NFL betting awards watch – Aaron Rodgers out front, can Tom Brady catch him?

The Packers and Chiefs keep winning, getting close to the all-important No.1 seed in their respective conferences. With two weeks left in the regular season, there still is a lot to be decided. How will those top seeds play a part in voters deciding who wins MVP, Coach of the Year and other NFL awards. We break down where the value lies in these awards races.

MVP odds

So maybe Aaron Rodgers is indeed that good. Maybe he can overcome voters who will hold grudges for his off-the-field behavior with COVID-19 and a potential holdout. I was skeptical, but the 38-year-old is now the odds-on MVP betting favorite at -170. Tom Brady dropped all the way to +700 and is tied for the second favorite with Jonathan Taylor.

It sure feels like a high price for Brady, who leads the NFL in passing yards and touchdowns. Green Bay currently holds the NFC’s top seed but even if the Packers win out, the MVP is not automatically that team’s quarterback. Now, Rodgers is more than just the top seed’s QB. He makes it look so easy with 33 touchdowns and only two interceptions since the opener. He’s the reigning MVP for a reason.

Jonathan Taylor (+700) is an interesting choice. I wrote last week that I feel some voters will want to feel special and vote for a running back. Taylor is worthy of consideration, having helped Indy become a playoff team. It would also be an easy cop-out for voters who didn’t want to decide between quarterbacks Brady and Rodgers. Perhaps Taylor is still in the hunt.

Can Brady, Taylor or a long shot beat out Rodgers? Green Bay does have a losable game on Sunday, hosting Minnesota. I realize it’s Kirk Cousins in prime time but let’s not forget that the Vikings won the first meeting. That obviously would shake up the race. However, even with two final wins, I do not think Rodgers has this locked up … but maybe kickoff time will do the trick. Last year,…