The New Orleans Saints will be overlooked in the MVP race. Never mind that this team has worked their butts off. Never mind that they are one of the most balanced teams in the NFC. There isn’t a nicer way to put it. It just won’t happen.
This all comes from the whispers that Michael Thomas should be considered for the award. Trust me, as an avid Michael Thomas fan, I am all for it, but I fear he will be overlooked with those in the running.
Assessing Michael Thomas as Part of the MVP Conversation
The Quarterback Sneak
First, a quarterback has a tough position. He is the leader of the team and the manager of the field. Almost everything the quarterback does is under observance. It has been said plenty of times that the MVP award usually goes to the quarterback. To be honest, I understand the logic of this. I went as back as 1980 to 2018 to test the statement. Sure enough, there were 30 times the award was given to a quarterback. There have been other positions that were awarded. For instance, eight times a running back has won. There have been instances where a kicker and linebacker were acknowledged as well.
For this season, the big talks are around mainly the quarterbacks.
Lamar Jackson
Each year there’s a team that is showing Super Bowl promise. This year, the Baltimore Ravens show they are the talk of the town in the AFC. The Ravens have been improving since the 2017-2018 football season, where the team finished with a 9-7 record. For the second time in a row, the team is threatening to clinch their division.
One of the most appealing features of the team is its presence. This is more than just football and you can see it once they hit the field. Every single player is out there enjoying the moment. Lamar Jackson is joining in on the fun.
The young quarterback is in his second year in the NFL and hasn’t shied away from the competition. He has gone against fellow quarterbacks such as Tom Brady, Russell Wilson, and Jimmy Garoppolo and has come out victorious. Jackson poses a threat to the defense. He has arm strength that shows in his 25 passing touchdowns and seven rushing touchdowns. He isn’t afraid to run to make a play and that’s tough to defend.
Russell Wilson
The Seattle Seahawks are 10-2, sitting at the top of the NFC East. Wilson is having a great season. He has 3,177 passing yards and 26 touchdowns.
Dak Prescott
Now, it pains me to say this, but I am almost sure Dak Prescott’s chances of winning MVP has dwindled. In my opinion, his performance has been pretty sketchy. The Dallas Cowboys have struggled in both sides of the ball. At this time, I can’t even begin to tell if it’s coaching, the players, or mixture of both with a hint of Jerry Jones adding pressure in the media. It’s just a lot of drama surrounding the team at the moment.
Deshaun Watson
Deshaun Watson has led the Houston Texans to a 8-4 record. The Texans are currently No. 1 in the AFC South. Watson has a 69% completion percentage and rushing 300 yards.
Where the Saints Stack Up
Everyone is focusing on Lamar Jackson and Russell Wilson, but Drew Brees isn’t thrown into the mix that much if not at all. Brees has landed the number one spot in passing yard attempts with a 73.8 completion percentage and still seems to be overlooked. This could be because Brees was out with an injury this season, but he has essentially been overlooked for the last two seasons for the MVP award. In both seasons, the team appeared to be Super Bowl ready, but failed short.
Michael Thomas
Michael Thomas has been in the headlines since preseason and reaching a contract agreement. He has shown the franchise what a good investment looks like the Saints have struggled in finding wide receiver depth. Michael Thomas, Ted Ginn Jr., and Tre’Quan Smith are wide receiver starters. Deonte Harris, Krishawn Hogan, Keith Kirkwood, and Austin Carr are second and third-string players with Kirkwood and Carr on injured reserve. Thomas is the most reliable wide receiver for the Saints and the most reliable in the league. He leads the league in receptions and receiving yards. The November NFC player of the month has everyone staring at his statistics to see if he will break Marvin Harrison’s record.
Expect the Saints players to continue to be overlooked for the MVP race. The bottom line is no wide receiver has ever won. The closest one seriously considered years ago was Jerry Rice. Michael Thomas is an MVP caliber player. Yet, the fact that he will be overlooked is unsettling.
