Patrick Mahomes vs. Aaron Rodgers: Who will finish higher in NFL MVP voting?
The NFL MVP race is once again wide open after Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers suffered a shutout at the hands of the New Orleans Saints last week. This has been true all season, just as one player appears to have taken the lead, they then seemingly hit a snag, blowing the race wide open once again.
While this back and forth has gone on through 15 weeks of action, the usual favorites have never fallen too far out of contention. Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes are two names that come to mind when discussing perennial NFL MVP favorites. As tradition has it, both are in the race as we enter Week 16.
Let's say the decision does come down to Rodgers and Mahomes. Who is more deserving of the NFL MVP award between the two?
Aaron Rodgers' case for NFL MVP
Rodgers is an invaluable member of the Green Bay Packers. But how do his stats stack up against the competition? He is tied for fifth in touchdowns with 30 and is 10th in passing yards with 3,487. Fans must also bear in mind that he has done this in only13 games, as he sat one out due to COVID. The game he missed happened to be against Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 9.
"They are gonna HAVE to give Aaron Rodgers the MVP" -@OfficialAJHawk @PatMcAfeeShow https://t.co/uGIgnSqtNS
Rodgers returned from COVID and has since been dealing with a fractured toe. Is it holding him back? That doesn't seem to be the case as the Packers sit atop the NFC at 11-3, with Rodgers throwing 13 touchdowns in his past four games. He also has a total of just four interceptions the entire season.
The question arises as to whether his one missed game disqualifies him from the NFL MVP discussion altogether. Based on value alone, it is hard to argue against his case after seeing how Jordan Love and the entire Packers offense struggled without Aaron Rodgers.
Patrick Mahomes' case for NFL MVP
If Mahomes wasn't in the MVP debate, it wouldn't be a normal NFL season. He and the Kansas City Chiefs got off to a 3-4 start, only to surge back and get to their current mark of 10-4.
Like Rodgers, Mahomes has 30 touchdowns on the year. But he leads the way in passing yards with 4,052, which is good enough for fifth in the NFL.
All smiles after this one 😁
@PatrickMahomes https://t.co/pIrBaWpQTp
The one thing working against Mahomes is the star power the Chiefs possess on offense. While Rodgers really only has Davante Adams as a big name receiving option in Green Bay, Mahomes is blessed with two pass-catching superstars in tight end Travis Kelce and wide out Tyreek Hill.
The fact that Mahomes threw 18 of his 30 touchdowns (so far) in the first six weeks of the season, proves his individual stats have taken a hit, even if the Chiefs as a whole are winning.
Who has the NFL MVP edge?
Rodgers has a slight advantage in this race, despite having played one game less, he has the same number of touchdowns, while also throwing nine interceptions fewer than Mahomes.
Additionally, Rodgers has shown more consistency throughout the season, having suffered no back-to-back defeats as of yet. It is also reasonable to assume that he would have added to his numbers if he did not have to deal with a COVID diagnosis last month.
Also Read: 2021 NFL Playoff Picture Week 16: 5 AFC teams who can finish as the top seed