The Baltimore Ravens vs. San Francisco 49ers game on Monday is shaping up to be one of the best of the 2023 NFL regular season. Not only may this game serve as a prelude to the Super Bowl between two of the league’s top teams, but it also has the potential to be a big factor in selecting this year’s NFL MVP.
Three of the top MVP contenders will be on the field for this game: quarterbacks Brock Purdy of San Francisco, running back Christian McCaffrey of San Francisco, and quarterback Lamar Jackson of Baltimore.
Although McCaffrey has a good case to win, the outcome will probably depend on how well each quarterback performs in their head-to-head match in a stand-alone, nationally televised game.
Purdy and Jackson start the week as the top two betting favorites, per oddschecker.
Since the award often goes to a quarterback on a rival team, both players are in a strong position to win it and immediately check off important boxes. Their on-field exploits have only cemented their position as front-runners for MVP.
This has been particularly true for Purdy in recent weeks as he has attempted to dispel the myth that he is just a system quarterback who benefits from the skill of those around him. He has guided the 49ers to a six-game winning streak since the beginning of November, during which time he has thrown for 1,762 yards, 17 touchdowns, and just two interceptions. All six of the 49ers’ victories have been by double digits.
Currently leading the league in yards (second), completion percentage (fourth), passer rating (first), QBR (first), and touchdowns (first) this season, he has only thrown seven interceptions in 29 touchdowns.
Compared to Purdy, Jackson’s passing stats are not quite as extravagant, but he has the added benefit of being the finest running quarterback in football. In addition to rushing for an extra 741 yards and five scores, he has still completed nearly 3,000 yards of passing and 17 touchdowns. The culmination of all of that has elevated the Ravens offense to the top of the AFC standings and made it among the best in the NFL.
With home-field advantage and the #1 seed in their conference, the winner of Monday’s game will be in the driver’s seat. Additionally, they will likely need their quarterback to have a standout performance against a top-tier defense on the opposing side of the ball. For many MVP voters, the outcome of that crucial game may have been decisive.
Leave a Reply