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With the massive Russell Wilson trade several months back in the rear-view mirror, NFL pundits and fans are solidifying themselves in their camps. Some say Russell Wilson and the Denver Broncos will tread water like they did last year at 7-10. Others are going so far as to say Wilson and the team are heading into 2022 as one of the top teams in the AFC.
Addressing the claims that the quarterback was already in the MVP race, The Rich Eisen Show host pumped the breaks on any MVP talk and outlined what an MVP-level season would need to look like from the quarterback. Here's how Eisen broke it down:
"So you're saying Russell is going to get an MVP vote this year? That's an overreach. That's an overreaction. That's all I'm saying. It's an overreaction. Again, I need to see what Russ [does]. So, Russ being an MVP finalist means what?"
He continued, putting the bar near at least 35 touchdowns and requiring the Broncos to be in the division until the end of the year:
"Denver wins the division or has a shot to win the division all year long, right? That they're in the mix all year long… And then he's got to throw for, what, 35 touchdowns?"
Denver Broncos before landing Russell Wilson
A Broncos quarterback jumping into the mid-30s for passing touchdowns would be a massive jump for the team based on stats published on Pro Football Reference.
Since the 2014 season, the team hasn't had a single quarterback reach 20 passing touchdowns in a season. Since the 2014 season, the team won the Super Bowl on the back of their defense in 2015 and has been hot-swapping quarterbacks since. Whether it was injuries or disappointing play, the team failed to keep any signal-callers around long enough to get a shot at breaking 20 touchdowns.
The last quarterback to break 30 touchdowns was Peyton Manning during his final season at his offensive peak in 2014. Will Russell Wilson end the previous half-decade of quarterback purgatory, or will he surprise the world as just another name on a long-running list?
If you use any of the quotes above, please credit The Rich Eisen Show and H/T Sportskeeda.
