New Orleans Saints: Week 14 is the make-or-break for Michael Thomas’ MVP claim

The New Orleans Saints have been put on the back of Michael Thomas, but Week 14 could break his claim as the league’s MVP.

There’s no denying that this season, injury-wise, hasn’t gone as the New Orleans Saints had hoped for. However, because of Michael Thomas, they’ll be entering Week 14 as the No. 1 team in the NFC.

The Saints are 10-2, having played almost half their games without future Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees. Even offseason addition Jared Cook and superstar running back Alvin Kamara have missed time.

That’s opened a door for Michael Thomas to shine, and shine is exactly what Thomas has done this season. If it weren’t for Lamar Jackson’s terrific season, Thomas could easily be considered the frontrunner for the league’s MVP.

Thomas has a league-high 125 receptions last season, 18 shy of Marvin Harrison’s single-season record. He has 110 entering Week 14. He also leads the league with 1,290 yards. He’s been the best receiver in the NFL, and it’s not even that close.

With Jackson not slowing down, it’ll take a superhuman performance from Thomas to get back in the race. Week 14 could provide him that. He’ll be taking on a historically great 49ers pass defense.

The 49ers are giving up 134.2 yards per game through the air. Let that sink in because through 13 weeks it’s truly a breath-taking stat.

Their secondary, led by Richard Sherman and Ahkello Witherspoon, has been dominant, and they’ve fed off Nick Bosa and Arik Armstead’s terrific pass rush. The combination has been a lethal threat for even the best offenses.

It’s time for Michael Thomas to change that.

As the Saints only real threat on the edge, Thomas could solidify himself as an MVP candidate with a huge performance in a critical Week 14 matchup. There won’t be a specific matchup that he can exploit, but Brees must force-feed the All-Pro receiver.

Thomas must leave a mark on this game, or New Orleans will not win.