Could Brock Purdy go from Mr. Irrelevant to NFL Most Valuable Player in less than two years?
San Francisco’s quarterback is the +300 MVP favorite at DraftKings after leading the 49ers to a 42-19 victory at Philadelphia on Sunday. Not only did it serve notice that San Francisco might be the NFC’s most dominant team, but Purdy outplayed previous MVP favorite Jalen Hurts in his own building.
Hurts, who was the +250 favorite at the book just two weeks ago, dropped to +350. That’s equal to Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott, who is on his own rapid rise after opening the Week 13 slate with his sixth consecutive multiple-touchdown game in a comeback win over Seattle on Thursday night.
The trio are the +350 co-favorites at BetMGM. There is then a significant gap to two previous MVPs — Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson at +600 and Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes at +750, followed by Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa at +800.
Jackson and Mahomes are being offered at +900 at DraftKings after being +350 and +400, respectively, just two weeks ago. Tagovailoa has shorter odds than both at the book, where he is +700.
Jackson’s Ravens are coming off their bye week and are tied with Tagovailoa’s Dolphins atop the AFC at 9-3. He will have plenty of opportunity to state his case down the stretch with a Week 15 game at Jacksonville followed by a cross-country trip to battle Purdy in San Francisco ahead of a Week 17 home game against Tagovailoa and Miami that could decide home-field advantage in the AFC.
Mahomes and the Chiefs have fallen a game off the pace following their loss at Green Bay on Sunday night — Kansas City’s third loss in its past five games. Mahomes, the reigning MVP, does not have any remaining games against other MVP candidates, although the Chiefs also play only one more team that currently has a winning record.
Meanwhile, Purdy has plenty of opportunity to continue to shine on the national stage.
San Francisco plays host to Seattle on Sunday, followed by a game at Arizona before the Week 16 tilt against Baltimore on “Monday Night Football.” The 49ers close out the regular season with a trip to reeling Washington and a home game against the Los Angeles Rams.
After a slow first quarter, Purdy led San Francisco to touchdown drives on six consecutive possessions at Philadelphia. He finished the game with 314 passing yards and four touchdowns. Critics will point out that his receivers racked up 212 yards after the catch and that 48.5 percent of Purdy’s passing yards this season have been the result of YAC.
However, Purdy has already outplayed Hurst and Prescott in head-to-head blowouts by San Francisco, and he’ll have an opportunity for a third signature win against Jackson and the Ravens.
Purdy leads the NFL in completion percentage and quarterback rating.
The 49ers (9-3) are now second in the NFC behind the Eagles (10-2), whose next two games are at the Cowboys (9-3) and Seahawks (6-6). How the NFC playoff picture looks after the next several weeks could have a major factor in how the MVP race shakes out.
–Field Level Media