[KChiefs1]

Top players to watch for MVP:

Spoiler!

QB Josh Allen, Bills

As of now, it’s clearly a four-man race. And all signs point to Allen remaining the favorite if he maintains his current pace of production on the stat sheet and win-loss record.

The Bills passer threw for 348 yards and four touchdowns on only 14 completions … in just the first half of Buffalo’s thrashing of the Steelers. That included 98-yard and 62-yard touchdown bombs to Gabriel Davis. Allen leads the NFL with 1,651 passing yards, along with 14 TD passes and four interceptions resulting in a 107.4 passer rating. The quarterback is also the team’s leading rusher with 225 yards on 35 carries and two TDs.

Allen will go mano y mano with his next closest MVP contender next week with the Bills facing Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in Kansas City.

QB Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs

Without the preseason hype around Allen, it wouldn’t be a shock for Mahomes to be the actual favorite for the MVP award.

The Kansas City passer is coming off another Mahomes-type performance in the team’s Week 5 win over the Raiders. He threw for four TDs (all going to Travis Kelce) and 292 yards resulting in a 117.6 passer rating. Mahomes has 1,398 passing yards with 15 TDs and two interceptions through five weeks.

In comparing Mahomes vs. Allen, here’s a peek at some metrics after Week 5:

Expected Points Added (EPA) per dropback, via TruMedia: Mahomes 0.31 (first overall), Allen 0.31 (second)

Offensive total EPA per play: Mahomes 0.31 (first), Allen 0.19 (fourth)

Passer rating: Mahomes 110.5 (second), Allen (fourth)

I’m willing to bet there will be a few eyeballs watching Bills-Chiefs this weekend.

QB Jalen Hurts, Eagles

Someone continues to raise his hand from the NFC to be involved in this conversation. The Eagles are 5-0 and the only undefeated team left in the league. And they’re not there without Hurts.

The Eagles quarterback threw for 239 yards with no TDs or interceptions, but he rushed for two TDs to push Philadelphia past the Cardinals in Arizona. Hurts remains in the top 10 in passer rating (97.4, ninth) and is tied for second in rushing TDs among all players with six.

Hurts will be on full display in Week 6 as the Eagles host the Cowboys in prime time. A big-time game against a tough Dallas defense should strengthen his spot in the MVP race.

QB Lamar Jackson, Ravens

The Ravens passer wasn’t great for a second consecutive week. This time, though, his team picked up a last-second win over Joe Burrow and the Bengals to keep Jackson among the top four candidates.

Jackson threw for 174 yards with one passing TD and one pick resulting in a 71.6 passer rating. He added 58 rushing yards on 12 carries. He’s come back down to Earth a bit after 10 TD passes, two rushing TDs, two 100-yard rushing outings and only two interceptions in Weeks 1-3.

The Ravens will head up the East Coast to take on the 4-1 Giants in Week 6.

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