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By Tyler Erzberger
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For months, the debate has been between Los Angeles Rams grizzled gunslinger Matthew Stafford and New England Patriots' heir to the throne, Drake Maye, for who will win this year's NFL MVP award.
At the start of the campaign, it was Stafford's to lose, blistering out of the gate, by midseason it seemed like he was throwing four or five touchdowns per game with no interceptions. But as we approached the end of the regular season, it was Maye who began to take over the frontrunner position as the Rams and Stafford slipped, with the Patriots QB's efficiency becoming the talk of the NFL.
In the final week, Stafford had one more remarkable performance in him, throwing for four touchdowns and no interceptions in a win over divisional rival Arizona. At the same time, Maye went through the motions in his own Week 18 win against the Dolphins.
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Both players made it to their respective conference title games, and we're a week away from finding out who will be awarded the most prestigious individual award in all of football.
Or the NFL might have spoiled who won it on Thursday with their announcement of all the award finalists.
While Stafford has already been named Associated Press first-team All-Pro Quarterback, which has the same 50 voters as the MVP, that didn't mean he clinched it, since Lamar Jackson was first-team last season and Josh Allen took home the MVP.
But Thursday's news might have fully tipped the hand in Stafford's favor, finally, with the 17-year veteran on the verge of winning his first MVP.
More news: Tom Brady Makes His NFL MVP Choice Between Matthew Stafford, Drake Maye
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Why?
The Offensive Player of the Year is often given to the best "non-MVP" player, as a way to recognize the second-best player of the year without voting them as MVP. While this generally means a wide receiver or running back wins it, sometimes the second-best QB can receive votes or even win the award in a close MVP race.
It happened last year when Lamar Jackson, the first-team All-Pro QB, finished second in the Offensive Player of the Year voting behind winner Saquon Barkley of the Philadelphia Eagles. Although Seattle's Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Stafford's top receiver, Puka Nacua, are favored in the category, Maye being named a finalist is seen as some voters wanting to award him without giving him MVP.
While Stafford and Maye both hope they're named the league's most valuable player, they both have more pressing matters at hand. Maye will try to make his first Super Bowl on Sunday against the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship. And following that game, Stafford and the Rams will look to beat NFC West foe Seattle for a chance at a second ring.
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