Pleasant surprises of the NFL season so far: Brock Purdy for MVP and actual Raiders competence
It’s still early in the 2026 season but a number of teams and players have found unexpected levels of success in the last few weeks
TL;DR
- Brock Purdy is playing at an MVP level for the 3-0 San Francisco 49ers, leading the league in passer rating despite team injuries.
- Backup quarterbacks Drew Lock (Seahawks), Marcus Mariota (Commanders), and Case Keenum (Bears) have delivered strong performances, saving games for their teams.
- The Las Vegas Raiders, under new head coach Klint Kubiak, are one of five undefeated teams, showing significant improvement in efficiency and coaching.
- The Minnesota Vikings' defense, led by coordinator Brian Flores, is excelling with an unusually high blitz rate and effective simulated pressures.
- The 2026 season has already seen unexpected success, mirroring trends from the previous season with surprise Super Bowl participants and division winners.