Does Matthew Stafford Have Chance to Win MVP in 2020?

Former NFL scout Daniel Kelly examines Matthew Stafford's MVP chances headed into the 2020 season

Matthew Stafford is listed on ESPN.com as the No. 1 "longshot" to win the 2020 NFL MVP. 

But, as ESPN also says, his prorated numbers last season would have resulted in 4,998 passing yards and 38 touchdowns over a full season.

Those kinds of numbers would knock on that MVP door.

Stafford is the kind of quarterback whose numbers have been kept relatively quiet through the years because of his teams' records. 

I believe if you put Stafford in Atlanta, he would be every bit of what Matt Ryan has been in terms of notoriety. And if you put him in Dallas, he would be a star.

Last season was my first opportunity to study Stafford, and I was feeling it watching him play. 

Stafford impressed me, and surprised me. 

As a fan who sporadically watched the Lions over the years, I thought he was overrated. 

However, as an evaluator last season, he impressed me. I saw things in Stafford as an evaluator that I never saw as a fan.

The most promising sign last season was how Stafford and Lions offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell meshed with one another, and the results showed. 

Stafford’s long-ball game was a perfect match with Bevell’s aggressive play-calling. 

I really liked how Stafford drove the ball deeper downfield, and I like how that constant threat of a deeper completion forces teams to honor that factor -- which theoretically should open up the run game even more. 

I love aggressive play-calling, and I love the long-ball game. Stafford and Bevell are a match made in heaven. 

As a kid, growing up a fan of the Burgundy and Gold while living in Minnesota, I absolutely loved watching coach Joe Gibbs call play-action, and loved seeing those big-armed QBs in Washington hit the deep shot. 

I loved watching Randall Cunningham, too, who had the prettiest deep ball I have ever seen in my 38 years of watching the game. 

I gave Stafford a blue-chip grade last season, and I believe he is peaking right now. 

That is the feeling I am getting. 

I believe he will be the key to the Lions winning the NFC North this season. 

Barring an unforeseen injury, I believe he is poised and ready to have a career year. 

And as my NFL scouting mentor has taught me, “If you have a quarterback, you have a chance.”

Stafford and the Packers' Aaron Rodgers are easily the two best quarterbacks in the division. 

The Bears' Nick Foles is the dark horse QB, in my mind. 

I would not sign, trade for or extend the Vikings' Kirk Cousins for anything in the world, if I was running a team. 

He folds like a tent whenever a game or a season is on the line. 

In 2017, when I was going for the Browns’ GM job and was in correspondence with Browns owner Jimmy Haslam, I wrote him a letter that basically begged him not to trade for Cousins. 

However, he is the absolute perfect fit for the Vikings, who have historically oversold and under-delivered.

Stafford is the consummate field general. 

Here is my evaluation of him from last season when I was auditioning for a position in coaching or scouting in Washington.

Games evaluated in 2019: 9/8 vs. AZ, 9/15 vs. LAC, 9/22 vs. PHI, 10/14 vs. GB, 10/27 vs. NYG and 11/3 vs. OAK.

QB #9 Matthew Stafford - 6-foot-3, 220 pounds 

GRADE: A (Blue-chip player; elite)

Scouting Report 

Tough, fundamentally sound veteran quarterback with a good arm and accuracy -- it was reported on Sunday, Nov. 17, that he is expected to be out up to six weeks. 

This season (2019), he became the fastest player to reach 40,000 career passing yards. 

Runs offense from under center and out of the shotgun. Very fundamentally solid. The type who would excel running all the quarterback drills in a workout. Sets up, scans and surveys the field in the pocket. Focused. Decisive. Able to feel and sidestep pressure, slide around and step up and pull the trigger. Drives the ball downfield. He can really sling it. Watching him throw is like watching someone throw darts in a bar. Delivers tight and nice-looking spirals. Can thread the needle. Has confidence in his arm. Fits it into some tight windows. Can put some heat on it. Able to make all the throws accurately. Spreads the ball around. Throws with accuracy on the move, when flushed out of the pocket. Good accuracy overall. Nice touch and accuracy deep. Has a good feel for the deep-passing game. Takes shots deep. Can launch it. Will take calculated risks at times, throwing into tighter coverages. 

Struggles when pressure is directly in his face in the pocket. Can be forced into a mistake with pressure directly in his face. 

Looks to avoid running with the ball, if at all possible. Will throw on the move before taking off and running with it. 

Shows some emotion. Can get fired up at times, but truly is the quiet, star quarterback of the team. I walked away impressed.