MVP favorites Brock Purdy, Lamar Jackson present a stark contrast in styles

National Football League

Updated Dec. 20, 2023 6:28 p.m. ET

The NFL orchestrated an enticing Christmas contest with a potential Super Bowl preview featuring the San Francisco 49ers (11-3) hosting the Baltimore Ravens (11-3) on Monday Night Football.

The Ravens can clinch the AFC North division title with a victory, while the 49ers could clinch the No. 1 seed in the NFC and a first-round bye with a win, along with losses by Philadelphia, Dallas and Detroit.

Monday’s battle of the NFL’s top two teams also pits the top two players in terms of MVP odds in San Francisco’s Brock Purdy and Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson.

Purdy is the ultimate ball distributor, playing with a stacked group of playmakers, while Jackson exhibits elite wizardry in off-schedule playmaking. While they do it differently, both are fueling their teams and could meet again in the big game in February.

Let’s take a closer look at their playing styles.

Purdy’s elite vision makes him ultimate point guard

For 49ers head coach and offensive playcaller Kyle Shanahan, Purdy’s superpowers are simple: his excellent field vision and consistent ability to deliver the ball on time and on target.

“It’s a God-given trait that develops,” Shanahan told reporters this week when asked about Purdy’s field vision. “I think you’re on a certain spectrum. The more times you get put in those situations, the more reps you can get, your preparation to what to anticipate in those situations, everything can make that a talent that you were kind of born with that you can extremely excel in or that you don’t really develop.”

Purdy leads the NFL in most passing categories, including touchdown passes (29), expected points added (0.27) per dropback, yards per attempt (9.9) and passer rating (119). He’s second in passing yards (3,795). The second-year pro out of Iowa State has six games this season with at least a 130-passer rating, tied for most in a single season in league history.

Did Brock Purdy improve his MVP case in Week 15?

Critics who call Purdy a system quarterback point to San Francisco’s elite playmakers like Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, George Kittle and Brandon Aiyuk, and the fact that the 49ers have one of the best play designers in Shanahan. And while that’s all true, what makes San Francisco’s offense special is not only the pass-catchers’ ability to create separation, but Purdy’s pinpoint placement and timing that allow receivers to make big plays after the catch.

San Francisco is No. 4 in the league with 1,925 yards after the catch. The 49ers also average 3.6 yards of separation per reception (tied for fourth in the NFL), which is a credit to Shanahan’s play design and pass-catchers getting open.

But it’s also a credit to Purdy’s ability to distort and read out the defense, finding the open man with maximum space and open voids to make plays after the catch.

Jackson a playmaker on the run — with his arm and his feet

Jackson is the most dynamic running quarterback in the NFL since Michael Vick. He easily leads all quarterbacks with 741 rushing yards this season — Jalen Hurts is second with 542 — and needs just nine more for a fifth straight season with at least 750. Since Baltimore selected Jackson with the final pick in the first round of the 2018 draft, he leads all quarterbacks with 5,178 rushing yards.

But it’s not just Jackson’s ability to create explosive plays with his legs. The Louisville product also does an excellent job of distorting the defense with his ability to create off-script throws for big plays down the field.

According to Next Gen Stats, Jackson has completed 54% of his passes for 342 yards on scrambles outside the pocket, with three touchdowns and no interceptions. He has scrambled on 13.2% of his dropbacks, the highest rate of any quarterback in the NFL.

“Everyone knows how elite of a runner he is,” Shanahan said. “But he’s always been such a good thrower. … He’s got a good way of finding the holes in the defense, whether he is scrambling off-schedule or it’s in the pocket and rhythm. He’s just got to decide all the time whether he wants to kill you with his arm or his legs — both are a very good option for him. That’s why he is such a challenge.”

Are the Ravens the best team in the AFC?

One more pertinent stat entering this game: Jackson has accounted for 15 touchdowns and no interceptions with a 118.2 passer rating in six career starts on Monday night.

But Baltimore head coach John Harbaugh points to another important Jackson attribute.

“He’s an A-plus leader right now,” Harbaugh told reporters this week. “He’s been glue for the guys, and it’s been great to see.”

Will the winner of Christmas night game decide the MVP?

Whether Purdy or Jackson plays well and leads his team to victory on Monday could have a lasting impression on MVP voters.

Both quarterbacks have been impressive in big moments during the season, so the expectation is for an entertaining, explosive contest with high-level football on both sides.

However, with two of the top defenses in the league on the field as well, defenders also will have a say in which quarterback gets it done on Monday.

Harbaugh said he will leave the evaluation between Purdy and Jackson to others.

“I haven’t thought about that at all,” he said when asked about the MVP debate. “I haven’t given that one moment of thought.”

Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on Twitter at @eric_d_williams.