NEWSLETTER
Even though the Chicago Bears aren’t playing this week, they’re starting to feel some national love after a 3-1 start has them sitting atop the NFC North after the first quarter of the football season. Mark Gallant of The Action Network shares the updated NFL MVP odds, which now features a pair of prominent Bears.
Quarterback Mitch Trubisky and pass-rusher Khalil Mack are both at 33-to-1 to win the league’s most valuable player award entering Week 5. Yep, that’s right. Mack, who is seeking his second NFL Defensive Player of the Year award in three seasons, and Trubisky, who is in his second year as an NFL starter, are viewed as having the same chance at winning the league’s most valuable player award.
Now, you’re probably wondering how is this even possible (Mack is clearly the superior player, relative to his position, right now) … and that’s fair. But it makes sense when you take into consideration that no defensive player has won the award since 1986, while quarterbacks have won 10 of the last 11. These odds basically tell us that a player who can stake a serious claim to being the best defender in the game has as good of a chance as a talented, but unproven quarterback coming off a breakout game. It really says a lot about how the vote figures to shake out.
Still, this represents a monumental jump for both Bears standouts. After neither Mack or Trubisky was on the board as an option last week, the team’s most important player on each side of the ball finds themselves in the thick of an MVP race (as far as the gambling public is concerned).
To go from being off the board to 33-1 (or +3300) says a lot about what the public thought of the Bears before and what they think of them now, while also keeping in mind where things could go from here. Put it this way, a $100 bet on Trubisky or Mack to win the MVP would pay out $3,400. It’s a long-shot, to be sure, as the odds of either Trubisky or Mack winning the MVP right now would be equivalent to a 3 percent shot, but it’s one that could come with a hefty payday. Wouldn’t that be sweet?
Now, I’m not saying I would run to the window and make this bet. But the chance to turn a small investment into a nice chunk of change while watching either player lead your favorite football team to gridiron glory might just make a good thing that much better.
