Ryan Tannehill’s 2020 NFL MVP Odds Improve from +6333 to +3300 After Titans Remain Undefeated
- The NFL MVP odds of Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill are at +3300
- Tannehill was listed at +6333 prior to Tennessee improving to 5-0 on Sunday
- Including playoffs, he’s 13-4 at the Titans’ starting QB
Sure, a year ago it would’ve been easy to suggest that a worldwide pandemic would break out before anyone would dare suggest that Ryan Tannehill was a legitimate NFL MVP contender.
That’s because a year ago, Tannehill wasn’t even an NFL starting quarterback.
It was almost a year to the day that the Tannehill went under center for the first time as starting QB for the Tennessee Titans, leading them to a 23-20 verdict over the Los Angeles Chargers on October 20, 2019. He threw for 312 yards and two TDs in that win.
Since then, he’s taken the team to last season’s AFC Championship Game and this year, to a 5-0 record, the second-best start in franchise history.
Is the Tannehill for MVP talk premature, or is it overdue? Even after his 2020 NFL MVP odds shortened to +3300, Tannehill remains an excellent value bet.
2020 NFL MVP Odds
| Player (Team) | Odds |
|---|---|
| Russell Wilson (Seahawks) | -134 |
| Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs) | +500 |
| Aaron Rodgers (Packers) | +600 |
| Josh Allen (Bills) | +1600 |
| Lamar Jackson (Ravens) | +1600 |
| Derrick Henry (Titans) | +2500 |
| Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers) | +2500 |
| Tom Brady (Buccaneers) | +3000 |
| Ryan Tannehill (Titans) | +3300 |
| Kyler Murray (Cardinals) | +4000 |
| Deshaun Watson (Texans) | +4000 |
Odds as of Oct. 19 at DraftKings
He was at average betting odds of +6333 entering Sunday’s action. When the first lines opened in this betting market on February 5, Tannehill was listed with odds of +10000.
Tannehill Taking Charge
In the 14 regular-season games since Tannehill took over as the starter, the Titans are 11-3. He’s thrown for 3,062 yards. That’s an average of 257.3 yards per game.
His touchdown pass to interception ratio is 31:6. Tannehill owns a 116.6 passer rating. He’s also utilized his feet to run for 258 yards and five TDs.
Last season, Tannehill posted career highs for completion percentage (70.3) and passer rating (117.5). His average of 9.6 yards per attempt was also a career-best.
Pro Football Reference showed Tannehill to be third among NFL QBs with 80.9 percent of his passes being on target. His 11 yards per scramble rated in the same ballpark as 2019 NFL MVP Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens.
Remembering Earl Morrall
The Titans got Tannehill from the Miami Dolphins and another former Dolphins QB once traveled a similar trajectory to Tannehill’s en route to winning an NFL MVP. In 1968, Earl Morrall started the year as a backup to Johnny Unitas with the Baltimore Colts. But when Unitas was injured, Morrall stepped in and took over.
Earl Morrall never gets his due. Stepping in for Colts in '68, winning the MVP….then guiding Fins to 11 straight Ws in '72. He was awesome https://t.co/spnEr6r53e
— Kevin Gallagher (@KevG163) January 15, 2017
Morrall led the Colts to an NFL-best 13-1 record and a Super Bowl appearance. The journeyman veteran – the Colts were Morrall’s fifth NFL team – topped the league in TD passes (26),
He was rewarded with the NFL MVP.
Is Henry a Better Bet?
Tannehill isn’t even the MVP favorite on his own team. Titans running back Derrick Henry is at +2500.
Henry ran for 212 yards in Sunday’s 42-36 victory over the Houston Texans. He led the NFL in rushing last season and is atop the league again this season with 588 yards.
Total yards of offense, Week 6:@KingHenry_2: 264 yards@nyjets: 263 yards
— Rich Eisen (@richeisen) October 18, 2020
Henry is seeking to become the first back to lead the league in rushing in consecutive seasons since LaDanian Tomlinson of the Chargers in 2006-07. Tomlinson was NFL MVP in 2006.
He’s the only running back in the top 10 contenders. Just three RBs have been NFL MVP since 2001.
Tannehill vs Wilson
There’s another QB of an unbeaten NFL team that’s been looking to win the MVP for a long time. He’s won a Super Bowl and been to the big game twice.
That would be Russell Wilson of the 5-0 Seattle Seahawks, who remains the -134 chalk to win his first MVP.
Ryan Tannehill vs Russell Wilson
| 5-0 | W-L | 5-0 |
| 13-2 | TD/INT | 19-3 |
| 273.6 | Passing Yardage Per Game | 300.4 |
| 113.5 | Passer Rating | 129.8 |
| 84.1 | QBR | 84.8 |
| 7.9 | Average Yards Per Attempt | 8.9 |
| 69.9 | Completion Percentage | 72.8 |
In his ninth NFL season, Wilson has never even received a single vote for NFL MVP, even though he led the NFL with 34 TD passes in 2017. His 110.1 passer rating in 2015 also topped the league.
This season, Wilson is the NFL leader in TD passes (19), TD pass percentage (11.2) and passer rating (129.8).
As great a season as Tannehill is enjoying, Wilson is slightly better than him in all vital statistical categories.
At this stage, it’s difficult to see anyone but Wilson winning the 2020 NFL MVP.
Pick: Rusell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks (-134)
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.
