NFL MVP race through the first three weeks of the season

Early season superlatives don’t mean much except that a player has started the season off on the right foot. Three weeks in to the campaign there are those who are shining bright, but will they continue that fine form for the rest of the regular season?

Remember that old adage, it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish. All the hard work, and highlight reel plays from this opening stretch of the schedule will be forgotten about in three months time. Just ask Kyler Murray, who was on MVP pace for the first half of last year, but then he and the Arizona Cardinals bottomed off at the end of the season.

LAMAR JACKSON

The Ravens quarterback is in the midst of a contract year and it shows. He and the Baltimore offense have been unstoppable through the first three games, scoring a league high 99 points heading into the fourth week of the season.

As always, Jackson has been doing it through the air and on the ground. He is averaging a total of 330 yards of offense all on his own. His 250 yards passing yards a game don’t have him topping the charts, but his 10 TDs are best in the league. When consider Jackson is tied for fourth leading rusher in the league with 243 yards and two TDs to his name.

Jackson was as efficient as ever against the Patriots, passing for four touchdowns, and 218 yards, and added another touchdown and 107 yards on the ground.

If it wasn’t for the Dolphins comeback in Week 2 the Ravens would be one of three undefeated teams in the league, and Jackson would be the out and out favorite as the early season MVP.

Season stats: Comp: 63.6% Yards: 749 passing, 243 rushing TD: 10 INT: 2

JOSH ALLEN

Josh Allen might be the best quarterback in the game at the moment, but Sunday’s game against the Miami Dolphins reminded us he is still human. After two games of nearly perfect football, Allen had a few mistakes that cost the Bills points at the end of each half, and consequently ended up costing Buffalo the game.

The Bills QB had a chance to spike the ball at the end of the first half to give Tyler Bass a chance for a field goal, but he fumbled the snap and instead of clocking it he threw it out to Stefon Diggs and the clock ran out leaving points on the field.

Buffalo had a chance to win the the game down 21-19, but a pitch play to Isaiah McKenzie with 15 seconds left in the game resulted in the WR getting tackled in bounds, and allowing the clock to run out.

Allen had his first 400 yard game of the season against the Dolphins while throwing two TD’s, but the Bills terrible time management at the end of each half will fall on the shoulders of their QB1.

The good new for Allen is he still leads the NFL is passing yards, and has just two interceptions and nine touchdowns though two games.

Season stats: Comp: 71.2% Yards: 1,014 TD: 9 INT: 2

PATRICK MAHOMES

For the first time in the early part of the season, the Kansas City Chiefs offense had trouble scoring the ball. The Colts took advantage of the Chiefs mistakes and handed KC their first loss of the season thanks to some suspect special teams play.

Mahomes had a fantastic start to the season passing for 360 yards and five touchdowns in the Chiefs 44-21 win over the Cardinals. Since then Mahomes’ has been putting up respectable numbers, nothing like his Week 1 performance.

He put up 262 yards one touchdown and one interception against the Colts, but couldn’t overcome the Chiefs mistakes on the special teams side of the ball to keep KC’s record unblemished. His interception on the final play of the game was the first he has thrown all season long.

Season stats: Comp: 67.9% Yards: 857 TD: 8 INT: 1

Tua Tagovailoa

At one point during the offseason, one of only two undefeated quarterbacks in the league had his job in jeopardy. Now no one in Miami could imagine the Dolphins offense with out Tua Tagovailoa, although they might have to be without their No. 1 after he suffered a back injury on Sunday.

It was a scary sight as Tua stumbled a couple times trying to get back to his feet after a hit Buffalo line backer Matt Milano. The initial though was the Dolphins QB1 suffered a concussion, but it was later ruled a back injury.

Tua was back in the game after just one play, and would lead the Dolphins to a win over their bitter rivals, and AFC favorites, the Buffalo Bills. The play happened late in the second quarter, and even though Tua came back, he was still feeling the affects of the his in the second half. He ended the game with just 186 yards and a touchdown, but kept the Dolphins undefeated despite the injury.

Season stats: Comp: 72.2%. Yards: 925 TD: 8 INT: 2

Jalen Hurts

Who would have thought that Jalen Hurts would be in the MVP conversation headed in to the fourth week of the regular season? In his first two years in Philly there were still plenty of doubts if Hurts was the quarterback of the future.

In his third year in Philly, he is the conductor of the most explosive offensive unit in the league. He is averaging 297 yards passing per contest, as he and new target A.J. Brown look to have a deadly chemistry in their first few weeks on the field together.

The running game has been doing Hurts and the passing game a big favor. The Eagles are running for 150 yards a game, which helps keep defenses honest, opening up space down field for deep shots to Brown, Dallas Goedert and DeVonta Smith.

Hurts had one of the best games of his young career on Sunday against the Commanders when he threw three touchdowns and passed fort 340 yards in the 24-8 win.

As impressive as Hurts and the Eagles have looked their quality of competition hasn’t been the best. They have beaten the Lions, Commanders and Vikings, so we will see if Hurts continues to take care of business as the season goes on.

Season stats: Comp: 67.3%. Yards: 916 TD: 4 INT: 1