The Most Valuable Player (MVP) award in the National Football League (NFL) hasn’t been conducted yet. Lamar Jackson, after leading the Baltimore Ravens to a 56-19 dismantling of Miami Dolphins yesterday is the front runner. But the vote hasn’t been held, and Jackson winning is not a foregone conclusion; challenges are still being put forward.
Receiver Cee Dee Lamb has been putting together a career year this year. In a contested game with the Detroit Lions this weekend, Lamb had 227 yards receiving. Having accumulated 1,651 yards and 10 touchdowns over 122 receptions, Lamb has become a reason for quarterback Dak Prescott not to distribute the ball to the open man. With receivers Brandin Cooks, a receiver historically good for 1,000 yards receiving annually, along with Michael Gallup and tight end Jake Feguson have had diminished seasons.
Lamb has more than twice the number of yards receiving than any of the trio. Jake Feguson with 692 yards receiving is the second leading receiver on the team. With his 92-yard touchdown, Lamb set the franchise record of most consecutive games with a score, with the streak being eight. This streak is also the longest active streak in the NFL.
Dak Prescott making his Pitch for MVP
In throwing for two touchdowns and 345 yards in leading the Dallas Cowboys to victory over the Detroit Lions, Dak Prescott presented his case for MVP consideration. The argument for a quarterback being MVP has always been that each and every play begins with the ball in a quarterback’s hands, and any actions result from his decisions. A statement perhaps a bit trite, but true nevertheless. In leading the Cowboys to a 1st place lead in the NFC East with a 11-5 record, Prescott has thrown for 32 touchdowns and just 8 interceptions and a 68,4% completion rate. Impressive statistics.
A blot upon his escutcheon includes having Lamb as a teammate, and losing to the San Franscico 49ers early in October, 42-10. Playing an elite team, Prescott threw 3 touchdowns in that game. The inability to win away games against top teams this year is a negative against Prescott for MVP as well.
Tyreek Hill has seemingly faded from our MVP perspectives, only because of our ephemeral fickleness. Hill, who earlier this season seemed to be a lock for over 2,000 yards receiving was the toast of weekly conversations as the Miami Dolphins got off to a fast start which included scoring 70 points in scorching the Denver Broncos in late September. Don’t look, but with one game left in the season, Hill has 112 catches for 1,717 receiving yards with 12 touchdowns.
The luster has come off of Hill, and more specifically the Dolphins as they lost yesterday to the Ravens. In early October the Dolphins were physically man-handled by division foe Buffalo Bills, 48-20. These two losses have prompted people to consider other MVP candidates. Nevertheless, Hill has had a fabulous season.
Coming back to Lamar Jackson
In taking apart the San Franscico 49ers last week, 33-19, Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens also effectively quelched the conversations of Brock Purdy and/or Christian McCaffery for MVP. Purdy was intercepted four times in the match up. Like the Dolphin game, the Ravens just physically pushed the 49ers around, and while CMC’s stats look decent, he was a non-factor in the game.
That leaves Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens. In compiling a 13-3 record, the Ravens’ three losses has each time been by one score, as they lost the game in the last minute of each game. They have been that close to a perfect season. Jackson is not leading the league in passing, or running. The team has locked up the AFC North Division title, and currently have the best record in the NFL. He has thrown for 3,768 yards, which is 14th in the league, and 24 touchdowns, which is 10th in the league. He is the best player on the best team in the league. And that is the making of an MVP.
Barry Schustermann
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