\ud83d\udcc8 Trending \ud83d\udcc9<\/p>\n
A running back for MVP?<\/p>\n
The NFL\u2019s most prestigious individual award wasn\u2019t always reserved for the league\u2019s best quarterback. Four of the first five MVP trophies went to running backs, and\u00a0the winners list<\/a> includes multiple defenders and even a kicker.<\/p>\n For backs to win the award in today\u2019s game, though, the requirements remain simple (if difficult). They need \u2026<\/p>\n A record-setting season \u2026 Those factors applied to every modern-day running back MVP: Marshall Faulk in 2000, Shaun Alexander in 2005, LaDainian Tomlinson in 2006 and Adrian Peterson in 2012.<\/p>\n So far, 2025 seems like a perfect storm for Jonathan Taylor\u2019s\u00a0MVP candidacy. His latest performance, a 132-yard, three-touchdown day, was a big reason why the Colts beat the Chargers 38-24 in L.A. (full takeaways here<\/a>). Here\u2019s more on those three factors, in a slightly different order:<\/p>\n 1. Wins. Indy is 6-1 and in first place in the AFC. Even more relevant to this debate, Taylor has been the catalyst. Just over half of the Colts\u2019 yards have come from either his rushing (they lead the league in rushing EPA) or play action (they also lead in play-action yardage).<\/p>\n 2. Stats. To merit even discussing this, they\u2019d better be great. Peterson had 2,097 rushing yards, the second-best mark of all time. Alexander totaled 1,958 scrimmage yards and 28 touchdowns, while Tomlinson\u2019s 31 scores still stand as the NFL record (he had 2,323 scrimmage yards that year, too).<\/p>\n Taylor? He\u2019s on pace to finish in the same ballpark, with 2,142 scrimmage yards and 27 touchdowns. His 697 rushing yards are 105 more than the next-closest running back, and even more than Faulk, Tomlinson or Peterson had in their MVP seasons at this point.<\/p>\n 3. Quarterbacks in general.\u00a0While\u00a0BetMGM\u2019s frontrunners for MVP<\/a>\u00a0(Patrick Mahomes and Baker Mayfield) are fairly placed, the former\u2019s\u00a0Chiefs are just 4-3, and the latter\u2019s number of turnover-worthy throws makes interception regression likely. Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson, meanwhile, lead teams performing below expectations.<\/p>\n Taylor is at least the RB frontrunner for MVP, but Christian McCaffrey deserves to be in the mix. Last night, CMC ran for 129 yards and two touchdowns and also caught seven passes for 72 yards,\u00a0dragging the 49ers to a 5-2 record<\/a>\u00a0via a 20-10 win against Atlanta.<\/p>\n Still, even if Taylor and McCaffrey continue their torrid pace, it\u2019ll be difficult to overcome Mahomes \u2014 both in the MVP race and in the playoffs. Here he comes now:<\/p>\n Other Week 7 movers<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcc8\u00a0Mahomes.\u00a0Despite sitting for the entire fourth quarter of their 31-0 win against Las Vegas, Mahomes had 286 passing yards and three touchdown passes.<\/p>\n He also converted a fourth-and-1 after a\u00a0profanity-laden acting job<\/a>, and welcomed back Rashee Rice with the type of no-look pass that should factor into MVP voting.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcc8\u00a0Exciting Giants games.\u00a0New York led 26-8 with under six minutes remaining, but\u00a0Denver\u2019s 33-point fourth quarter<\/a>\u00a0broke a longstanding streak. While\u00a0explaining the disastrous loss<\/a>,\u00a0Dan Duggan pointed out a \ud83e\udd2f stat:<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcac \u201cThere had been 1,602 consecutive wins by teams leading by 18 points with six minutes remaining, according to the CBS broadcast.\u201d<\/p>\n Fair to again question New York\u2019s coaching staff, particularly defensive coordinator Shane Bowen. The search should also be underway to replace New York kicker Jude McAtamney, who missed two costly extra points in the one-point loss.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcc8\u00a0Concerns about Jayden Daniels.\u00a0Worries are inevitable after a 44-22\u00a0blowout loss to the Cowboys<\/a>, but a hamstring injury to their franchise quarterback tops the list. Coach Dan Quinn said Daniels wanted to return to the game, but was ruled out and awaits an MRI today.<\/p>\n My impatient nature forced me to send videos of Daniels\u2019 injury to my friend and sports chiropractor,\u00a0Dr. Evan Kirkelos<\/a>, who offered some optimism:<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcac \u201cIt just seems like a general knee strain to me, and him walking into the locker room without a limp should rule out the meniscus. If the MRI rules it out, and it\u2019s instead a low grade sprain\/strain, the only way Daniels would miss next week is if the team is extremely cautious.\u201d<\/p>\n Still, after the second-year QB\u2019s second injury this season (and with memories of Robert Griffin III firmly implanted in Washington), you can\u2019t blame\u00a0The\u00a0Athletic\u2019s David Aldridge for\u00a0suggesting that level of caution with Daniels<\/a>.<\/p>\n The problem?\u00a0Losses over the next three weeks could crush the postseason odds for the 3-4 Commanders, as our\u00a0Playoff Simulator illustrates<\/a>:<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcc9\u00a0Futures in Miami.\u00a0After Tua Tagovailoa\u2019s three-interception, three-fumble day in a rainy 31-6 loss to the Browns, Miami\u2019s outs look like this, with figures per OverTheCap:<\/p>\n Cut Tagovailoa today: $137.6 million in dead money, an untenable option. The Dolphins seem stuck with this QB for 2026, though Mike Sando shared another option in\u00a0his Pick Six column<\/a>: Trade him and an early draft pick to incentivize another team to take on the salary. The Jets and Raiders might be interested.<\/p>\n What Dianna\u2019s Hearing:\u00a0\u2018Man of the people\u2019<\/p>\n You don\u2019t need to be a Super Bowl-winning GM like Jason Licht to know Baker Mayfield is a GUY. But it was less obvious two years ago.<\/p>\n Licht bet on Baker when the rest of the league had folded. He still laughs, thinking about the night the Bucs agreed to terms with Mayfield after Tom Brady retired.<\/p>\n \u201cThe day we signed him, I went to my favorite dive bar to get wings. I called him from there. Looking back, it feels like the perfect setting \u2014 because I\u2019ve always said he\u2019s a man of the people, not about flash.\u201d<\/p>\n Monday night against the Lions, Mayfield can make the latest statement in his MVP campaign. And I\u2019m told\u00a0any\u00a0extension talks will happen after<\/a>\u00a0the season, giving Mayfield space to focus on his third year in Tampa \u2014 and potentially add some more zeroes to a new contract.<\/p>\n Back to you, Jacob.<\/p>\n Tonight\u2019s marquee matchups<\/p>\n Whenever two top quarterbacks take the field, we\u2019re always quick to assert that they are \u201cmatched up.\u201d We were often sold Peyton Manning vs. Brady. That\u2019s never truly the case, as we all know.<\/p>\n So, unless Mayfield gets back in his defensive lineman stance, let\u2019s look at the true matchups tonight.\u00a0Buccaneers-Lions begins at 7 p.m. ET \u2026<\/p>\n Jared Goff vs. Buccaneers pass rush.\u00a0Detroit\u2019s reshuffled offensive line has struggled with pass protection, particularly in the interior, and is without starting left tackle Taylor Decker. Tampa Bay gets more pressure than all but four teams, thanks in part to Todd Bowles\u2019 blitz-heavy scheme.<\/p>\n Mayfield vs. Detroit\u2019s secondary.\u00a0The Buccaneers\u2019 injured receiver room should at least get back Mike Evans, and I\u2019d expect Mayfield to lean on his top receiver against an\u00a0even\u00a0more\u00a0shorthanded Lions secondary<\/a>, one without three starting corners and their top two safeties.<\/p>\n \u2026 followed by Texans-Seahawks at 10 p.m. Both games are on ESPN.\u00a0<\/p>\n C.J. Stroud vs. Seahawks pass rush.\u00a0Seattle coach\u00a0Mike Macdonald has schemed brilliance<\/a>\u00a0from his talented defensive line, which allows Seattle to bring pressure despite rarely blitzing. They should feast against the Texans\u2019 line, one of the league\u2019s worst units (though it\u2019s overachieved in pass protection).<\/p>\n Sam Darnold vs. Texans pressure.\u00a0Houston has pressured quarterbacks at the league\u2019s fourth-highest rate, but don\u2019t fret for Darnold. He has the third-best off-target throw percentage against pressure (missing just 7.1 percent) and has taken the third-fewest sacks when pressured.<\/p>\n Extra Points<\/p>\n \u2611\ufe0f\u00a0Confident.\u00a0Seahawks\u2019 Jaxon Smith-Njigba isn\u2019t surprised by his success: \u201cEver since I stepped on the field, I just knew I was a great.\u201d\u00a0The Athletic\u2019s Michael-Shawn Dugar wrote a must-read\u00a0feature on Seattle\u2019s ascending, confident superstar<\/a>, who is quietly on pace to break Calvin Johnson\u2019s single-season receiving yards record.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcaa Dominant.\u00a0A career-best three sacks for Micah Parsons was a reminder of\u00a0why he\u2019s double-teamed so often<\/a>. \u201cI tell coach all the time, \u2018If I got a 1-on-1, I like myself eight out of 10 times,\u2019\u201d said Parsons, who played a crucial role in a win that got Green Bay to 4-1-1.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcd3 Learning.\u00a0Zak Keefer explains\u00a0what Week 7 taught him<\/a>, from the Colts\u2019 MVP-level running back to the 49ers\u2019 surprise savior, Mac Jones.<\/p>\n \u25b6\ufe0f\u00a0Friday\u2019s most-clicked:\u00a0PFF owner Cris Collinsworth pushed back<\/a>\u00a0on criticism of his platform\u2019s player grades: \u201cThanks for the attention.\u201d<\/p>\n \ud83d\udceb Enjoyed this read? Sign up here<\/a> to receive The Athletic\u2019s free NFL newsletter in your inbox.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\u2026 as the best player on a playoff team, while
\n\u2026 no quarterback has a truly standout year.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\nCut him this offseason: Pay him $54 million guaranteed in 2026 and have $99.2 million in dead money on the books.
\nCut him after 2026: He has zero guaranteed money in 2027, and would leave the Dolphins with just $31.8 million in dead money.<\/p>\n