Ties count

NFL MVP Chase and College Football Update

Image: Torsten Bolten

In this Issue:

• Should ties count?
• NFL MVP Chase standings
• College Football Playoff eliminations and ranking the undefeateds

Should ties count?

East Coast viewers stayed up past midnight on Sunday if they watched the end of the Packers-Cowboys 40–40 overtime tie. Both quarterbacks, Jordan Love and Dak Prescott, threw for over 300 yards and three touchdowns. Both also had a QBI of at least 12. If either had won, he would have earned credit in the MVP Chase.

I don’t give MVP credit for losses, no matter how fantastic a player might have been, because I think the “value” lies in helping the team win. I don’t recall what I’ve done for the occasional tie in previous years of doing the NFL MVP Chase, but I have included “ties” (overtime losses) in the NHL MVP Chase because an OT loss earns a team a point in that league’s standings. That’s better than no points.

For the same reason, I’ll give credit to Love, Prescott, and also to Cowboys running back Javonte Williams (100 yards from scrimmage in the game). A loss in no way, shape, or form can help a team in the standings, but a tie might. Therefore, players who played like MVPs in a tie should get MVP Chase credit.