Lamar Jackson emerges as favorite to win NFL MVP after Ravens dominate 49ers

Baltimore Ravens star quarterback Lamar Jackson has moved into pole position in the race for the NFL’s MVP award after Monday night’s win. He took over the top spot from 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy who was the favorite until the Ravens beat San Francisco 33-19 in primetime.

Jackson went 23-for-35 for 252 yards and two touchdowns against the 49ers. He also added 45 carries on nine runs. On the year, the veteran QB is completing passes at a 66.3% clip, totaling 3,357 passing yards with 19 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

The dual-threat weapon for the Ravens also has 786 rushing yards with an additional five rushing touchdowns. Statistically, Jackson is playing his best football this season despite fewer touchdown passes than in 2019, which was the last season that he surpassed 3,000 passing yards.

“I thought Lamar had an MVP performance,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said on Monday night. “It takes a team to create a performance like that, but it takes a player to play at that level — to play at an MVP level — it takes a player to play that way. And Lamar was all over the field doing everything.”

With Jackson at the helm, the Ravens have lost just three games this season, one apiece to the Colts, Steelers and Browns. They’ll take a five-game winning streak into a home game against the Miami Dolphins in Week 17. Baltimore wraps the season up with a final home game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Jackson’s teammates are all-in on the QB winning the MVP award this season.

“He can do everything,” Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers said. “You [saw] it [Monday night]. He ran it; he threw it; he led the team. That’s the MVP. You lead your team, you have the best record in the NFL, and he just comes out and continues to come out and do what he [does] game in and game out even though people [say], ‘He can’t do this. He can’t do that,’ and he comes out and proves them wrong every time.”

NFL MVP odds ahead of Week 17 games

Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson – -160
San Francisco 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey – +400
Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa – +1000
San Francisco 49ers QB Brock Purdy – +1200
Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen – +1600
Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott – +2000
Miami Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill – +2200
Philadelphia Eagles QB Jalen Hurts – +2500
Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes – +3500