Patrick Mahomes is back in the NFL MVP conversation and his slow start has been forgotten
Patrick Mahomes seemed to be out of the NFL MVP race as December rolled around. His Kansas City Chiefs were winning, but his vintage performances were few and far between.
That changed Thursday night in a signature win for the Chiefs that puts them atop the AFC heading into the weekend. Mahomes led his team down the field on 3 separate 75-yard touchdown drives in the fourth quarter and overtime to shock the Los Angeles Chargers in primetime.
Mahomes finished the game with 410 yards and three touchdowns, saving his best play for the end of the game. That type of finish, along with his overall stats this season, has vaulted him right back into the NFL MVP conversation.
Patrick Mahomes among the best players in the NFL
Tom Brady, Matthew Stafford, and Aaron Rodgers were three names that come to mind when thinking about this year's NFL MVP. Cooper Kupp and Jonathan Taylor may also deserve some consideration, but the award has basically been reserved for quarterbacks, barring a truly legendary season from a player at another position.
A season-high 410 passing yards and a big divisional win. @PatrickMahomes is back. https://t.co/IVaqKFkPMx
Mahomes is now back in the discussion after reaching 4,000 yards on the season Thursday night. Justin Herbert did so as well, while Brady leads the NFL at 4,134 yards in one fewer game.
In terms of touchdowns, Mahomes is now at 30. That puts him fourth in the NFL. Brady sits as the leader with 36.
But let's say the season comes to an end and Mahomes finishes with at least 5,000 yards and anywhere from 35-40 touchdowns. His Chiefs are currently riding a seven-game win streak and could easily win out because of matchups with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cincinnati Bengals, and Denver Broncos remaining on the schedule.
Getting the top spot in the AFC after a 3-4 start would prove Mahomes' value to his squad. He even had a 500-yard game and two five-touchdown performances during the slow 3-4 start to the season. Fans have just become accustomed to him being perfect at all times.
Yet being perfect is not what defines an MVP. It is about willing your team to greatness and proving that without you, the team would not be in the same spot. That is certainly true in the case of Mahomes, Brady, Stafford, Rodgers, and all the very top quarterbacks in the NFL.
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@PatrickMahomes + #ProBowlVote https://t.co/7idMR1GQes
Obviously Mahomes' latest outing does not make him the favorite in the Most Valuable Player conversation. He needs to continue in the same vain as his Thursday night performance and keep that pace for the rest of the year to truly take the lead in the MVP. But what it does do is put him back into the conversation among the top contenders of the 2021-2022 NFL Season.
Ultimately though, it is tricky to judge players until we have the sample size of a complete season. Mahomes could throw for 10-12 more touchdowns this year in the final three games, which would totally change the narrative of his entire season come MVP voting.
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