Comeback Against Colts Keeps Tom Brady Atop NFL MVP Odds; Aaron Rodgers On The Rise

• Tom Brady and the Bucs scored 24 second half points to stun the Colts and stay atop the NFL MVP Odds
• Aaron Rodgers upended Matthew Stafford with a three touchdown afternoon
• See who else helped and hurt their cause during Week 12 on the updated NFL MVP odds?

Most players want to play with a lead. But not Tom Brady.

Don’t get it wrong, whether his teams are leading or ahead, there’s only one thing Brady has concerned himself with for 20+ years, and that’s winning. But over two decades of dominance in the NFL, Brady has proven time and time again that he’s deadliest when backed into a corner.

And on Sunday the 2021 NFL MVP odds leader proved his mettle once again to maintain his lead over the field.

2021 NFL MVP Odds

Odds as of November 22nd from FanDuel

Brady took over the 2021 NFL MVP odds lead from Josh Allen last week after Allen and the Bills stumbled. Week 12 actually brought Brady and the Bucs face-to-face with Week 11’s biggest winner, Jonathan Taylor. Taylor was no slouch, logging 83 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries, but as noted last week, performances like that may not be enough.

Derrick Henry has been robbed of NFL MVP awards. Titans are nothing without him.

— Robert Harding (@RobertHarding) November 28, 2021

After a rocky start to the season, the bye week actually helped Patrick Mahomes. If he can string together some quality performances to close out the season and the field continues to struggle, he cold be the one staging a dramatic comeback.

Buccaneers Comeback Saves Brady’s Lead

He’d be the first to tell you, but Sunday afternoon likely didn’t start the way Brady and the Buccaneers had hoped.

They had eight first half drives, with six of them either ending in a punt, turnover, or loss of downs. The other two ended in touchdowns for Leonard Fournette, with that acting as a precursor to a four TD day. His second accounted for Brady’s lone passing TD.

Tom Brady: Quarter-by-Quarter vs Colts

While it counts among his comebacks, this one won’t be remembered for anything flashy out of Brady. Bucs fans will remember it for Fournette, while Colts fans will rue the run on penalties.

But with the way the NFL MVP odds have fluctuated this year, a win is a win. It serves to bolster Brady’s case.

Thanksgiving Games Impact NFL MVP Picture

Of course with Thanksgiving falling during Week 12 of the season, there are two extra Thursday games to account for when it comes to the MVP race.

For two contenders, it was a big day.

Josh Allen, Dak Prescott Thanksgiving Results

Allen desperately  needed a performance like this. While it seems weird to say that about someone with four games with 3+ passing TDs, low yards and mixed results have cost Allen top spot. The one issue that continued to pop up that could become a deciding factor in the race is interceptions.

Your MVP of the night. Who else but Josh Allen?#NFL #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/jfl1wgsLTM

— DAZN Canada (@DAZN_CA) November 26, 2021

After throwing three through the first eight weeks, Allen has thrown seven in four weeks. He’s got the ball-hawking Patriots up next.

While Prescott couldn’t pull out the win, he provided a clean performance in a national spotlight. He gets the Saints in Week 13.

Aaron Rodgers Outduels Matthew Stafford

It may be time to officially pull the emergency brake on the ‘Matthew Stafford for MVP’ talks.

After a red hot start, Stafford spent another game playing catch-up. This time to Aaron Rodgers.

Matthew Stafford vs Aaron Rodgers: Week 12

This game felt like a statement by Rodgers and the Packers, staking their claim to top dog status in the NFC. Rodgers had moved all the way up to fourth in the NFL MVP odds last week, but it was fair to wonder after the self-inflicted drama surrounding his vaccination status whether that would hurt him in the eyes of voters. It still could, but we don’t know that yet.

Aaron Rodgers has three pick-6s in his entire career.

Matthew Stafford has three in the last three games.

— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) November 28, 2021

After adding another two TDs through the air and one on the ground however, it’s almost impossible to dismiss the three-time MVP’s case.

Brady, Rodgers Pace NFL MVP Picture

While Allen is still within striking distance, the turnovers have started to catch up to him. He’s thrown a ton of touchdowns, but two meetings with the Patriots and one with the Buccaneers could lead to more interceptions.

Stafford has gone cold and Murray’s tumbled due to injury, so that leaves Prescott and Mahomes to lurk.

But the two men worth the most consideration in the race are two of the NFL’s longest-serving QBs. Rodgers will have a bye next week, then gets the Bears, Ravens, Browns, Vikings and Lions. Provided he doesn’t get surgery on his injured toe, of course.

Brady gets the Falcons, Bills, Saints, Panthers (twice) and Jets.

The schedules are favorable and the track records speak for themselves. Someone will need to rise up from the field, or it’ll be Brady against Rodgers for NFL MVP.