Getty Images Drew Brees taking the field
There is still quite some time left in the 2018 NFL Season, so many things can change. However, at this point, some of the playoff pictures, rookie of the year candidates, and MVP races have been narrowed down to a few players. While the most valuable player of the first half of the season was undeniably Kansas City Chiefs quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, the future Hall of Famer Drew Brees might’ve taken over that spot.
There’s no possible way you can knock Mahomes. The second-year quarterback has been playing out of his mind, in a high-powered offense out there in Kansas City. With 37 passing touchdowns through 12 weeks of football, Mahomes is definitely going to be a finalist for the MVP award when the season concludes. However, history will tell you that leading the NFL in touchdown passes won’t precisely lock in the prize.
Last season, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady won the league MVP. He threw for 32 total touchdowns to eight interceptions. Brady also led the entire NFL in passing yards with 4,577 yards. Again, he didn’t lead the league in scoring, but it was evident that Brady’s performance alone took the Patriots offense above and beyond in 2018.
Does Mahomes make the Chiefs better? Yes. But without Mahomes, their offense could still survive and clinch a playoff spot. Over in New Orleans though, without Drew Brees, the Saints could really sink in the NFC. And with touchdowns being only one of many stats that matter to the voters, Brees may have the upper-hand in this battle. And NFL Research has the data to back it up.
Brees’ Completion Percentage Is on Another Level
Breaking records, records, and more records. Drew Brees is absolutely dominating the NFL at 39-years-old. His newest accolade that he is on pace to break the record for is the all-around completion percentage in the NFL. According to NFL Research, Drew Brees’ completion percentage is significantly higher than the average for MVP-winning quarterbacks since 2007.
Like Brady in 2017, Brees’ comes in third when it comes to touchdown passes with 29 scores through Week 12. While Mahomes is keeping up his pace with Brees in other categories such as passer rating, and completion percentage where Mahomes ranks second behind the Saints’ passer with his rating, it’s clear that Brees has been significantly better still in other categories when it comes to being efficient.
The race for MVP is beginning to hit the home stretch, and it will definitely be interesting to see who comes away with the prestigious award at the end of the year. While both quarterbacks are in a comfortable lead for getting the top-two seeds of their respective conferences, we can expect both quarterbacks to continue to thrive in their system.
If Brees’ keeps producing at the same pace, then it’s clear that he will most likely have the voters on his side. But if Mahomes starts slinging the ball more efficiently, then he can definitely give Brees a run for his money. But right now, passing touchdowns and yards aren’t going to be enough for Mahomes to knock off the future Hall of Famer.