TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady’s latest late-game magic lifted the team to a win over the Buffalo Bills Sunday evening. But it’s his overall performance that may send him to a fourth NFL MVP award.
This season, Brady has thrown for 4,134 yards, 36 touchdowns, and just 10 interceptions, and is completing 68.2 percent of his passes this season. He’s averaging 318 yards through the air this year, the most of his career; and could get close to his personal single-season record of 50 passing touchdowns.
What could push Brady over the top this year will be if the Bucs can finish with the number one overall seed in the NFC and clinch home-field advantage for the playoffs. And based on the schedule, he has a good shot at doing so.
The Bucs finish the season this season at home against the New Orleans Saints (6-7) before heading on the road for the next two weeks of the season against the Carolina Panthers (5-8), and the New York Jets (3-10). The Bucs then close out the season on January 9 with a home against the Panthers.
Two players may challenge Brady for the MVP award, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray. But, both have tough roads ahead as they push for the number one seed in the NFC.
Rodgers will finish with a final road game against the Baltimore Ravens (8-5) before returning home for games against the Cleveland Browns (7-6), Minnesota Vikings (6-7), and then a road game against the 1-11 Detroit Lions. For Murray, his Cardinals will finish the season with a home game against the Los Angeles Rams (8-4), a road game against the Lions (1-11), and then games against the Dallas Cowboys and Seattle Seahawks to close out the regular season.
The number one seed could come down to the Week 16 matchup between the Cowboys and Cardinals, depending on how things go over the next two weeks.
For now, if Brady and the Bucs keep winning, a fourth NFL MVP award may be headed to his trophy case at the end of the season.
