{"id":81012,"date":"2020-02-18T19:47:57","date_gmt":"2020-02-19T00:47:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonprofootball.com\/?p=81012"},"modified":"2020-02-18T19:47:57","modified_gmt":"2020-02-19T00:47:57","slug":"jameis-winston-tom-brady-win-mvp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2020\/02\/18\/jameis-winston-tom-brady-win-mvp\/","title":{"rendered":"Making the Case: Jameis Winston, Tom Brady Can Win MVP"},"content":{"rendered":"

February is the best time of the year for NFL bettors. Free agency has yet to kick off, and, because of that, Vegas and offshore sportsbooks typically err on the side of caution. This means that, if you have enough foresight, you can make a fortune if you accurately bet the NFL MVP on NFL betting sites<\/a>. As of right now, Jameis Winston<\/strong> and Tom Brady<\/strong> appear to be the two most likely candidates to start for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020. One of these players has good odds of winning MVP, and smart bettors should put some money on both players taking home the award.<\/p>\n

Jameis Winston or Tom Brady Could Win 2020 NFL MVP Honors<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have the perfect setup for an MVP quarterback. Winning MVP typically involves compiling stats, and nobody is in better position to do that than Tampa\u2019s quarterback. The Buccaneers have what is probably the best wide receiver duo in the league in Mike Evans<\/strong> and Chris Godwin<\/strong>. Additionally, O.J. Howard<\/strong> has immense upside from the tight end position.<\/p>\n

Winston and\/or Brady have the necessary weapons to push the ball downfield, and they should be in position to do that on a frequent basis. Tampa Bay has one of the worst secondaries in football and shares a division with Matt Ryan<\/strong> and Drew Brees<\/strong>. This current Buccaneers organization has never shown an ability to build a defense, so there\u2019s no reason to believe they\u2019ll figure it out this year.<\/p>\n

Both quarterbacks should throw the ball at a high rate and at a high level of efficiency. However, both players have separate individual traits that could push them over the top in 2020.<\/p>\n

The Case for Jameis Winston<\/h3>\n

If Winston comes back, he\u2019ll be in his second year in Bruce Arians<\/strong>\u2019 system. Arians is one of the most aggressive playcallers in the league, and quarterbacks typically need a year or two to adjust to his style of coaching. In 2013, Carson Palmer<\/strong> started all 16 games for Arians\u2019 Arizona Cardinals. During that season, the former first-overall pick completed 63.3% of his passes for 4,274 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 22 interceptions.<\/p>\n

Palmer tore his ACL early in the 2014 season, but came back to have a fantastic 2015. Despite returning from a serious knee injury, Palmer led the Cardinals to a 13-3 record while completing 63.7% of his passes for 4,671 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. He probably would have won MVP if it weren\u2019t for Cam Newton<\/strong>\u2019s magical season with Carolina<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Palmer might be the most dramatic example of improvement under Arians, but he\u2019s far from the only case. If Winston is back under center, he should experience a similar increase in play level. Additionally, the former first-overall pick recently underwent surgery to improve his eyesight. There\u2019s no way to know how this will actually affect his play on the field, but there\u2019s no way improving eyesight could make his play worse.<\/p>\n

The Case for Tom Brady<\/h3>\n

Tom Brady is the greatest quarterback to ever play the game, so he won\u2019t need time to adjust to Arians\u2019 system<\/a>. The soon-to-be 43-year old might not be what he was, but he can still produce at an elite level if given a strong supporting cast. Last year, Brady spent the year throwing passes to the battered-up corpse of Julian Edelman<\/strong> and nobody else of note. Godwin and Evans represent a significant upgrade and should have Brady producing at a top-five level again.<\/p>\n

Winning the MVP has just as much to do with narrative as it does with your on-field play. If Brady can leave Bill Belichick<\/strong>\u2019s shadow, still play at an elite level, and bring Tampa to the playoffs for the first time in forever, he\u2019s going to win MVP. You can\u2019t write a better story than that, so it won\u2019t really matter what the rest of the league does.<\/p>\n

Both Brady and Winston have much higher chances of winning MVP than the odds currently suggest. Throw some money on these two while you still can.<\/p>\n

Main photo:
\nEmbed from Getty Images<\/a>