NFL MVP Rankings

With four weeks remaining in the season, the NFL MVP race looks to be a two-man battle between Drew Brees and Patrick Mahomes.

Entering Week 14, Mahomes appears to have the edge on Brees, who had one of the worst games of his storied career in the New Orleans Saints' primetime loss to the Dallas Cowboys last Thursday night. Mahomes, on the other hand, is coming off a four-touchdown performance versus the lowly Oakland Raiders, extending his NFL-high passing touchdown total to 41 as he immediately stepped up for the Kansas City Chiefs in the absence of the recently-released Kareem Hunt. Mahomes is the third player in NFL history to throw 40+ TDs through 12 games, as Peyton Manning accomplished this feat twice (2004 and 2013) and Tom Brady achieved it in the New England Patriots’ perfect regular season in 2007.

Mahomes has led the Chiefs to a 10-2 record. (AP Image)

Below are all the MVP candidates worth mentioning.

10. Deshaun Watson, Houston Texans

Watson, the second-year QB who tore his ACL last season after beginning his career in historic fashion, has led the Texans to nine consecutive victories after the team started 0-3. He has logged 21 passing touchdowns, two rushing scores and eight interceptions.

9. Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts

Luck, who missed the entire 2017 season, has transformed the Colts into playoff contenders after consecutive years of being bottom-feeders. Before the Colts were shut out by the Jacksonville Jaguars, Luck had a stretch of eight straight games with three or more passing scores.

8. Todd Gurley, Los Angeles Rams

Gurley is the most explosive player on the best team in the league. Gurley leads the league in rushing and has already set a Rams single-season franchise record with 15 rushing touchdowns, also a league-high.

7. Jared Goff, Los Angeles Rams

Under center for the 11-1 Rams, Goff has 28 total touchdowns (one rushing score) against just seven interceptions with a 109.9 passer rating, the fifth-best mark in the NFL. Even with Gurley in the backfield in what is sometimes a run-first offense, Goff still ranks fourth in the NFL in passing yards.

6. Khalil Mack, Chicago Bears

Under the tutelage of Mack, the NFC North-leading Bears feature the best defense in football. Chicago’s outside linebacker—traded by the Raiders just before the start of the NFL season—has five forced fumbles, nine sacks and an interception, which he returned for a touchdown.

5. Aaron Donald, Los Angeles Rams

The best player on the best team in the NFL, Donald is on pace to win Defensive Player of the Year for the second straight year. He leads the NFL in sacks with 16.5.

4. Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks

This was supposed to be a rebuilding year for Seattle, but Wilson and the young 'Hawks (7-5) have surpassed expectations. The remarkably efficient Wilson has thrown the fourth-most passing touchdowns (29), despite ranking 24th in pass attempts in the Seahawks’ run-centric offense.

3. Philip Rivers, Los Angeles Chargers

Rivers is having arguably the best season of his legendary career, making the Chargers (9-3) one of the most feared teams in the league. A 28-6 touchdown-to-interception ratio with the third-best passer rating (115.7) in the league places Rivers behind only Brees and Mahomes in the MVP race.

2. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints

Brees has never won NFL MVP—an award that would further cement his loaded career résumé—but that could change with a strong finish to the 2018 season. Brees holds the NFL’s best passer rating (123.2) and best completion percentage (75.5) with 30 passing scores against just three interceptions.

1. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs

Mahomes has guided to the Chiefs to the top record in the AFC. He is having one of the best seasons ever by a quarterback, currently on pace for 55 passing touchdowns, which would tie Manning's record set in 2013. Mahomes, who has two rushing scores, has accounted for 43 total touchdowns, which is more than 28 teams in the NFL have scored this season. In addition to leading the league in touchdowns, he also ranks second in passing yards and second in passer rating. Mahomes is easily the most dangerous player in football.

Saints Sign Brandon Marshall

The New Orleans Saints have found their replacement for Dez Bryant. 34-year-old veteran wideout Brandon Marshall, who was released by the Seattle Seahawks earlier this season, will sign a one-year contract with New Orleans, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Marshall had a workout with the Saints last week and the two sides came close to an agreement—before New Orleans ultimately decided to sign Bryant, who tore his Achilles during his second practice.

Former Seahawk Brandon Marshall has signed with the Saints. (Paul Sancya/AP)

Despite possessing one of the NFL’s most potent offenses, the Saints sought a complimentary receiver to pair next to superstar Michael Thomas. Tedd Ginn, the team’s No. 2 receiver, is currently on injured reserve and may not return this season. With Bryant unable to suit up for the Saints and veteran Cameron Meredith undergoing season-ending knee surgery last week, signing Marshall became a priority.

The 6-foot-5 Marshall has bounced around the league in the past few years. His last strong season came in 2015, when he caught 14 touchdowns with 1,502 receiving yards with the New York Jets. The following year, Marshall’s second and final season with the Jets, he found the end zone just three times in 15 games.

Marshall signed with the New York Giants before the start of the 2017 season, but had only 18 receptions in five games. He played seven games for the Seahawks this season, catching just 11 passes with one touchdown.

Currently in his 13th season in the NFL, Marshall has never played in a playoff game. Assuming he stays healthy, that will change this January. The Saints (8-1) have won eight straight and look destined for a deep postseason run.

NFL MVP Race: Russell Wilson Emerges as Biggest Threat to Tom Brady

The Seattle Seahawks’ upset victory over the Philadelphia Eagles capped off Sunday’s Week 13 NFL action. Behind Russell Wilson, Seattle (8-4) ended Philly’s league-best nine-game winning streak and kept the Seahawks within a game of first place in the NFC West behind the Los Angeles Rams (9-3), who took care of business against the woeful Arizona Cardinals. Wilson threw for 227 yards and three scores and added 31 rushing yards (118.6 passer rating) as he strengthened his case for Most Valuable Player in the victory, outplaying his counterpart and MVP candidate Carson Wentz. With Wilson’s performance on Sunday night in consideration, here is a look at the updated race for the league's MVP award.

5. Le’Veon Bell, Pittsburgh Steelers

Bell and the Steelers travel to Cincinnati for ‘Monday Night Football’ to conclude Week 13. Even without playing his Week 13 contest, Bell currently leads the NFL with 981 rushing yards. His heavy workload, a league-high 252 rushing attempts, illustrates the Steelers’ reliance on the 25-year-old running back. The sensational play of teammate Antonio Brown, the NFL’s most dominant wideout who leads the league in receiving yards and warrants MVP consideration, devalues Bell’s MVP chances.   

4. Todd Gurley, Los Angeles Rams

Gurley currently leads the NFL with 1,502 yards from scrimmage (Bell could take the lead if he posts 125 yards from scrimmage on Monday night) and is the only halfback in the league with over 900 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards. Gurley has 11 touchdowns (eight rushing, three receiving), tied for most in the NFL with New Orleans Saints electrifying rookie running back Alvin Kamara.

Todd Gurley rushed for 74 yards and caught six passes for 84 yards in the Los Angeles Rams' road victory over the Arizona Cardinals. (Christian Peterson/Getty Images)

3. Carson Wentz, Philadelphia Eagles

Despite the defeat on Sunday night, the 10-2 Eagles are tied for the No. 1 seed in the NFC with the red-hot Minnesota Vikings, behind the quarterback play of Wentz, who is on pace to shatter Eagles franchise records. Wentz has thrown for the most touchdown passes (29) in the NFL. The Eagles are tied with the Rams for the league-lead in points per game (30.1).

2. Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks

Right in the thick of the ultra-competitive NFC, Wilson has done it all on offense for the Seahawks. Despite a spotty offensive line and the lack of effective complimentary running backs, Wilson has thrown for 3,029 yards and 23 touchdowns with just eight interceptions this season. He also has rushed for a team-best 401 yards and three scores.

Russell Wilson scrambles past Eagles defensive end Chris Long. (Josh Nicholson/USA TODAY Sports)

1. Tom Brady, New England Patriots

40 years young, Brady is playing the best football of his legendary career. Brady improved his record to 27-3 against the division-rival Bills with New England's win over Buffalo on Sunday. He leads the NFL in passing yards, completions, and passer rating. He ranks second in completion percentage (Drew Brees) and TD passes (Wentz). The 10-2 Patriots look like the best team in the NFL and Brady is the biggest reason why.

Super Bowl XLIX: Stats & Prediction

The Numbers Game

6: The number of Super Bowls Tom Brady will have played in when he takes the field for Super Bowl XLIX in Glendale, Arizona. Bill Belichick will also become the first head coach to appear in six Super Bowls.

10-0: Russell Wilson's perfect record (including playoffs) against QBs who have previously won Super Bowl(s) in their career.

14: Wins recorded (including playoffs) by each Super Bowl participant, which means that for the second straight year the team with the best record will win the championship.

15.9: Points per game allowed by the Seattle Seahawks defense this season, a league-best.

17: Punts returned this season (fewest in the NFL) against Seahawks punter Jon Ryan, who excels in hang time.

19: The number of Seahawks players that were also on last year's championship team, roughly 36 percent of the roster.

34: The age of Seahawks defensive tackle Kevin Williams, who chose Seattle over New England in free agency. The 12-year veteran is the oldest player on the Seahawks roster.

37: Brady's age, making him the oldest player in Super Bowl XLIX.

51.9: The percent of passes completed thrown in the direction of Darrelle Revis, giving the Patriots cornerback the lowest (best) mark in the league against opposing QBs.

80: Points scored by the Patriots in their two playoff games this postseason. 

Prediction

Seattle Seahawks (14-4) vs New England Patriots (14-4)

        The Seahawks will look to repeat as champions against the team who last accomplished that feat—the New England Patriots—who won Super Bowls following the 2003 and 2004 seasons. Seattle's defense looks even better this year, but their offense has taken a hit following Golden Tate's defection to Detroit and the mid-season trade of Percy Harvin. The Patriots must hone their attention on Marshawn Lynch, who is easily the best running back New England has faced this year. The Patriots ranked 9th in the NFL in rushing defense, but surrendered 129 yards to Baltimore's Justin Forsett in the divisional round. New England must also be weary of the dynamic Wilson in the running attack.

            No team has had an answer for stopping Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, who can open up the passing game. If Gronkowski is effective, Julian Edelman and Brandon LaFell will have ample space to operate and become potential game-changing players.

           Both teams are extremely well coached and anchored by elite QBs. It's dangerous betting against Seattle's tenacious defense, but I look for Brady and Co. to prevail by a score of 27-23. Brady and Belichick will seize their fourth Lombardi trophy—their first in 10 years—for the Patriots franchise.