Tom Brady continues 2021 trend of NFL stars dropping from the top of the MVP race

Tom Brady entered Week 15 with the NFL MVP award all but wrapped up. All he needed to do was play at his normal pace, and he should have been on track to win thanks to his age, NFL-leading marks, and overall record.

Instead, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could not score a point in a 9-0 shutout loss, against the New Orleans Saints. Brady threw for 214 yards and had an interception as the Buccaneers fell to 10-4 and which puts them back a game in the race for the top spot in the NFC.

That puts them behind the Green Bay Packers, who have a new top NFL MVP candidate in Aaron Rodgers. But Brady is not yet out of the race as he has become the latest star NFL player to have a rough performance after being an MVP favorite.

Constant shuffling in the 2021 NFL MVP race

Cleveland Browns v Baltimore Ravens

Lamar Jackson seemed to be a popular pick for MVP back in October when he threw for 442 yards and four touchdowns in a win over the Indianapolis Colts. He also rushed for 62 yards in that overtime win.

The Ravens lost their top two running backs before the start of the 2021 NFL season and Jackson was forced to take on a much larger role. That proved his value to the team and he seemed to fit the MVP criteria. But he has faced a steep decline since that Colts game, and even had a four-interception performance against the Cleveland Browns. That, along with a recent injury, has effectively ended his MVP chase.

Dak Prescott is another NFL player whose stock has gone up and down throughout the year. He had a total of 16 touchdowns through his first six games, but was knocked out with an injury and has had nine total in the seven games since.

Prescott has not thrown for more than 238 yards in any of his three previous games, but all three have been wins for the Dallas Cowboys. So falling back in the MVP race may be fine for fans if Prescott can still chase the top seed in the NFC.

Patrick Mahomes is another interesting case because he once again entered the year as an MVP favorite. He opened the seasons with 14 touchdowns in four games, but the Kansas City Chiefs fell to 3-4 in the standings.

He even has three games with zero touchdowns this year, but has since rebounded with five in his last two games for a total of 30 this season. The inconsistency makes it tough to determine his case because one game he could record zero touchdowns, only to have 400 yards and five touchdowns the next.

The same is apparently true for Brady. Him getting shut out knocks him down in the MVP conversation for now, but he could be back as soon as next week. It would be foolish to think otherwise given the way the entire NFL season has gone to this point.