Welcome in to the 2021 NFL MVP Watch, where I will be taking a look around the landscape of the MVP race in the NFL this season. This is pretty much the same thing as my Heisman Watch, sooooo…like, do I want to spend a lot of time on an intro?
Shit, I guess I will for the uninitiated – each week, I will count down the five most MVP-worthy performances of the week and offer up my reasoning for each ranking. You finish first, you get five points. Second is four, so on and so forth. I will keep the season point totals going at the bottom of the article and at the end of the season, whoever has the most points gets the 2021 SoBros Network NFL MVP “honors.”
2021 NFL MVP WATCH: WEEK 6
5. Derek Carr, Raiders QB – Carr helped get the Raiders back in the win column with a big win over the Denver Broncos on Sunday, and ended up being the highest rated passer in the league in the process (134.4). He was 18/27 for 341 yards and two touchdowns. He’s not quite out of this MVP race just yet.
4. Dak Prescott, Cowboys QB – If you want to talk about ‘value,’ hot damn, just look at the difference Dak Prescott’s presence makes. The Cowboys look like bona fide Super Bowl contenders, and while part of that is undoubtedly the work Dan Quinn has done in improving that defense, Prescott is a huge part of that turnaround. In New England, he finished 36/51 for 445 yards, three touchdowns, and a pick. He’s currently 5th in the league in passing yards, and tied for 3rd in touchdown passes.
3. Cooper Kupp, Rams WR – Matthew Stafford is getting some love in the MVP conversation, and rightfully so, but that Rams offense isn’t all on him. Cooper Kupp is doing a fantastic job to help shoulder the load. For the third time this season, Kupp had two touchdowns in a game. That brings his total to seven on the year, which is leading the NFL. He’s also 2nd in the NFL in receiving yards with 653.
2. Kyler Murray, Cardinals QB – Murray continues to put up ridiculous numbers after another four-score game against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. He finished 20/30 for 229 yards and four touchdown passes. Factor in his rushing numbers, and Murray already has 17 total touchdowns on the season at the helm of one of the most prolific offenses in the NFL.
1. Derrick Henry, Titans RB – There’s absolutely no good reason that Henry should not be in the MVP conversation right now, and yet, all these big time media companies pump out their “who should be the MVP?” graphics and Henry’s photo is nowhere to be found. He is posting historic rushing numbers, and he’s going on one of the greatest runs that the NFL has ever seen. His presence in that Titans offense makes the whole unit go. Either he wears down defenses and breaks off a big run in the 4th quarter, or the linebackers have to come up in run support, and that enables Ryan Tannehill to get the play action going. Regardless, I don’t know that any player is as valuable to his team as Henry is to the Titans right now.
Think about the state of the NFL right now, too. Teams are trying to find their franchise, dynamic quarterback and they’re hiring anyone who ever had a cup of coffee with Sean McVay to retool the passing game, and yet, here are the Titans, just loading up on carries for Henry, and they are winning games because of it. I know the MVP award hasn’t really been about value in a long time, but if that’s not value, I don’t know what is. Henry had 20 carries for 143 yards and three touchdowns in the Titans thrilling 34-31 win over the Bills on Monday night.
The Derrick Henry stiff arm claims another victim pic.twitter.com/E2HMaMOqIs
— PFF Fantasy Football (@PFF_Fantasy) October 19, 2021
UPDATED NFL MVP WATCH STANDINGS
14. Davante Adams, CJ Mosley, Russell Wilson – 1
12. Terry McLaurin – 2
9. Joe Burrow, Cooper Kupp, Aaron Rodgers – 3
7. Josh Allen, Derek Carr, Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott – 4
4. Justin Herbert, Lamar Jackson, Matthew Stafford – 7
3. Tom Brady – 12
2. Kyler Murray – 13
1. Derrick Henry – 14
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD, #BeBetter, and ‘Minds right, asses tight.’ “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, Yankee Candle, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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