With five weeks left in the 2023 NFL regular season, a few of our melanated signal callers in the firmly entrenched the MVP race.
Dak Prescott, Cowboys
The former “Hail State” (Mississippi State) standout has been playing the best football of his very solid eight-year NFL career. Each week this season it seems as if Prescott has gotten better, and this past Thursday he was clutch. Trailing the Seattle Seahawks 35-27 in the fourth quarter, Prescott led a 14-0 run to end the game to give the Cowboys a 41–35 win and a 9-3 record. In the win the oft-maligned Prescott went 29 of 41 for 299 yards and three touchdowns.
The three touchdown passes gave him a league-leading 20 since Week 8. The next closest players has 11 (C.J. Stroud).
Following the big win Prescott told reporters this about the negativity spewed about him daily.
“People can say whatever they want. I have the pen, I have the paper, and I’m the one writing.”
This season Prescott has passed for 3,234 yards, 26 touchdowns and six interceptions.
Geno Smith, Seahawks
Albeit in a loss, Smith was very good aside from his one interception that fell into cornerback Daron Bland’s hands for his seventh pick in place of injured cornerback Trevon Diggs. Minus that throw Smith was money, and he and wide receiver D.K. Metcalf had themselves a night. Smith went 23 of 41 for 334 yards, three touchdowns and one interception, and he connected with Metcalf six times for 143 yards and all three of his touchdown passes.
Smith will need to play like he did on Thursday night if he and the 6-6 Seahawks want to make a run to get into the playoffs.
This season Smith has passed for 2,918 yards, 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
C.J Stroud, Texans
Another Sunday and another solid performance by Stroud, who just doesn’t make mistakes. In Sunday’s 22-17 win over the formerly red-hot Denver Broncos, who trotted into H-Town on a five-game winning streak, the former Ohio State standout went a cool 16 of 27 for 274 yards and one touchdown. The No. 2 overall pick was in command all game, although he unfortunately lost talented rookie wide receiver Tank Dell to a fractured fibula.
It’s a big loss for the rising 7-5 Texans, who every week are proving they’re no fluke.
For the season Stroud has passed for 3,540 yards, 20 touchdowns and just five interceptions. Following Sunday’s win Stroud credited his defense for stopping the Broncos to preserve the win. He told CBS Sports during his on-field interview, “I just know that they’re gonna get the W for us.”
Kyler Murray, Cardinals
Since his return four games ago, the diminutive dynamo has the Cardinals offense playing much better. No, they’re not putting up crazy numbers, but they’ve become much more efficient and just a little more potent with his dual-threat ability under center.
Having gone 2-2 in the four games, including Sunday’s 24-10 road road win at the Pittsburgh Steelers, the organization is seeing that Murray is their guy going forward, and there is no need to jump up and draft another QB. Murray passed for a pretty pedestrian 145 yards and one touchdown in Sunday’s big road win, but his effect goes beyond the stats.
Jordan Love, Packers
The first-year starter and fourth-year pro went toe to toe with reigning MVP Patrick Mahomes, and he was the better QB in a surprising 27-19 Green Bay Packers win over the Kansas City Chiefs. Love, who was Aaron Rodgers’ understudy his first three years in the league, passed for 267 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions. It was the former Utah State standout’s fourth game of the season with at least three TD tosses and zero picks. That’s good enough for tops in the league along with San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy.
Honorable Mention:
Desmond Ridder, Falcons
The second-year pro didn’t exactly light up MetLife Stadium in an ugly 13-8 win over the offensively challenged New York Jets, but what he did do was not make the costly mistakes which could’ve hurt his team. His 121 yards passing and one touchdown are not eye-popping. but that was good enough to help keep the “Dirty Birds” in first place at 6-6 in the NFC South.
Ridder has shown improvement from his first season, and while he still has a ways to go, the Falcons might be inclined to develop him, which will allow them to build out the rest of their roster.
