Jalen Hurts MVP odds skyrocket after Week 1

The hype train is ramping up for Jalen Hurts after a three-touchdown performance in Week 1. His midnight green No. 1 jersey shot up the Fantastic best-selling NFL jerseys list yesterday. Now, the odds for him bringing him some prestigious hardware have jumped as well.

SportsBettingDime.com has the odds of Hurts winning the NFL MVP Award going from +6500 ($10 to win $650) before Week 1 to +3500 ($10 to win $350) following the Eagles’ win over the Falcons.

That increase leaves Hurts with the 13th-best odds of winning MVP, trailing, in order, Patrick Mahomes, Matthew Stafford, Tom Brady, Kyler Murray, Russell Wilson, Dak Prescott, Josh Allen, Aaron Rodgers, Lamar Jackson, Justin Herbert, Jameis Winston and Baker Mayfield.

Will Hurts win the 2021 NFL MVP? I doubt it! There is a blueprint there though. Look at the second-year leaps Carson Wentz made in 2017 and Lamar Jackson made in 2019. If the Eagles run through a crappy division and get to double-digit wins... you never know.

Before worrying about accolades, Hurts, of course, needs to solidify himself as the Eagles’ franchise quarterback going forward.

I think back to Donovan McNabb’s sophomore campaign in 2000. As a rookie in 1999, McNabb made six starts, going 2-4 in those games, for a 5-11 Eagles team. The following year, he improved his accuracy as a passer, had a lot of timely runs, made the Pro Bowl and finished second in MVP voting behind the Rams’ Marshall Faulk, 24 votes to 11 (note: voters only select one player for MVP, there is no down-ballot voting).

There are some other notable odds increases for the Eagles too. DeVonta Smith went from +2200 ($10 to win $220) to +1050 ($10 to win $105) to win Offensive Rookie of the Years. The Birds’ over/under win total went from 6.5 to eight. For anyone who’s even more hyperbolic than me out there, the Eagles’ odds to win the Super Bowl went from +10000 ($10 to win $1000) to +5900 ($10 to win $590), giving them the 21st-best odds among all teams.