Former Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford already boasts an impressive NFL résumé — from record-setting numbers to a Super Bowl ring — and now he may be closing in on another major achievement that would further solidify his Hall of Fame trajectory.

Since guiding the Los Angeles Rams through their quick rebuild following the 2021 championship season, Stafford has once again pushed the team to the top of the NFC standings. His personal performance this year has been exceptional, putting him firmly in the mix for the one major award he has never captured: NFL MVP.

Stafford Climbs to the Front of the MVP Race

According to Peter Dewey of SI.com, Stafford has surged well ahead of the field and is now the clear favorite to take home the league’s most prestigious individual honor. Dewey noted that Stafford’s dominant three-touchdown outing on Sunday night propelled him to the top of the odds board, distancing himself from New England rookie Drake Maye.

Dewey pointed out that the Rams holding the NFC’s No. 1 seed only strengthens Stafford’s candidacy. The veteran currently leads the league with 30 touchdown passes in just 11 outings and has thrown only two interceptions — a level of efficiency few quarterbacks have matched this season.

Although the MVP race often tightens as the season winds down, Stafford’s odds look stronger than ever, especially given the favorable opponents still left on Los Angeles’ schedule. Dewey wrote that Stafford now holds a 67.74% implied chance of winning the award, the first player to be an odds-on MVP favorite since Josh Allen early in the 2025 campaign. Stafford is also set to face the Carolina Panthers’ struggling secondary in Week 13, giving him another opportunity to widen the gap.

A long-awaited MVP would give Stafford yet another career milestone and strengthen his argument as a future Canton inductee.

Jared Goff Driving Lions Back to NFC North Supremacy

Although Detroit hasn’t reached the same heights as the Rams in recent years, the blockbuster 2021 trade has still paid off for them. Jared Goff has played a central role in Detroit’s turnaround, leading the team to consecutive NFC North titles and guiding them back into first place after last week’s victory over the New York Giants.

Now the Lions must prepare quickly for their traditional Thanksgiving opener, a divisional showdown with the Green Bay Packers. Goff said after Sunday’s win that the preparation starts immediately.

He told reporters, via SI.com, that he would begin studying film as soon as he got home and expected the coaching staff to do the same. Goff added that Detroit is familiar with the holiday matchup, having played Green Bay on Thanksgiving before, and emphasized the importance of the game — a divisional contest at home, in front of a national audience.

“They’re a really good team,” Goff said. “We’ll be ready.”