Jackson’s chances of winning MVP might be greater than you think
Even if the stats show otherwise, Lamar Jackson should be the NFL MVP, and in my mind, it’s not even close. For the whole year, the MVP award has been passed from player to player. For a while, fans were calling second overall pick, C.J. Stroud the MVP. Now, as we approach the end of the regular season, Jackson is the odds-on favorite to win. Although there are other candidates, including Brock Purdy, and Dak Prescott, no player has had Jackson’s incredible season. Jackson has the advantage because he does it all himself, unlike the other contending “system” quarterbacks like Purdy and Prescott who have star targets, such as CeeDee Lamb and Deebo Samuel, paired with excellent linemen to make their jobs easier. Lamar has made do with his top wideouts being first round rookie Zay Flowers and an older Odell Beckham Jr., while also being in John Harbaugh’s running-based system.
All things considered, Jackson has the 14th most passing yards, with just over 3600 and a slim 7 interceptions. To make that more impressive, Jackson has a 67.8% completion percentage, which is considered excellent by ESPN and Pro Football Focus. He also has a 65.3 Quarterback Rating, which is ranked fourth in the league. Let’s not forget his running abilities: Jackson has 821 rushing yards and an impressive five rushing touchdowns, bringing his season total to 29. All in all, he’s had a very solid statistical season.
With one week left in the regular season, the Ravens have clinched the number one seed in the AFC after a blowout 56-19 win over the Miami Dolphins, with Jackson throwing for 321 yards and five touchdowns. In week 18, Jackson will watch from the sidelines and save his energy for the Divisional Round of the playoffs. Jackson’s stats, record and season should lead him to his second MVP award, but we’ll have to wait until the NFL Honors show to find out.
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