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NFL

Rodgers heavily favored to win MVP heading into New Year

The 2021 NFL MVP award is Aaron Rodgers’ to lose.

As the NFL gets set to kick off Week 17 of 18 this Sunday, Rodgers is listed at 1.57 to win Most Valuable Player. Rodgers has a chance to win the award in back-to-back seasons after the 38-year-old Green Bay Packers quarterback was named league MVP in 2020. He has won the award three times in his 17-year career.

Rodgers, Packers sit atop the NFL

Rodgers has led the Packers to an NFL-best 12-3 record through 15 games, including a perfect 7-0 home record. Winners of four-straight, Green Bay has already clinched the NFC North, and if a number things go their way on Sunday, they could clinch top spot in the conference and a bye in the first round of the playoffs.

Rodgers, 38, looks as good as ever

Rodgers has looked as good as ever this season. In fourteen games played, the Packers signal-caller has thrown for 3689 passing yards (263.5 per game), 33 touchdowns, just 4 interceptions, a 68.0% completion rate and 110.8 passer rating. That is an 8.25:1 touchdown to interception ratio; an absolutely incredible mark.

MVP competition

Rodgers’ MVP competition includes Jonathan Taylor, Tom Brady, Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes, among others.

In his second NFL campaign, Taylor has had a massive season on the ground, rushing for 1626 yards in 15 games on 5.5 yards per carry. He has eclipsed 170 yards three different times this season for the Indianapolis Colts, and is listed at 7.00 to win MVP.

Brady, a longtime rival of Rodgers, continues to out-run Father Time. Like Rodgers, the 44-year-old quarterback also looks to be in the prime of his career. This season, he has thrown for 4580 passing yards (305.3 per game) in 15 games, along with 37 touchdowns, 11 interceptions, a 66.8% completion rate and a 100.2 passer rating. Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have put themselves right back in the conversation among legitimate Super Bowl contenders. The seven-time champion sits at 8.00 to win MVP.

Allen of the Buffalo Bills and Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs sit tied for fourth in MVP odds at 13.00.

Packers host Vikings on Sunday night

Rodgers and the Packers will look to pick up a fifth-straight win on Sunday when they host their division rival Minnesota Vikings. The 7-8 Vikings are one of just three teams to have beaten the Packers this season, joining the Chiefs and New Orleans Saints. The Vikings survived a wild 34-31 home meeting against Green Bay in Week 11, despite 385 passing yards, 4 touchdowns and no interceptions from Rodgers. The Packers will have home field advantage this time around, however, at Lambeau Field where they have yet to lose a game this season.

The Packers are listed as 13.5-point favorites, with a money line of 1.10. The Vikings are listed at 6.00 to win, and the over/under stands at 42.

Rodgers, a pending free agent, comments on future with organization

Despite Rodgers’ and his team’s continued success, the NFL star’s future with the team remains anything but certain. Rodgers has made a number of comments in the past expressing his displeasure with the Packers organization. An unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, Rodgers’ decision has been a hot topic all year. The former Super Bowl champion is focused on this year and this team, but also was not afraid to open up about his future.

“I’m just savoring this year as much as anything,” Rodgers said. “It won’t be something where I’ll drag it out for months and months. I’ll have conversations with my loved ones after the season.”

“I’m not gonna hold the team back from anything. Once I commit, if it’s committing to move forward here, it’ll be a quick decision.”

Packers have second-best Super Bowl odds

The Packers have the second-best odds in the NFL to win the Super Bowl, just behind the Chiefs at 5.50.