Dec 23, 2018; Seattle, WA, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) scrambles against the Seattle Seahawks during the third quarter at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

The 2018 NFL regular season is now in its final stretch, which means the MVP race is becoming intense. Entering the final week of the season, here’s a look at the two remaining candidates (Drew Brees and Patrick Mahomes) in the race for the most illustrious individual award in professional football.

Why Drew Brees should be the MVP

The 39-year-old is the league’s highest-rated passer while quarterbacking the league’s No. 1 team in the standings. Only Aaron Rodgers has a better touchdown-to-interception ratio, and Brees will almost certainly shatter his own single-season completion percentage record (the record is 72.0, but he’s at 74.4).

Brees also got only six turnovers compared to 13 for Mahomes,

Why Patrick Mahomes should be the MVP

The sophomore is the league’s second-highest-rated passer while quarterbacking the AFC’s No. 1 team in the standings. He leads the NFL with 48 touchdown passes, and nobody else has more than 36. He also ranks tops among current starters with an 8.7 yards-per-attempt average.

Oh and Mahomes is the league’s third-highest-rated passer in the fourth quarter of one-score games, ranking ahead of Brees in that category and on third down (where he’s got the highest qualified rating in football). He’s also a master improviser.

The edge right now: Mahomes

The problem for Brees: He’s got nothing left to play for.

The problem for Mahomes: He does, and if he stinks and the Chiefs blow the top seed in a Week 17 loss to the Raiders, Brees will likely win this thing.

About Brad Gagnon

Brad Gagnon has been passionate about both sports and mass media since he was in diapers -- a passion that won't die until he's in them again. Based in Toronto, he's worked as a national NFL blog editor at theScore.com, a producer and writer at theScore Television Network and a host, reporter and play-by-play voice at Rogers TV. His work has also appeared at CBSSports.com, Deadspin, FoxSports.com, The Guardian, The Hockey News and elsewhere at Comeback Media, but his day gig has him covering the NFL nationally for Bleacher Report.