CJ Stroud is Making a Legitimate Push for MVP: Does He Deserve it?

CJ stroud has recently been playing some phenomenal football, and many believe he is a lock for Offensive Rookie of the Year. While I agree with that, I would go as far to say that CJ Stroud deserves a nod for MVP. First, let me start with my definition of MVP. MVP is not the player with the best stats or on the team with the best record. The MVP is the player that makes the biggest impact on their team. That player is CJ Stroud.

Let’s take a look at the Texans last year. The Texans ended the year with the second overall pick and a record of 3-13-1. They struggled on the offensive side of the ball, and were plagued by turnovers. Now let's take a look at this year. The Texans sit at 5-4 and currently hold a wild card spot. CJ Stroud is second in the league in passing yards and near last in interceptions among starters. That alone is impressive. Houston sits at 10th in PPG, which is a huge upgrade from last year. Now, beyond stats, having that clutch gene is the difference between a good QB and a great QB. In back to back games against the Bengals and Bucs, CJ Stroud has led two game winning drives. So, clearly, saying he is a stat padder would just be false.

Now, let's take a look at the other candidates. To me, the top 3 candidates outside of CJ Stroud would be Lamar Jackson, Tyreek Hill, and Tua Tagovailoa. I'll start with Lamar. Lamar has been playing some great football this year, and the Ravens sit at 7-3. It has been pretty impressive what he’s been able to do, but he has struggled with the deep ball. If he can figure that out by the end of the year, I would have no problem with him winning MVP. If he can’t figure it out, then the MVP should go to someone else. Another candidate is Tua Tagovailoa. Tua has played some amazing football, but the Dolphins have severely struggled against good teams. They lost to the Bills, Chiefs, and Eagles. All the other teams they have beat have losing records. If the Dolphins can’t show up on the big stage, specifically Tua, then I believe someone else should get the nod for MVP. Lastly, let’s look at Tyreek Hill. Hill is on pace for record numbers, and if he keeps it up, I could definitely see him winning it. But, as mentioned with Tua, he needs to show up against the best of the best. If he can’t do that, then he should not get votes for MVP. Now, I won’t get ahead of myself by saying CJ Stroud is the frontrunner for MVP- because he isn’t. But, with that said, if he keeps up his performance, I think he will definitely get some votes for MVP.