Thursday is MVP! The gap is widening. If Kyler Murray carried the Cardinals, the relentless Lamar Jackson once again shone brightly against the Bengals. But at the same time, Josh Allen and, even more so, Jared Goff showed big limits this week. A situation that will force them to look behind more than ahead in this race for the MVP.
Behind, it is the unexpected Kyler Murray who is showing up after stringing together good performances and victories at the head of his modest Cardinals. Less convincing this week, Jayden Daniels fell back and could even have lost his place in the top 5.
Star of the week: Lamar Jackson (QB), Ravens
Lamar Jackson is soaring this season, and his latest performance is clear proof. Against the Bengals, he offered a masterful performance: 290 passing yards, 4 touchdowns and a 35-34 victory which once again rests on his shoulders. He's not just a quarterback, he's the soul of the Ravens. In a team where the defense struggles to keep up, Jackson is the one who keeps the machine running, week after week.
This year, he flies over the statistics: leader in evaluation with 123.2, he is no longer simply a running quarterback who can pass from time to time. It's the best of both worlds. At 27 years old, Jackson more than justifies his place among the best quarterbacks in the league. Each game, each victory, brings him a little closer to a third MVP title. He became that player the Ravens hoped for but few outside observers thought he was capable of.
Of course, the question of the Super Bowl remains unanswered, but with such form, who would dare doubt that he is on track to win it?
The revelation of the week: Ja'Marr Chase (WR), Bengals
Ja'Marr Chase was unstoppable this week. With 11 receptions, 264 yards and 3 touchdowns, he offered a historic performance that left its mark. Only nine other players in league history have surpassed 250 yards and 3 touchdowns in a game. The last one to have done so until last Thursday? Ja'Marr Chase already, last season. This kind of performance is not seen every day, and yet it multiplies.
At this point in the season, Chase leads the NFL in almost every category: receptions (66), yards (981), touchdowns (10), and yards after reception (451). But behind these impressive statistics, a darker reality looms for the Bengals: their season is in danger. At 4-6, they are gambling on their future in every game, and with Chase potentially becoming a free agent in a few months, the window for a title is closing quickly.
The question is simple: Will this season, with Chase on fire, be their last chance to play for the Super Bowl? The talent is there, but it's going to take a lot more than a genius performance to turn things around in a playoff race where they've fallen behind.
Disappointment of the week: Jared Goff (QB), Lions
Jared Goff had a nightmare night against the Houston Texans, recording a career-high five interceptions. Despite this, coach Dan Campbell came to his defense, insisting that the errors were due to a play where Goff followed instructions to the letter, but that luck was not on his side. However, this performance highlights recurring problems that risk moving him away from the MVP race this season.
Despite a solid season, Goff struggles to avoid turnovers in certain crucial moments. In the case of his five interceptions, each was the result of a combination of poor decisions and opportunistic defense by the Texans. Whether it was a bad choice of trajectory, too much pressure or poor synchronization with his receivers, Goff paid cash. If the first interception was the result of an overly predictable read, the fourth and fifth saw misplaced passes that gave the opponent easy balls.
These errors could have been costly in this match, but they also show that Goff, although efficient at times, remains vulnerable against well-organized defenses. So yes, the Lions won in the end but that won't always be the case with such a performance from its quarterback.
The ranking: Kyler Murray shows up
1- Lamar Jackson (-) Quarterback – Baltimore Ravens (7-3)
10 games – 2,669 yards at 69.1% completions – 24 touchdowns, 2 interceptions, 123.2 rating
2- Josh Allen (-) Quarterback – Buffalo Bills (8-2)
10 games – 2,281 yards at 63.5% completions – 17 touchdowns, 4 interceptions, 100.2 rating
3- Jared Goff (-) Quarterback – Detroit Lions (8-1)
9 games – 2080 yards at 71.8% completions – 16 touchdowns, 9 interceptions, 104.4 rating
4- Kyler Murray (+2) Quarterback – Arizona Cardinals (6-4)
10 games – 2058 yards at 69.2% completions – 12 touchdowns, 3 interceptions, 100.8 rating
5- Jayden Daniels (-1) Quarterback – Washington Commanders (7-3)
10 games – 2147 yards at 68.7% completions – 9 touchdowns, 2 interceptions, 101.7 rating
