Why Jonathan Taylor Deserves to End the Quarterback MVP Streak

Since 2012, the NFL has transformed the MVP into the award for the best quarterback in the NFL. I don’t really disagree with their decision to do this. Quarterback might be the most crucial position in any sport, so the most valuable player to a team would most likely come from there.

This season, defenses have been so focused on stopping the pass that no quarterback has been head and shoulders above the pack. Matt Stafford and Drake Maye are currently the betting favorites to win the MVP, but neither is doing anything that crazy this year.

If I took one of the quarterbacks, I would be okay with Stafford winning the award. There were questions at the start of the season whether or not he was even healthy; now he’s thrown for nearly 2500 yards, leads the league in touchdowns, and has only thrown two interceptions. It’s an excellent season, but I don’t think he should be the favorite to win the MVP.

Jonathan Taylor is playing at another level this season, and he would be my pick to win the MVP. Taylor currently leads the NFL in rushing yards, carries, touchdowns, yards per carry, first downs rushing, and hasn’t fumbled a single time. The Colts are also 8-2 and have the best record in the NFL, and there’s been no one more important to a team's success than Jonathan Taylor.

The Colts' offensive line is excellent, and they have made Taylor and Daniel Jones look great this season; however, the offense goes as Taylor goes. Jones still has an issue with turnovers, so having a running back that keeps the sticks moving and the clock running has made life much easier for Jones to excel.

Going into this season, Shane Steichen was on the hot seat and was one of the most likely coaches to be fired. He was being ridiculed for starting Daniel Jones over Anthony Richardson on a team many thought wouldn’t sniff the playoffs. Now, behind a career year for Taylor, the Colts are a serious Super Bowl Contender.

No quarterback is pulling away from the pack in this MVP race, and the longer that occurs, the more likely it becomes for Taylor to steal the MVP. No player in the league makes a more compelling case for being the most valuable player to their team than Taylor has been to the Indianapolis Colts. 

I would bet on Jonathan Taylor to win the MVP at +525 before his odds start to drop any lower.