undisputed most valuable player. With a primetime matchup against the Bengals for the first game of 2023, Allen will certainly have his opportunity.
It’s also worth noting the masterclass performance put on by Minnesota’s Justin Jefferson. Down 33-0 at halftime to the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday, the Vikings looked cooked. Many had seen enough, perhaps even giving up on the game entirely with the idea of a comeback seeming unlikely at the time.
Then, the impossible happened.
Minnesota came storming back to win 39-36 in overtime thanks to a 40-yard boot from Greg Joseph with three seconds remaining. Now classified as one of the greatest comebacks in NFL history, the team also clinched the NFC North division title in the process.
For his part, Jefferson finished with 12 receptions, 123 yards, and one score. The former LSU Tiger leads the NFL in receptions (111) and receiving yards (1,623), and he has reached 150 yards on four occasions. As it stands, he’s on pace to best Calvin Johnson’s single-season record (1,964 yards) by the season’s end.
Things are starting to take shape down the stretch here, but it’s nonetheless exciting to watch the dramatics play out. Bring on the festive fixtures.
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