There’s a new MVP favorite in town. And his name is Drake Maye.
Monday night’s rough showing from prior favorite Matthew Stafford has flipped the two-man race. Maye, as of this posting, has odds of -400. Stafford stands at +300.
Stafford had three interceptions in Monday night’s 27-24 loss to the Falcons, including his sixth career pick six. That ties Brett Favre for the all-time record.
Throw in the fact that the Rams can’t win the NFC West, and Maye’s perceived chances have skyrocketed.
The bettors have made it a two-man race. Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence and Bears quarterback Caleb Williams are the next on the odds sheet, with both at +18000.
Of course, no one of the bettors have a ballot. The award will be decided by 50. Of which I’m one. And while I won’t make a decision until after Week 18, if the 49ers emerge with the No. 1 seed in the NFC, it’s not very difficult to make a case for running back Christian McCaffrey, who remains buried in the odds at +50000.
The Colts have added another quarterback to the organization ahead of Week 18.
The team announced the signing of Seth Henigan to their practice squad. Henigan spent the offseason with the Jaguars after going undrafted out of Memphis. He was cut at the end of August and spent a month on Jacksonville’s practice squad.
Henigan’s addition could be a sign that the Colts do not plan to play Philip Rivers in their final game of the regular season. Rivers came out of retirement earlier this month as the Colts scrambled to try to stay alive in the playoff race, but they were officially eliminated over the weekend and Rivers spoke about possibly sitting out the finale after Sunday’s loss to the Jags.
Riley Leonard is the other quarterback on the 53-man roster in Indianapolis. Anthony Richardson has been designated for return from injured reserve, but the team has given no indication that they plan to activate him.
The Jaguars moved a step closer to winning the AFC South, holding off the Colts 23-17 on Sunday afternoon.
The Jaguars have won seven in a row to move to 12-4, while Indianapolis, which was eliminated from playoff contention on Saturday, fell to 8-8 after a 7-1 start.
If the Jaguars beat the Titans next week, they win the division title. The Texans will win it with a win over the Colts, combined with a Jacksonville loss.
The Jacksonville defense held the Colts to 204 yards, including only 135 yards passing, and totaled two sacks and two turnovers. Antonio Johnson’s interception in the end zone on a final-play Hail Mary throw from Riley Leonard sealed it.
The Jaguars kept the Colts in it with two red-zone turnovers in the first half. Jakobi Meyers lost a fumble after the Jaguars reached the Indianapolis 17, and Germaine Pratt intercepted Trevor Lawrence in the end zone after the Jaguars reached the Indianapolis 16.
The Jaguars scored a touchdown and three field goals in the second half after trailing 10-7 at halftime and 17-14 late in the third quarter. They finished with 370 yards.
Lawrence ran for touchdowns of 4 and 6 yards and went 23-of-37 for 263 yards and an interception, with Parker Washington catching eight for 115. Travis Etienne had 17 carries for 76 yards.
Philip Rivers was 17-of-30 for 147 yards with a touchdown and an interception, and Jonathan Taylor had 21 carries for 70 yards and a touchdown.
The Panthers added rookie Tetairoa McMillan to their injury report with an illness on Sunday morning, but they won’t have to go without their top wide receiver against the Seahawks.
McMillan is active for their home game against the NFC West frontrunners. The first-round pick has 65 catches for 924 yards and seven touchdowns so far this season.
The Panthers will win the NFC South on Sunday with a win and a Buccaneers loss to the Dolphins. If they don’t get that combination of results, the two teams will okay for the division crown in Week 18.
Seahawks at Panthers
Seahawks: WR Hunter Renfrow, S Demani Richardson, DT Jared Harrison-Hunte, TE James Mitchell, DT Tershawn Wharton
Panthers: QB Jalen Milroe, CB Coby Bryant, LB Jared Ivey, T Charles Cross, G Bryce Cabledue, OL Mason Richman, DL Brandon Pili
Steelers at Browns
Steelers: QB Will Howard, WR Calvin Austin, RB Kaleb Johnson, CB Brandin Echols, CB James Pierre, G Isaac Seumalo, EDGE T.J. Watt, DL Logan Lee
Browns: OL Jeremiah Byers, QB Dillon Gabriel, OL Kendrick Green, CB Myles Harden, DL Sam Kamara, TE David Njoku, WR Jamari Thrash
Patriots at Jets
Patriots: QB Tommy DeVito, WR Kayshon Boutte, OT Marcus Bryant, G Jared Wilson, NT Khyiris Tonga, LB Robert Spillane, LB Harold Landry
Jets: QB Tyrod Taylor, OL Marquis Hayes, WR Quentin Skinner, TE Mason Taylor, DL Mazi Smith, S Chris Smith
Saints at Titans
Saints: S Ugo Amadi, WR Mason Tipton, CB Rejzohn Wright, RB Alvin Kamara, G Cesar Ruiz, TE Zaire Mitchell-Paden, DT Bryan Bresee
Titans: S Jerrick Reed, OL Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson, OL Garrett Dellinger, OL Drew Moss, DL Cam Horsley
Jaguars at Colts
Jaguars: CB Keith Taylor, RB Bhayshul Tuten, G Patrick Mekari, C Robert Hainsey, TE Hunter Long, DL Danny Striggow, DT Maason Smith
Colts: C Tanor Bortolini, RB Tyler Goodson, S Reuben Lowery, S George Odum, OL Dalton Tucker, DL JT Tuimoloau
Buccaneers at Dolphins
Buccaneers: QB Connor Bazelak, WR Sterling Shepard, S Rashad Wisdom, LB John Bullock, OT Tristan Wirfs, EDGE Anthony Nelson
Dolphins: QB Tua Tagovailoa, S Minkah Fitzpatrick, WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, OL Kendall Lamm, C Aaron Brewer, LB Derrick McClendon
Cardinals at Bengals
Cardinals: S Budda Baker, OL Evan Brown, TE Pharaoh Brown, CB Kei’Trel Clark, K Joshua Karty, CB Kalen King, DL PJ Mustipher
Bengals: QB Jake Browning, WR Charlie Jones, CB Josh Newton, S PJ Jules, DE Joseph Ossai, TE Cam Grandy, DT Jordan Jefferson
The Jaguars added a starting offensive lineman to their injury report on Sunday morning.
Right tackle Anton Harrison is now listed as questionable to play against the Colts. Harrison is dealing with an illness.
Harrison has started all 13 games he has played this season and he’s started all 46 games he’s played since the Jaguars made him a first-round pick in 2023.
The Jaguars ruled out right guard Patrick Mekari on Friday’s injury report and center Robert Hainsey is listed as questionable to play with a groin injury, so they may have to do a lot of shuffling up front ahead of Sunday’s kickoff. Walker Little, Chuma Edoga, Wyatt Milum, and Jonah Monheim are bench options on the offensive line.
