2023 NFL Qb odds: Brock Purdy drops to No. 4; Lamar Jackson surges ahead in a huge change
After Week 16, the competition for the 2023 NFL MVP took a surprise twist when the Baltimore Ravens’ Lamar Jackson, according to BetMGM, became the favorite after his team’s Christmas Eve victory over the San Francisco 49ers’ Brock Purdy.
Jackson has become the third favorite in as many weeks. After Week 14, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott has a somewhat greater chance than Purdy to be ranked first.
After Week 15, Purdy held a significant lead over Jackson for the top slot, with Jackson placing second. Jackson easily defeated Purdy during a head-to-head match in Week 16.
There isn’t enough information to name an NFL MVP even after 16 full weeks of competition. As the 2023 NFL season comes to an end, we’ll monitor NFL MVP odds during the final two weeks.
Los Angeles was on the edge of winning a postseason berth in Week 16 opening due to the rival aerial assaults of the Saints and Rams.
It came to an end on Christmas Day Monday Night Football, as the Ravens defeated the 49ers, a game that pitted two of the best MVP possibilities against each other.
But after Baltimore thrashed San Francisco 33-19 and Purdy had four interceptions, the Ravens believe Lamar Jackson would be the MVP “hands down.”
Coach John Harbaugh of the Ravens said to ESPN following the game, “I thought Lamar played an MVP performance.”
“A team is needed to achieve a performance such that, but the player has to perform at that level—at the MVP level—in that way. Lamar was also giving it his all on the field.”
Jackson played a major part in the Ravens’ convincing win. He added 45 yards gained on the ground and made 23 of 35 passes for 252 yards and two touchdowns, sparking the Baltimore offense on seven consecutive scoring drives.
But as Baltimore defender Roquan Smith pointed out, Jackson’s importance goes beyond the stat sheet. Smith has a point; Jackson was able to get past San Francisco’s usually strong defense because of his adaptability.
“I think if anybody watched the game, if anyone watches football this season and watches the Ravens at Baltimore, they know without a fact [that] Lamar Jackson is the MVP, hands down,” Smith said.
“everyone who watches or knows football can compare his footage to everyone else in the league and see the kind of affect he has on the game—not even stat-wise, but just by themselves—the plays which he makes play in and play out, quarter in and quarter out. I’d be curious to hear what anyone else has to say after that.
Because of his ability to avoid pressure and make nice plays with his legs especially during the downfield throwing game, he made it difficult for the 49ers’ typically formidable pass rush to come close to him for a significant portion of the evening.
“Monday night, you saw it,” said the Ravens rookie. “He rushed the ball, tossed it, and guided the team. That’s the MVP.
You lead your team with the best record in the NFL, and even when people say he can’t do it, he just keeps going to the field and doing what he does, every single game. They claim that “he is incapable of completing that,” and he continually refutes them.
Jackson currently stands as the clear favorite to earn NFL MVP. He is currently favored to win the title at -180 by Caesar’s Sportsbook. This suggests that he has a 64.3% implied probability of winning the award.
Purdy, on the other hand, became the favorite to win MVP and entered the game with odds of -200. After his awful, four-pick performance, he dropped to +800, enough for the third-shortest odds in the field at most.