Despite all of his accolades and accomplishments, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson has never earned a single MVP vote. While he likely would have finished second behind Ravens QB Lamar Jackson had Jackson not won unanimously last season, it’s still somewhat shocking that the future Hall of Famer has been snubbed by MVP voters every single year.
Could that finally change in 2020? If oddsmakers are to be believed, it just might. Following the Seahawks’ thrilling 35-30 win over Cam Newton and the New England Patriots on Sunday night, Wilson was installed as the presumptive favorite to win MVP for the first time in his career.
The idea that Russell Wilson has never received a single vote for MVP defies logic.
— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) September 21, 2020
Bovada’s odds, which were updated following Sunday’s action, now show Wilson as the favorite to win Most Valuable Player. Wilson is now at +300 after opening the season at +600. Jackson has now surpassed each of the last two MVPs. Last year’s winner, Jackson, dropped to +500. Ditto for Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes, who opened the season as a +300 favorite.
- Russell Wilson becomes betting favorite to win NFL MVP (+300)
- Wilson surpasses Jackson (+450), Mahomes (+500)
- Wilson has never earned an MVP vote in his career
Wilson’s Award to Lose?
Wilson was stellar in the victory over New England. He quickly recovered after throwing a pick-six to open the game, and finished the game having completed 21 of his 28 attempts for 288 yards with five touchdowns. Through two games, the Wisconsin product has now completed better than 82 percent of his throws for 610 yards with a league-leading nine TDs to just one INT.
The five touchdown passes thrown by Wilson in Sunday night’s game are extra impressive when you remember that the Patriots allowed four passing touchdowns all of last season. Wilson and Drew Brees are now the only opposing QBs to have thrown at least five TDs in a game against New England under Bill Belichick.
The updated odds to win MVP this season are listed as follows:
| Player | Odds at Bovada |
|---|---|
| Russell Wilson | +300 |
| Lamar Jackson | +450 |
| Patrick Mahomes | +500 |
| Aaron Rodgers | +800 |
| Kyler Murray | +1000 |
| Josh Allen | +1200 |
| Cam Newton | +2000 |
| Dak Prescott | +2200 |
| Drew Brees | +2500 |
Seattle is now 2-0 after back-to-back wins over the Falcons and Patriots to begin the new season. Wilson can further cement his MVP case in Week 3 when the Seahawks will host the Dallas Cowboys. Dallas overcame a 20-point deficit to win at home against Atlanta on Sunday. Seattle has opened as a 4.5-point favorite at home next week.
Wilson has been one of the most efficient quarterbacks in football over the course of his entire career. When you combine that with his ability to affect a game with his rushing ability, there really aren’t many more dangerous weapons in the game today.
Seattle went 12-4 last season, which was good for second place in the NFC West. The Seahawks were ultimately beaten by Aaron Rodgers and the Packers in the Divisional Round, but the team entered 2020 with even higher expectations.
Seahawks Now Among Super Bowl 55 Favorites
Following their impressive start, the Seahawks now own the fourth-best odds of any team to win Super Bowl 55 (+1200). Only the Ravens (+500), Chiefs (+500), and Saints (+1000) have better chances. Winning the NFC West won’t be easy, though. Through two weeks, the division’s four teams have a combined record of 7-1.
Seattle won’t face a divisional foe until they travel to Glendale in Week 7 to face the Arizona Cardinals following the bye week.
San Francisco began the season as the betting favorites to win the NFC West, but a defeat in Week 1 followed by a rash of injuries has the Niners looking vulnerable. Tight end George Kittle missed the team’s win over the hapless Jets in Week 2, while Jimmy Garoppolo, Raheem Mostert, and Nick Bosa were all injured during the game.
The Seahawks haven’t done a great job of surrounding Wilson with great talent over the course of his career, but he’s been able to consistently win games anyway. Wilson has gone 88-41-1 during his time as the Seahawks’ QB1.
The talent is there now, though. Between Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf, Seattle has a pair of legitimate, Pro Bowl-caliber receivers. Chris Carson has been one of the more underrated running backs in football over the past couple of years, while the offensive line is finally good enough to give Wilson time to throw.
Wilson led the Seahawks to a victory in Super Bowl 48 over the Denver Broncos before the team lost the very next year in Super Bowl 49 at the hands of the New England Patriots. Seattle has qualified for the playoffs in seven of Wilson’s eight pro seasons.
Taylor Smith
Taylor Smith has been a staff writer with GamblingSites.org since early 2017. Taylor is primarily a sports writer, though he will occasionally dabble in other things like politics and entertainment betting. His primary specialties are writing about the NBA, Major League Baseball, NFL and domestic and international soccer. Fringe sports like golf and horse racing aren’t exactly his cup of tea, bu …
