NFL MVP Watch: Week 9
One of the great things about the NFL this season is that there are no clear front-runners for MVP and it’s anybody’s award right now. Here are the players I believe deserve to win it through nine weeks.
Patrick Mahomes - QB, Kansas City Chiefs
At this point, I don’t think there is any denying that Patrick Mahomes is the best QB in the NFL. In front of the whole country on Sunday Night Football, Mahomes put on a show down 17-9 late in the 4th quarter Mahomes scrambled for a 20-yard gain on 3rd and 17, ran for a 14-yard touchdown on 3rd and nine, and ran for the two-point conversion to tie the game up at 17 and force overtime. In overtime, Mahomes led the team down the field and the Chiefs kicked a field goal to give them the lead and after a stop from the defense, the Chiefs won. Mahomes now has a league-leading 2,605 passing yards and 21 passing touchdowns.
Jalen Hurts - QB, Philadelphia Eagles
To see if Jalen Hurts was truly the guy the Eagles went all out this offseason trading for AJ Brown, it’s safe to say that this move has paid off as the Eagles are 8-0 and Hurts has been sensational this year. Hurts has a 68.2 completion percentage, has thrown for 2,042 yards, 12 touchdowns, and only two interceptions, as well as 6 rushing touchdowns. Hurts’ growth as a passer has been significant this year and is a huge reason why the Eagles are Super Bowl contenders.
Lamar Jackson - QB, Baltimore Ravens
Nobody in the NFL has done more with less in the past couple of seasons than Lamar Jackson. For the second half of the Buccaneers game and the whole Saints game the Ravens were without their top two running backs in Gus Edwards and JK Dobbins, their number one wide receiver Rashod Bateman, and a top two tight end in the league Mark Andrews. The Ravens scored 27 points in both games and won both games. Jackson has 16 passing touchdowns to six interceptions as well as 635 rushing yards on an absolutely absurd 7.4 yards-per-carry. Jackson is also a highlight waiting to happen every time he touches the ball. If he can keep playing like this while missing his best weapons then Jackson should be seen as an MVP candidate.
Josh Allen - QB, Buffalo Bills
Josh Allen’s MVP odds are plummeting and its not just because of two bad performances in a row in which has thrown two touchdowns to four interceptions. But mainly because he could be sidelined for a couple of weeks. On the Bills’ second-to-last offensive play Josh Allen suffered what could be a serious injury to his elbow which could keep him sidelined for weeks or maybe longer which would kill his MVP chances. But before this injury, he had been playing overall pretty spectacular this season with 2,403 passing yards and 19 passing touchdowns.
Tyreek Hill - WR, Miami Dolphins
This season Tyreek Hill has shown that he is a generational talent and that he will go down as an all-time great wide receiver. Tua Tagovailoa has put up some impressive numbers this year but don’t be fooled by this a lot of this is because of Hill’s and Jaylen Waddle’s ability to get open and make spectacular catches. Through 9 games this year Tyreek Hill has the most receptions in the league with 76 and the most receiving yards in the NFL by 237 yards with 1,104 yards. He is the most dangerous player in all of football and has been an absolute difference-maker for Tua and the Dolphins making them possible contenders in the AFC.
Aaron Jurkowitz is a first-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email ahj5136@psu.edu.
