Lamar Jackson Listed as +125 Favorite to Win NFL MVP After Week 11
- For the first time this season, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is the chalk to win the NFL MVP award
- Oddsmakers have established Jackson as the +125 favorite to be the 2019 NFL MVP
- The last six winners of the NFL MVP award were all QBs
Is Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson going to be the 2019 NFL MVP?
His teammates certainly think so.
“The man, the myth, the legend, the MVP front-runner,” Ravens running back Mark Ingram told reporters about Jackson following Sunday’s 41-7 rout of the Houston Texans. “If anybody else got to say something different about that, then come see me.”
The online betting houses are also beginning to fall in line with Ingram’s assessment. Oddsmakers have dropped their 2019 NFL MVP odds on Wednesday and Jackson is the +125 chalk.
2019 NFL MVP Odds
| Player (Team) | Odds |
|---|---|
| Lamar Jackson (Ravens) | +125 |
| Russell Wilson (Seahawks) | +200 |
| Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs) | +1200 |
| Aaron Rodgers (Packers) | +1200 |
| Deshaun Watson (Texans) | +1200 |
| Christian McCaffrey (Panthers) | +1600 |
| Dak Prescott (Cowboys) | +1800 |
| Jimmy Garoppolo (49ers) | +2500 |
| Dalvin Cook (Vikings) | +3300 |
| Kirk Cousins (Vikings) | +3300 |
| Tom Brady (Patriots) | +5000 |
| Drew Brees (Saints) | +5000 |
| Michael Thomas (Saints) | +5000 |
Odds taken on Nov. 20
It’s the first time all season that Jackson has been the MVP favorite.
Shaking up the MVP Race
The Ravens destroyed the Texans on Sunday, and Jackson destroyed the MVP hopes of Houston QB Deshaun Jackson. A week ago, oddsmakers pegged Watson as the third betting choice for the award. At +600, Watson wasn’t far off the pace being set by Wilson (+125) and Jackson (+200).
Deshaun Watson wrote MVP on Lamar Jackson’s jersey after they swapped jerseys. Respect. ?
(?: @riversmccown) pic.twitter.com/CQnQau8iR2
— theScore (@theScore) November 17, 2019
This week, the race has been reduced to a two-player competition. Watson is still third in this betting market but he’s fallen to +1200 and shares third spot with Green Packers QB Aaron Rodgers and Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes, the reigning MVP.
The NFL MVP is going to be either Jackson or Wilson.
The Case for Jackson
Jackson has passed for 2,258 yards this season. His completion percentage is 66.3 percent. Jackson’s 19 touchdown passes are tied for fourth in the NFL.
Mark Ingram is ready to fight anyone who doesn’t think Lamar Jackson is the NFL’s MVP ?? pic.twitter.com/P3xo1rOdrG
— Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) November 18, 2019
Where he really separates himself from the field is when he pulls down the ball and runs with it. Jackson is 10th in the NFL in rushing with 788 yards. His 6.9 yards per carry lead the league.
He’s also at the helm of a historic NFL offense.
The Ravens have scored (TD or FG) on 55 of 102 drives this season (54%).
According to @EliasSports, that would be the highest rate in a season since the 16-game schedule was implemented in 1978.
— Paul Hembekides (@PaulHembo) November 18, 2019
Research done by the Elias Sports Bureau shows that the Ravens’ 54-percent scoring rate would be the highest recorded since the NFL adopted the 16-game regular-season schedule in 1978.
The Case for Wilson
Statistically, almost every number points to Wilson over Jackson. He leads the NFL in TD passes (23), passer rating (114.9) and total TDs (26). He’s eighth overall in passing yards (2,737). Jackson is 19th.
Lamar Jackson has had an exceptional season. But Russell Wilson has been better.
With the 27th ranked OL (Lamar has the 1st), Wilson has outperformed Lamar in every statistical category — while also having a significantly worse team.
RT this please, MVP voters are on Twitter. pic.twitter.com/i8dFKmdYFm
— Evan Hill (@EvanHillSEA) November 18, 2019
And he’s doing it all behind an offensive line that Pro Football Focus grades out to be 27th-best in the NFL. Baltimore’s line rates #1.
Who’s the MVP?
A big edge in Jackson’s corner is that when he went head-to-head with Wilson and the Seahawks, Baltimore won 30-16 at Seattle. That’s the first tiebreaker for a playoff spot. How much credence should it hold in an MVP vote?
On Sunday, @Lj_era8 registered his 3rd career game with a 135+ passer rating!
The only other player to have more in their first 17 career starts? It’s @ProFootballHOF Roger Staubach (4). (@NFLResearch)
Is Lamar the MVP front-runner? ? pic.twitter.com/J8bbt0OJS8
— NFL GameDay (@NFLGameDay) November 19, 2019
In the past four weeks, Jackson’s matched wits with Wilson, Watson and three-time MVP Tom Brady of the New England Patriots and beaten all of them.
On the other hand, Wilson is on pace to throw for well over 4,000 yards and close to 40 TDs. He’s tied with Rodgers this season for the fewest interceptions thrown by a qualifying QB (two).
Pretty easy way to determine Russell Wilson is the MVP: put Jimmy G on Seattle and Russ on the Niners and San Francisco wins that game by 30 points.
— Will Brinson (@WillBrinson) November 12, 2019
Both Wilson (San Francisco 49ers) and Jackson (Patriots) took down the last unbeaten teams in their conference.
Both QBs are enjoying monumental seasons but Wilson’s been an MVP in waiting for several years. This year, his time is finally going to arrive.
Pick: Russell Wilson (+200)
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
