Is Matthew Stafford In Perfect Position To Win MVP?
By: Will Burchfield
@burchie_kid
Like so many Lions' games this season, the MVP race could come down to the wire. In that case, it'd be hard to bet against Matthew Stafford.
The Lions' quarterback is ten times more likely to win the MVP award today than he was six weeks ago, according to the betting website Bovada.
On Oct. 26, with the Lions sitting at 4-3, Stafford had 40-to-1 odds to claim the award. 5 wins and multiple fourth-quarter comebacks later, his odds have improved to 4-to-1.
Stafford has passed 13 fellow candidates in that span and now trails only Tom Brady (11/4 odds) and Ezekiel Elliot (the favorite, at 5/2) with three games to go. Each week, it seems, he pulls a little closer to the front.
Prior to the Lions' Week 14 game against the Bears, Stafford had 15-to-2 odds to win MVP. After he gutted through a finger injury and led his team on another game-winning drive - his eighth of the season - it's no coincidence those odds were just about sliced in half.
If this trend continues over the final three games of the season, Stafford could very well be the Lions' first (and only) MVP-winner* since Barry Sanders in 1997.
Stafford is also No. 3 in the MVP race according to ESPN's MVP poll, which is voted on by 13 panelists. He trails only Brady (first) and Derek Carr (second), having leapfrogged Elliott in the past week.
Per ESPN:
"Case for Stafford: Why is this year's Lions roster better than last year's? Stafford is operating in a post-Calvin Johnson universe with no running game and basically the same defense he had last year to pair with a young offensive line. The Lions come back to win every week because of how well Stafford is executing the offense, especially in the most important moments."
Stafford still has work to do to catch those ahead of him, especially in regard to his individual statistics. But if the Lions keep winning and Stafford continues to be the reason why, his candidacy for the MVP award will only grow stronger.
And at this point, it'd be foolish to bet against him. Trailing but in position to strike, Stafford's just where he wants to be.
*Limited to the AP NFL MVP award, which has been voted on since 1957.
