Could Jalen Hurts pull ahead as the 2022 NFL MVP?

Posted on December 10, 2022

With five weeks to go until the end of the 2022-2023 regular-season, the race for NFL MVP is closing in. And, without surprise, Eagles’ quarterback Jalen Hurts remains within the top-two.

According to DraftKings Sportsbook, Hurts’ odds changed in his favor after Philadelphia’s mega-win over the Tennessee Titans last Sunday. Now at +175 (from +350), the 24-year-old is just slightly behind Patrick Mahomes (+125) of the Kansas City Chiefs.

NFL MVP ODDS: WEEK 14

  • 1. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs: +125
  • 2. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles: +175
  • 3. Joe Burrow, Cincinatti Bengals: +600
  • 4. Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins: +1200
  • 5. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills: +1400

NFL MVP TOP-FIVE CANDIDATES

Things are looking a bit different now that the league is in the latter half of the season.

Leading the pact early on was Josh Allen, who has now taken a dive to number five. With two losses in a row, the Bills’ recent three-game win streak has done enough to keep Allen afloat, but not enough to change his odds from last week.

Tua dropped from +500 after the Miami Dolphins lost to the San Francisco 49ers. Though he’s 8-1 in games he’s started and finished, he only made 54% of his passes on Sunday — a season low.

Joe Burrow made a case for himself after he and the Cincinnati Bengals were victorious over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. Last week, Burrow’s odds were +1400, but after beating the Chiefs three consecutive times, his odds are now +600.

But, what it really comes down to is Jalen Hurts and Patrick Mahomes, and in my own opinion, Hurts is the better of the two.

RACE FOR MVP: HURTS VS. MAHOMES

Despite celebrating a player’s individual performance within the league, the award is supposed to honor excellence and exemplariness among the players’ peers. And, while becoming the league’s most improved player, Jalen Hurts has risen to the occasion in every category this season.

Patrick MahomesJalen HurtsJoe BurrowTua TagovailoaJosh Allen
Passing Yards3,8082,9403,4462,8593,406
Passing Touchdowns3020252125
Rushing Yards28360922435581
Rushing Touchdowns29505
Interceptions838511
Passer Rating104.9108.3103.7112.096.0

Despite being fourth in passing yards, and (tied for) third in passing touchdowns, Hurts as solidified himself as a credible dual-threat. He leads the top-five in rushing yards and touchdowns, and has the lowest number of interceptions with the second-highest passer rating.

But, greater than that is the fact that since Week 8, Hurts has led the NFL in total touchdowns (17), passing touchdowns (14), and passer rating (118.8).

Hurts undoubtedly understood the mission coming into 2022.

Over the last few weeks, Hurts has also made history.

  • First QB in NFL history to complete 6,500+ passing yards and 1,500+ rushing yards in his first 30 starts
  • First QB in NFL history to rush for 100+ yards in one quarter in the last 30 years
  • The most winningest QB over the last 18 regular-season games, winning 16
  • First player in Eagles’ history with 350+ passing yards, 3+ passing touchdowns, and 1+ rushing touchdowns in a game
  • First player to win consecutive NFC Player of the Week awards since 2010

Alternatively, Mahomes ranks first in passing yards and passing touchdowns, ranking third in the remainder of the stats. The quarterback won MVP for the 2018 season, and this season he is expected to be the league leader in Expected Points Added per drop back.

With five games remaining in the season, it will be interesting to see how each of the quarterback’s odds waver. The Chiefs (9-3) will take on the Denver Broncos (3-9) on Sunday at 4:05 PM, while the Eagles (11-1) visit the New York Giants (7-4) on Sunday at 1 PM.

Alicia Andaloro Avatar
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Alicia Andaloro

Alicia was born and raised in Philadelphia, becoming an avid Eagles fan as a child. She graduated from Penn State University and now works in the medical field. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling and baking.

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