Poor Joe Burrow.
The Cincinnati Bengals star quarterback is having a season where he should be the frontrunner for NFL MVP, but his team has accumulated too many losses to boost his candidacy.
Burrow and the Bengals caught a break on Monday Night Football, recovering a block punt, allowing him to find Ja’Marr Chase for the game-winning touchdown in Cincinnati’s 27-20 win over the Dallas Cowboys.
The Bengals are 5-8, and won their second game this season by seven points or less. Conversely, seven of their eight losses came down to one score this season.
The Bengals also had two three-game losing streaks in a year where they should be playoff contenders.
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Burrow leads the NFL with 33 touchdown passes, 3,706 passing yards and 285.1 yards per game. His 107.9 passer rating ranks fourth behind two of the Top 3 candidates. His 74.1 QBR ranks second behind the leader in the clubhouse for the award this season.
If the Bengals were anywhere near contention, he would certainly be in the MVP mix. Here’s who’s in the mix in our USA TODAY Sports NFL MVP rankings after Week 14:
5. Eagles RB Saquon Barkley, stock up
We’ve taken Jalen Hurts off the board. Sure, he threw two touchdowns and scored another in Philadelphia’s 22-16 win over the Carolina Panthers. But you can’t contend, or even win NFL MVP, with two straight games or barely 100 yards passing at the quarterback position.
Although Hurts’ case is boasted by feasting on tush push rushing touchdowns, it feels like most times when Hurts has scored, it’s been because of Saquon Barkley’s brilliance.
Barkley and Hurts each have 13 touchdowns this season, which trail only Derrick Henry and Ja’Marr Chase with 15 each, and Kyren Williams (14).
Barkley leads all NFL players with 1,890 yards from scrimmage – more than 358 yards than the next player in line. He’s been instrumental in helping the Eagles lead the NFC East and No. 2 standing in the NFC playoff race.
4. Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes, stock even
Patrick Mahomes turned in another subpar performance, completing 24 of 37 passes for 210 yards and a touchdown in Kansas City’s 19-17 win over the Los Angeles Chargers last week.
Mahomes led another comeback – his league-leading fifth comeback in the fourth quarter, and seventh game-winning drive of the season – with kicker Matthew Wright’s field goal as time expired to win the AFC West again.
Mahomes remains in the Top 10 with 20 touchdown passes (eighth), 3,189 passing yards (ninth) and a 64.6 QBR (10th). But the Chiefs are 12-1, still atop the AFC standings, thanks to Mahomes’ comeback efforts worthy of MVP consideration this season.
3. Ravens QB Lamar Jackson, stock down
Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens were on a bye in Week 14, but he drops a spot in our MVP rankings. They return to action visiting the lowly New York Giants this week, where Jackson could have a performance to boost his MVP case again.
Jackson leads the NFL with a 116.3 passer rating, is second behind Burrow with 29 touchdown passes and third behind Josh Allen and Burrow for the best QBR in the league.
The Ravens are 8-5, hanging onto the No. 5 seed in the playoff mix, while looking up at the AFC North-leading Steelers (10-3) in the division standings.
2. Lions QB Jared Goff, stock up
Jared Goff had a standout day, completing 32 of 41 passes for 283 yards with three touchdowns, in Detroit’s 34-31 win over the Green Bay Packers last Thursday.
Goff threw decisive touchdown passes to keep the Lions in control of the NFC North, and executed the fourth down calls by Lions coach Dan Campbell to push the envelope and exert their dominance in the conference.
Goff has the second-best passer rating (109.1) and completion percentage (72.4) in the NFL, while his 25 touchdown passes rank fifth among quarterbacks.
The Lions remain the best team in the NFC with their 11th straight win and the No. 1 seed in the playoff mix, boosting Goff’s MVP case up to the No. 2 spot after Week 14.
1. Bills QB Josh Allen, stock even
Sure, Josh Allen and the Bills suffered a 44-42 loss to the Los Angeles Rams last week. But there’s no denying the history Allen made in defeat.
Allen became the first player in NFL history to throw three touchdowns and score three rushing touchdowns in a game.
Win or lose, that’s a feather in the MVP cap for Allen, who retains the top spot despite his valiant comeback efforts in Los Angeles.
Allen has the best QBR in the league at 76.7, is sixth with 23 touchdown passes, and has 10 rushing touchdowns. But clinching the AFC East a week ago, winning seven straight games before the Rams loss, and handing the Chiefs their only loss boasts his MVP case.