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Following a record-breaking 2018 season, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was awarded league MVP. Could he be the NFL's MVP again soon?
Many experts have given Mahomes the second-best odds to win the NFL MVP award in the 2022 season. The only guy who seems to carry slightly higher chances is Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen.
It's no surprise that those two quarterbacks are the favorites. Last season, Mahomes and the Chiefs overcame Allen and the Bills in the AFC divisional round. The game has been dubbed one of the finest playoff games in recent memory, owing largely to the efforts of Mahomes and Allen. It was a back-and-forth contest that featured some of the league's greatest quarterback performances.
Returning to Mahomes, it's interesting to see him held in such high regard. NFL observers are concerned about his performance in this coming season without top wide receiver Tyreek Hill, but they still feel Mahomes should do well.
Good enough to be MVP again, though?
Let's take a closer look at three reasons why Patrick Mahomes will win the 2022 NFL MVP.
Patrick Mahomes will win 2022 NFL MVP
3. Pocket efficiency
Mahomes threw 436 passes for 4,839 yards and 37 touchdowns against 13 interceptions in 17 games last season. He was undeniably one of the league's most productive quarterbacks.
Mahomes functioned as models of efficiency in the pocket while also producing spectacular off-script plays outside the pocket. Mahomes has frequently been compared to Green Bay Pckers QB Aaron Rodgers in that respect. That's obviously not a bad comparison right there.
Mahomes' unique play style also makes him such a tough cover for opponents. It's almost uncanny how he can get rid of the football at the right time and send it to the right player in a way we've never seen before.
In Mid-February of 2023, Patrick Mahomes will be named MVP of the 2022 season.
Enough doubt has crept in for the league to be reminded who the best player in the world is.
He'll need help from a new supporting cast, but the early returns are encouraging.https://t.co/KyC6RKuBTP
— Kent Swanson (@kent_swanson) August 22, 2022
2. He's a winner
In 2021, Mahomes' ability to overcome obstacles and still post a stellar statistical year was impressive to witness. There will be similar worries about the Chiefs this season with the absence of Tyreek Hill and following the second-half meltdown in the AFC title game. Still, if last season is any indicator, Mahomes should be able to work it out again.
Teams that tried to slow down Hill last season didn't only force Mahomes to look to his rushing attack last year. It also made him look for other weapons away from Hill.
As a result, by the end of the year, he had progressed from playing the position almost like a shooting guard to running the point. Hill and Travis Kelce undoubtedly got theirs in the dramatic playoff win against the Bills, but guys like Jerick McKinnon and Byron Pringle also got involved. They, in fact, each had five receptions. Mahomes had six skill players with at least four catches in the previous week's wild-card win against the Steelers, with only one having as many as six (and that one was McKinnon, not Kelce or Hill).
When did the Chiefs eventually did succumb? Kelce and Hill combined for 17 receptions, with no one else having more than three. So going through all of that, the good and bad, drove Mahomes to mature. We've now seen it in his practices, and he should involve more weapons in the coming 2022 season. Mahomes just knows how to win no matter who runs alongside him.
1. Chip on his shoulder
This offseason definitely feels different for Mahomes. The Kansas City star clearly remains one of the league's great standouts. Still, there has never been more uncertainty tossed his way. With speedster Tyreek Hill leaving for Miami, not everyone believes Mahomes can continue to dominate as he has in prior seasons.
It is partly our fault as fans because we've heaved so many high expectations on him. Because football is more exciting when there are several high-quality athletes in the conversation, it is easier to pick up on the benefits of a rising team or star while focusing on the first signs of danger for those in the established order. We'd rather focus on the highs of a Josh Allen or Joe Burrown and emphasize the weaknesses of someone like Mahomes.
He knows this and will use it as fuel for his inner fire. Keep in mind that Mahomes looked fantastic in his little preseason game action and much more so in practice. Right now, it is also evident that he is significantly more calm about his prospects heading into the season than some external noise would imply.
Expect Mahomes to play with an added chip on his shoulder in 2022, and expect that to push him to higher highs this coming season.
