NFL MVP Chase at the end of the regular season

 Welcome to the MVP Chase, where I look for, or chase, the best objective criteria in determining greatness without personal bias.

Today's topics: The Raiders tank, NFL MVP Chase update

Photo credit: Torsten Bolten

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The NFL regular season is over, and the Associated Press voters will select their NFL MVP. It will be Patrick Mahomes will be named the 2022 NFL MVP. It seems inevitable and inarguable.

The MVP Chase, however, is not over. I'll name my league MVP after the Super Bowl. Nevertheless, the end of the regular season is a time for me to say who I would choose if I had an AP vote.

Like most voters,I would certainly select Mahomes. But unlike them, I don't look at season statistical totals. I don't even use the eyeball test.

I ask instead: in how many games did a player significantly help a team win? 

That's the basis of my NFL MVP Chase. The player must play well, and the team must win. To win a point in my MVP Chase,

• A quarterback must have a 100.0+ passer rating in a win or tie.

• A back or receiver must have 100+ yards from scrimmage in a win or tie.

(Multiple players on the same team can earn an MVP point in the same game.)

At the end of the regular season, Mahomes leads the league with 10 MVP points. There aren't compelling reasons to give the award to anyone else. Even if the Week 17 Bills-Bengals game had been completed, no player on those teams would have matched Mahomes. 

Here are the standings. Members of the Bills and Bengals are marked with a "+," indicating that they possibly could have had another point. 

10 MVP Points

Patrick Mahomes, QB, Chiefs

9 MVP Points

Jalen Hurts, QB, Eagles

Justin Jefferson, WR, Vikings

8 MVP Points

+Joe Burrow, QB, Bengals

7 MVP Points

+Josh Allen, QB, Bills

Geno Smith, QB, Seahawks

6 MVP Points

Kirk Cousins, QB, Vikings

+Stefon Diggs, WR, Bills

Josh Jacobs, RB, Raiders

Daniel Jones, QB, Giants

Trevor Lawrence, QB, Jaguars

Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Dolphins

Eleven players have 5 MPV points, nine have 4, 14 have three, 28 have 2, and 65 have one.

The MVP Chase goes through the playoffs. Any player with six MVP Points and in the playoffs (all except Josh Jacobs) can potentially tie Mahomes if they win the Super Bowl, and players with seven or more can potentially pass him. 

Initially, I had planned to reward players with a first-round bye with an additional MVP because they don't have the opportunity to earn it on the field. The Bills-Bengals cancellation threw a wrench into that. Like members of the Bills and Bengals, Mahomes and Jalen Hurts will just have one less game than others in the Chase.

James Leroy Wilson writes Daily Miracles (subscribe), The Daily Bible Chapter (subscribe), JL Cells (subscribe), and The MVP Chase (subscribe). Thanks for your subscriptions and support! You may contact James for your writing, editing, and research needs: jamesleroywilson-at-gmail.com