NFL MVP Race 2018: Top 10 candidates at midseason
T-1. Jared Goff, QB/Todd Gurley, RB, Los Angeles Rams (Co-MVPs)
Sometimes you have to split hairs when it comes to awards and who should be voted No. 1 on the list. When it coms to MVP, the players should be the most integral to the success of the team. The Rams are undefeated, and you can make the case for both Goff and Gurley as being so integral that if you take one of them off the team, the Rams are not only not undefeated, but may not be in first place in the NFC West.
Goff has had his off days, and Gurley stepped up in those games. Week 6 is the beast example. Goff only completed 50 percent of his passes in that game, but Gruley went for over 200 yards on the ground, and scored twice on the ground. That being said, according to Next Gen Stats, he’s faced eight men in the box less than 10 percent of the time, and he’s one of only three running backs to do so.
In a league that is based around scoring and stretching the defense, Goff is one of the best quarterbacks at passes that travel a minimum of 20 yards in the air. According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Goff has the second highest adjusted completion percentage ((completions + drops)/attempts) on passes of 20 yards or more in the air at 58.6 percent.
He’s also ninth in the NFL in overall adjusted completion percentage (via PFF) — which factors in throwing the ball away, drops, being hit as throwing, spikes, and balls batted down at the line of scrimmage — among quarterbacks with at least 192 dropbacks.
In a league where everyone is looking for excitement, Goff excels in the “boring.” Everyone loves to watch short passes go for long runs by the receiver and long bombs by the quarterback with the cannon for an arm, but, among the six quarterbacks who made this list, Goff is the only one in the top three in completion percentage, yards, and passer rating on intermediate throws (balls that travel 10-19 yards in the air).
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Most valuable player isn’t about who is the best player in the league. It’s about who’s more crucial to team success. So the record of the team matters. Since the Rams are 8-0, and both Goff and Gurley are equally integral to the success of the Rams, and compliment each other so well, they are the co-MVPs of the NFL heading into the second half of the season.
For more grades, advanced statistics and more at Pro Football Focus, subscribe to PFF’s EDGE or ELITE subscriptions at ProFootballFocus.com.