Rodgers Making Late Push for MVP
GREEN BAY, Wis. – Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes remains the favorite to win NFL MVP but Aaron Rodgers closed the gap significantly with another superb performance on Sunday.
With Rodgers posting yet another game with a 100-plus passer rating in a 31-24 victory over the Detroit Lions, Rodgers has seen his MVP odds shorten from +600 two weeks ago and +460 last week to +185 on Monday morning at PointsBet.
Meanwhile, with Mahomes tossing three interceptions in a 33-27 victory over the Miami Dolphins, his MVP odds went from -500 last week to -285 on Monday.
“It’s really a two-horse race,” said Andrew Mannino, the senior sports content analyst at PointsBet. “I think the narrative that leads to Rodgers is the Packers are continuing to play strong with a revolving cast around him. It’s still Mahomes’ to lose but if he slips up, it doesn’t look like Rodgers is going to and we expect him to be waiting there at the end.
Rodgers has posted a passer rating of 105 or better in 12 of 13 games, including the last eight. That’s tied for the sixth-longest streak in NFL history. Rodgers holds the record with 12 consecutive games during his MVP season of 2011.
Rodgers torched the Lions, going 26-of-33 passing for 290 yards and three touchdowns, good for a passer rating of 133.6. He also added a rushing score to account for all four touchdowns.
“Without a doubt in my mind, [Rodgers] should be the front-runner for the MVP,” coach Matt LaFleur said after the game. “I mean, he just does it consistently every time we go out on that field.”
Since going 16-of-35 for 160 yards with zero touchdowns, two interceptions and a 35.4 passer rating against Tampa Bay in Week 6, Rodgers has thrown 26 touchdowns vs. two interceptions in his last eight games.
With 39 touchdowns vs. four interceptions, he’s got a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 9.75. That’s currently the sixth-best in NFL history.
Mahomes has 33 touchdowns vs. five interceptions. His touchdown-to-interception ratio of 6.60 stands as the 11th-best in NFL history.
Rodgers is No. 1 in passer rating (119.7), touchdowns (39) and touchdown percentage (8.7). Mahomes is No. 1 in yards (4,208) and No. 2 in passer rating (112.3).
Behind Mahomes, the Chiefs’ 12-1 record is the best in the NFL. Behind Rodgers, the Packers’ 10-3 record is the best in the NFC. Green Bay has scored a league-high 31.5 points per game; Kansas City is second with 31.0.
“I know my role,” Rodgers said. “It’s to lead, it’s to be efficient, it’s to be aggressive, it’s to be creative during the week, communicative, and I’ve really felt like I’ve walked in that role as well as I can. I’m enjoying it maybe as opposed to other years, maybe a little bit more — just because you never know what the future’s going to hold.”
