Eighteen total touchdowns in his last four games. Yeah, you read that right. Joe Burrow is absolutely on fire, and suddenly, the NFL MVP race, which felt a little murky at the halfway point, is exploding into focus. Forget “murky,” this thing is turning into a heavyweight brawl, with names like Burrow and Josh Allen pushing hard. And hey, our very own Jaxon Smith-Njigba is even getting some MVP buzz, which is exactly the kind of early season energy we love to see around the Emerald City!
Burrow Is Playing on Another Planet
Joe Burrow was already having one of the best seasons of his career before Week 9, and it’s not just because he’s stayed healthy. His connection with Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase has been absolutely electric, and it was on full display in London. The Bengals rolled into that matchup with Atlanta on a three-game win streak, and they just kept right on rolling. They added another win, moving to a solid 6-2 record and officially contending for the NFC North crown. Burrow carved up the Falcons for 271 yards and three touchdowns, with two of those dimes going to Higgins.
This guy is stacking up insane numbers. He’s already got five games this season with at least three touchdown passes, and get this: he leads the entire NFL in touchdown passes. Among quarterbacks with at least seven starts, his 111.6 rating trails only Trevor Lawrence. If he keeps this pace, we’re talking about nearly 50 touchdown passes for the season. Seriously, Burrow might just be the MVP favorite heading into Week 10. Just look at his last four games: he’s completed a ridiculous 107 of 139 passes, good for a 77.0 percent completion rate, thrown for 1,215 yards, put up 18 total touchdowns, had only 3 interceptions, and boasts a mind-blowing 132.0 passer rating. That’s not just good, folks; that’s legendary.
Purdy Bounces Back in a Big Way
Brock Purdy was the talk of the league after the 49ers ripped off a 6-0 start, and he earned every bit of that early MVP buzz. The former “Mr. Irrelevant” had 11 touchdown passes in his first four games, but then he hit a little speed bump. He threw two interceptions in a loss to the Falcons back on October 25, and some of that momentum started to fizzle.
But guess what? He bounced right back! On Sunday, against Las Vegas, Purdy led San Francisco to a dominant 38-17 win over the Raiders. He threw for 232 passing yards, tossed two passing touchdowns, and even added a rushing score himself. Now, Purdy’s sitting at 17 touchdowns against five interceptions on the season. If the 49ers can keep that top spot in the NFC through the second half of the year, there’s no doubt he’ll be a serious MVP contender.
Love Is Heating Up When It Matters
Jordan Love has had a bit of a slower start, having to play some serious catch-up if he wants to get into the MVP conversation. He tossed three interceptions over Green Bay’s first four games, with two of those resulting in losses. Not exactly MVP-caliber stuff, right?
But you know what? Love has been absolutely heating up over the Packers’ last few games. He lost to the Falcons on “Thursday Night Football” earlier in September, but since then, he’s been finding his rhythm.
With guys like Burrow and Purdy playing out of their minds, and our own Jaxon Smith-Njigba also getting some well-deserved MVP shoutouts, the back half of the 2026 season is gonna be absolutely must-watch football. This MVP trophy? It’s anyone’s for the taking, and I can’t wait to see who truly steps up next.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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