Would Joe Burrow be the favorite to win NFL MVP if the Bengals had a winning record?

Joe Burrow Bengals pic
Joe Burrow Bengals pic

Against the Cowboys on MNF in Week 14, the Bengals snapped a three-game losing streak. Cincinnati won 27-20 in Dallas and is now 5-8 in 2024. The Bengals started the season 1-4 and they would have had to be perfect to recover from that. Despite going 4-4 in their last eight games, Cincinnati is still on the outside looking in to make the postseason. 

The offense is not the issue for the Bengals in 2024. Starting QB Joe Burrow is having a dominant season for Cincinnati. He leads the league in several offensive categories with four games to go. That includes passing attempts, completions, passing yards, passing yards per game, and passing touchdowns. If Cincinnati had a winning record in 2024, there’s a strong chance Burrow would be the favorite to win NFL MVP.

Joe Burrow is not being considered for MVP due to the Bengals’ record


With four games left in the 2024 regular season, Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills is the betting favorite at (-400) to win MVP. The next closest player is the Eagles’ Saquon Barkley at (+450).  Allen has 23 passing and nine rushing touchdowns in 2024. Buffalo already won the AFC East and secured a spot in the playoffs. Two things that Joe Burrow and the Bengals will not accomplish in 2024. Through 13 games, Burrow has passed for 3,706 yards, 33 touchdowns, and just six interceptions. His (285.1) yards per game leads the NFL.

Despite his numbers this season, Burrow is not being considered for MVP due to the Benagls 5-8 record. Cincinnati’s defense has been holding the team back all season long. Joe Burrow and the offense are scoring (27.8) points per game this season. That is the sixth-best in 2024. However, Cincinnati’s defense is allowing an average of (27.7) points per game this season. Unsurprisingly, that is the bottom four in the NFL. Burrow and the offense need to play a flawless game to win. If the team were 8-5 and now 5-8, Burrow would likely be in stronger consideration for MVP. The Bengals are on the road in Week 15 to face the Tennessee Titans.

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