2021 NFL Offensive Rookie of Year odds: Bengals' Ja'Marr Chase still has shot of catching Patriots' Mac Jones for award
The 2021 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year will be won by either of two players.
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It appears that No. 15 overall pick Mac Jones will become the first New England Patriots quarterback to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year as he's the -475 favorite at Caesars Sportsbook. However, if Jones has two more games like he did in Week 16, then it's possible that Bengals receiver and No. 5 overall pick Ja'Marr Chase could catch Jones if Chase (+350) finishes with a monster two games. No one else has a chance.
When the Patriots won their seventh straight game in early December, Jones was pretty much lapping the field. However, New England has lost back-to-back games and Jones has completed only about 50 percent of his passes with four combined interceptions in those. He was simply bad last Sunday in a 33-21 home loss to Buffalo. That 14-for-32 effort dropped Jones' season completion percentage considerably to 67.2; the NFL rookie record is 67.8 percent by Dak Prescott in 2016. Prescott won OROY.
Jones figures to put up good numbers this Sunday at home against a Jacksonville defense that ranks among the NFL's worst – although New England could run all day – and then the Patriots close at home against a rampaging Miami Dolphins defense. While a few Pats have won OROY, no QB has. Remember, Tom Brady never played as a rookie.
Chase, remember, had the dropsies in training camp and the preseason but has been marvelous with 68 catches for 1,163 yards and 10 scores. Only three other rookies in the Super Bowl era have eclipsed 60 receptions, 1,000 yards and 10 receiving TDs; two of them, Randy Moss and Odell Beckham Jr., won Offensive Rookie of the Year. Beckham, from LSU like Chase, was the last receiver to win the award in 2014.
Chase is only the third receiver in Bengals' history with a 1,000-yard season as a rookie, joining AJ Green (1,057) in 2011 and Cris Collinsworth (1,009) in 1981. Neither of them won Offensive Rookie of the Year. Chase and the Bengals host Kansas City this Sunday and close at Cleveland. If he can put up, say, a couple of 150-yard, two-TD games, it's not over. Chase has two games with at least 150 yards this season and two with two TD catches.
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