Week 11 is over and the NFL MVP picture continues to take form. This week’s top five NFL MVP rankings feature a player who was previously on list, was then kicked off and has now made his return. Last week we saw a new name on the list, but this week that new name is no longer in the top five. Who are the top five NFL MVP candidates after Week 11? Let’s find out where they rank!
1. QB Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints
Drew Brees continues to establish himself as the favorite to win MVP. In what was an absolute beat down of the defending Super Bowl champions, Brees completed 73.3% of his passes for 363 yards and four TDs. Brees led the way to a 48-7 victory for the Saints.
Brees currently ranks first in completion percentage (76.9%), sixth in passing yards (2,964), fourth in TD passes (25) and first in passer rating (126.9). He’ll likely move ahead in some of those categories this next week, as the Chiefs and Rams have their byes. Brees is leading one of, if not the NFL’s best team. Brees is earning his lead in the MVP race, but his competition is also helping him out.
2. QB Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes completed 71.7% of his passes for 478 yards and six TDs against the Rams last night. Six TDs! This is the second game this season where he’s passed for six TDs.
It’s a shame he also threw three INTs, two of which were on their the final two drives of the game, completely blowing the game for the Chiefs. An MVP doesn’t have two chances to win a game, yet blow both of them. Mahomes is still second on my list because of the big numbers he’s put up this season, but we have to look at the bigger picture, which is why Drew Brees is ranked first.
3. QB Jared Goff, Los Angeles Rams
He’s back! Jared Goff had previously been on my NFL MVP list, but I took him off for a couple of mediocre games in which Todd Gurley performed well. After what I saw from Goff last night against the Chiefs, he’s back in the top five.
Goff completed 63.3% of his passes for 413 yards and four TDs against the Chiefs. Although he didn’t have as big of numbers as Patrick Mahomes, Goff outdueled the Chiefs QB. When the Rams were down 51-47, Jared Goff led his team down the field to put them up 54-51 with less than two minutes left. Instead of completely blowing the game like Patrick Mahomes did, Goff played like an MVP.
Goff even surpassed his teammate Todd Gurley this week. He passes Gurley because Goff showed me who will be relied upon in the playoffs when the game is on the line. It will Jared Goff, not Todd Gurley who needs to make the big plays. Goff did that last night.
4. RB Todd Gurley, Los Angeles Rams
Although Todd Gurley and the Rams got a win, Gurley wasn’t that great against the Chiefs. His streak of 13 games with a TD was snapped, and he only had 94 total yards. This was Todd Gurley’s worst game of the season. Part of the reason for that was because it was a shoot out, meaning the ball was being thrown a lot more. That proved to me why a RB isn’t going to win MVP.
Gurley will likely remain on this list throughout the rest of the year because he’s had a great season, but I don’t see him being able to surpass Drew Brees and company.
5. QB Philip Rivers, Los Angeles Chargers
Rivers came just short of getting his team to 8-2. On the week the Chiefs finally lose another game, the Broncos had to ruin it for Rivers on a late field goal. Despite not getting the win, Rivers did throw for 401 yards and two TDs on 65% completions. He did throw two INTs also, which was a factor in this game.
Although Rivers didn’t get a win this past week, overall he’s having a great season and will likely get the Chargers into the playoffs. They’re still 7-3 and are a dangerous team this season because of how Rivers has played.
Who’s off the list?
QB Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers
After just one week in my top five, Big Ben gets booted out. In the first half against the Jaguars, Roethlisberger had a terrible performance. Part of that terrible performance leaked over into the third quarter. Ben threw three INTs, giving the Jaguars a 16-0 lead.
Despite having a terrible game, Roethlisberger battled back. The score was 16-6 by the end of the third. By the end of the game, Roethlisberger had his team up 20-16 and secured a win. I do give him credit for not quitting and fighting his way back after the bad game he was having, but overall, this wasn’t an MVP worthy performance.
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