2023 NFL MVP: Rating 5 finalists, plus stats

Though Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens’ 2023 season ended one recreation shy of Tremendous Bowl LVIII, Jackson’s elite common season is why he is the favourite to stroll away from the annual NFL Honors ceremony on Feb. 8 with the league’s Most Priceless Participant award for the second time in his profession.

Jackson is amongst 5 finalists for the award, becoming a member of Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, Payments quarterback Josh Allen, 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy and 49ers operating again Christian McCaffrey. Our ESPN panel voted each 4 weeks of the common season on the highest gamers within the MVP race, which noticed a handful of adjustments among the many front-runners — Tua Tagovailoa, Jalen Hurts and Purdy all occupied the highest spot sooner or later. However the season is lengthy over, and the race is down to 5.

For our remaining version, 12 analysts — Mike Clay, Courtney Cronin, Jeremy Fowler, Dan Graziano, Matt Miller, Dan Orlovsky, Aaron Schatz, Marcus Spears, Mike Tannenbaum, Lindsey Thiry, Seth Walder and Area Yates — voted on whom they assume ought to win the 2023 NFL MVP. We used these 12 units of rankings to stack the highest 5 candidates. Sure, Jackson acquired probably the most first-place votes from our panel, however how did the remaining shake out? Here’s a take a look at our remaining 2023 MVP rankings.

First-place votes from our panel: 9

2023 stats: 3,678 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, 7 INTs, 64.7 QBR (821 speeding yards, 5 TDs)

Jackson powered a Baltimore offense that ranked first in speeding — his 5.5 yards/rush led all quarterbacks and marked his fifth straight season averaging greater than 5 yards per carry — fourth in scoring (28.4 factors per recreation), sixth in yards (370.4 per recreation) and eighth in purple zone scoring (61.8%).

The Ravens swept by way of their schedule en path to a league-best 13-4 document by means of beating different playoff-bound groups by greater than 100 factors, which has solely been performed one different time in NFL historical past (2007 Patriots). Baltimore’s new offense beneath coordinator Todd Monken allowed Jackson to flourish as a passer and attain a career-best 67.2% completion proportion (eighth) whereas rating fourth in QBR, fourth in yards per try (8.0), eleventh in passing touchdowns and fifteenth in passing yards.

How does this season evaluate to his 2019 MVP season? Jackson set the quarterback speeding document (1,206) and led the league in passing touchdowns (36) throughout his unanimous MVP season in 2019. He threw 12 fewer touchdowns in 2023 however set profession highs in passing yards and completion proportion.

Regardless of his quantity of runs diminishing this season, which undoubtedly had a constructive impact on his sturdiness (the quarterback began a career-high 16 video games and solely sat for the regular-season finale when Baltimore rested its starters), Jackson nonetheless led the Ravens and all quarterbacks in speeding. His command and management of Baltimore’s offense reached new heights in his sixth season when his passing acumen, imaginative and prescient and really feel made him one of many league’s most electrifying quarterbacks.

Standout stat: For the reason that 1970 merger, 39 quarterbacks have received MVP honors. Jackson can be the third to win the award with no 1,000-yard rusher or 1,000-yard receiver, becoming a member of John Elway (1987) and Brett Favre (1996).

MVP second: Jackson possible locked up the MVP in a Week 17 win over Miami when he threw for 5 landing passes, posted an ideal passer ranking and helped the Ravens clinch the No. 1 seed within the AFC. The 56 factors the Ravens scored had been their second most in franchise historical past, trailing solely the 59 that Jackson and Baltimore posted throughout his 2019 MVP marketing campaign.

First-place votes from our panel: 2

2023 stats: 4,306 passing yards, 29 touchdowns, 18 INTs, 69.6 QBR, (524 speeding yards, 15 TDs)

Not lengthy earlier than the Payments made their option to the divisional spherical of the playoffs, Buffalo was on the surface of the postseason image with a 6-6 document in late November. After combating turnovers early within the season, Allen did not let his interceptions derail the Payments.

Buffalo ended the 2023 season on a five-game profitable streak to win the AFC East and earn the proper to a house recreation within the playoffs. The Payments’ offense remained one of many league’s greatest regardless of a coordinator swap after Week 10, rating first in third-down conversions (49.8%), fourth in yards per recreation (374.5), fifth in yards per play (5.7) and sixth in factors per recreation (25.3).

The 27-year-old quarterback’s 44 touchdowns had been six greater than Jalen Hurts and Prescott’s 38 (second most), and his completion proportion (66.5%) was his second-best mark in six seasons.

In what space does Allen have the sting over the opposite finalists? It would be straightforward to permit Allen’s speeding contributions to outweigh underwhelming passing performances, however the Payments quarterback checks the containers there, too, having ranked fourth amongst all quarterbacks in passing yards. He was as dominant on the bottom as he was by way of the air this season, main the NFL in complete yards (4,830) and touchdowns (44).

Standout stat: Allen’s 15 speeding touchdowns (tied with Hurts) had been the second most of any participant in 2023; they set an NFL document for a quarterback in a season.

MVP second: Allen threw for 320 yards and 4 touchdowns in a wild Week 4 win over the Dolphins. He additionally rushed for a rating that day.

First-place votes from our panel: 1

2023 stats: 4,516 passing yards, 36 touchdowns, 9 INTs, 72.7 QBR, (242 speeding yards, 2 TDs)

Prescott led the Cowboys to their third straight 12-win season and the NFC East title with one of many league’s greatest scoring offenses, which averaged 27 factors per recreation. The Cowboys’ plus-194 level differential was the second greatest within the league, trailing solely the Ravens, and set a franchise document with six residence wins by 20 or extra factors.

One season after throwing a league-worst 15 interceptions regardless of lacking 5 video games, Prescott led the NFL in passing touchdowns and was second in touchdown-to-interception ratio (4-to-1). Dallas’ improved receiving corps round Prescott helped him generate the league’s prime QBR (tied with Purdy) and develop into a greater downfield passer in 2023.

play

Is Jerry Jones dedicated to Dak Prescott long run?

The “Get Up” crew analyzes Jerry Jones’ latest feedback concerning Dak Prescott and what they might imply for his future with the Cowboys.

Was this Prescott’s greatest season of his profession? His stats had been greater in a number of classes in different seasons, however the way in which Prescott powered the Cowboys’ offense when coach Mike McCarthy took again playcalling duties created probably the most environment friendly model of himself in eight seasons.

Prescott turned the primary NFL quarterback with a completion proportion of 80.0% or greater in 4 video games in a season whereas reaching profession highs in passer ranking, completion proportion and go-ahead passing touchdowns. Within the first half of the season, Prescott recorded a number of first-half passing touchdowns in seven straight video games, the longest streak since Tom Brady did so in eight consecutive video games in 2007.

Standout stat: Prescott had 4 video games with 4 passing touchdowns this season, tying Tony Romo (2007) for probably the most in a season in Cowboys historical past, per ESPN Stats and Info.

MVP second: Prescott cemented himself as a prime MVP candidate in Week 14 when the Cowboys beat the Eagles after scoring on each possession within the first half, due to Prescott throwing for 157 yards and two touchdowns within the first two quarters alone.

First-place votes from our panel: 0

2023 stats: 1,459 speeding yards, 14 touchdowns; 564 receiving yards, seven touchdowns

Let’s be actual. McCaffrey possible will not win the MVP as a result of he isn’t a quarterback — the final non-QB to win was Adrian Peterson in 2012 — however his contributions helped San Francisco earn the NFC’s prime seed and made him arguably an important participant on a roster loaded with expertise. McCaffrey carves up defenses each which manner; he not solely led the league in speeding but in addition had probably the most touches (339), mixed speeding and receiving touchdowns (21) and yards from scrimmage (2,023).

McCaffrey’s 2023 season is the very best MVP marketing campaign from a operating again since ____. His personal 2019 marketing campaign the place he turned the third participant in NFL historical past to have 1,000-plus speeding yards and 1,000-plus receiving yards in a season. This season, McCaffrey was tied with Raheem Mostert for probably the most touchdowns with 21 (second-most in franchise historical past behind Jerry Rice), set a 49ers document with 14 speeding touchdowns and develop into the primary 49ers participant to hurry for 1,000 yards since Frank Gore in 2014, which snapped the league’s longest streak with no 1,000-yard rusher.

Standout stat: How about seven of them? McCaffrey led the league in speeding, speeding yards after first contact (658), runs of 10-plus yards (44), runs of 15-plus yards (20), speeding first downs and receiving first downs (114), landing receptions and receiving yards by a operating again.

MVP second: McCaffrey had 115 speeding yards, a team-high 5 receptions for 72 yards and totaled three touchdowns in Week 15 towards Arizona, which marked his fifteenth profession recreation with no less than one speeding and receiving landing (tied for probably the most in NFL historical past), with 4 of these performances occurring in 2023.

First-place votes from our panel: 0

2023 stats: 4,280 passing yards, 31 touchdowns, 11 interceptions, 72.7 QBR (144 speeding yards, 2 TDs)

The kind of season Purdy put collectively, which helped the 49ers develop into the NFC’s No. 1 seed after shaking off a three-game shedding streak midseason, calls the necessity for nuance into the dialogue. His passing stats had been among the many greatest within the league — tied with Prescott for first in QBR, first in yards per try (9.6) and first in landing proportion (7%) — which is not simply the byproduct of him being in a quarterback-friendly offense.

Essentially the most prudent proof of that’s the truth that Purdy was certainly one of 5 quarterbacks to throw for greater than 4,200 yards, broke Joe Montana’s franchise document for passer ranking (113.0) and led his staff to a 12-win season. Purdy belongs on this listing as a result of he put collectively probably the greatest performances by a quarterback this season. Interval.

Did McCaffrey damage Purdy’s MVP possibilities? Not as a lot as Purdy’s 4 interceptions did towards Baltimore on Dec. 25. It is going to all the time be troublesome for the 24-year-old quarterback to show to some that he is greater than a system quarterback/recreation supervisor due to three issues: (1) Being in Kyle Shanahan’s offense, (2) having a lot of the offense run by way of McCaffrey and (3) the “Mr. Irrelevant” label. However Purdy price himself the MVP within the prime-time recreation after coming into because the prohibitive favourite for the award and getting demolished by the Ravens’ protection.

Standout stat: Purdy had eight video games with a number of passing touchdowns and no interceptions in 2023, probably the most such video games by a participant of their first or second season in NFL historical past.

MVP second: Purdy’s four-touchdown, 314-yard passing efficiency in a 42-19 demolition of Philadelphia in Week 13 solidified him as an MVP favourite and stored the Eagles out of attain for the No. 1 seed.