Can Seahawks' Russell Wilson match Lamar Jackson in MVP race vs. Vikings? Watch on Yahoo Sports app

“Monday Night Football” might not be the cultural supernova it was when Howard Cosell was in the booth, but it still matters.

If you put on a show with the NFL world watching on Monday night, we’ll remember it. Ask Lamar Jackson.

Jackson threw five touchdowns against the Los Angeles Rams on “Monday Night Football” in Week 12, and everyone rightfully made him the favorite in the NFL MVP race. The good thing for Russell Wilson is he has a chance to match that when his Seattle Seahawks face the Minnesota Vikings on Monday night, a game that can be live-streamed on the Yahoo Sports app.

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Jackson may have the lead, but Wilson isn’t dead yet. A couple Vikings probably think they have a case too.

Russell Wilson having a remarkable year

Wilson is having a fantastic season. It’s hard to say it’s his best because he is consistently great, but this is the first time it feels like he’ll enter December with a legitimate shot at his first MVP award.

Wilson has 24 touchdowns and three interceptions. His 112.1 passer rating is second in the NFL. The Seahawks are 9-2, still keeping plenty of heat on the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC West. It has been a brilliant individual season from Wilson.

This isn’t the old “Legion of Boom” Seahawks. Seattle ranks 21st and 24th in points and yards allowed. The offense has good but not great pass catchers. Wilson clearly makes everyone better. His yardage numbers won’t jump off the page because Seattle likes to run the football, but Wilson makes the most out of his 32 passing attempts a game. No player lifts his team more than Wilson lifts the Seahawks.

Wait, if Wilson’s 112.1 passer rating isn’t leading the NFL, who is? The answer might surprise you.

Kirk Cousins has been excellent too

In Minnesota, quarterback Kirk Cousins is having an excellent year. He put a slow September behind him and has been fantastic ever since. His 114.8 passer rating is the best in the NFL. It would be the eighth-best of all time, one point better than Patrick Mahomes in 2018. Mahomes won MVP.

If you didn’t know all about Cousins’ inconsistency in the past or his contract, you’d view him as an MVP contender. Perhaps a big game on Monday night against a 9-2 Seahawks team can get him in the race. Playing well against good opponents and in prime time has always been an issue for Cousins.

Cousins might not be the best MVP candidate on his team, however. Dalvin Cook has 1,472 yards from scrimmage and 11 touchdowns. He has been remarkably efficient as a runner and a receiver out of the backfield. Running backs rarely win MVP awards anymore, but Cook has an argument. As does Cousins.

There will be more than a few stars on the field Monday night. It’s a game that has massive implications in the NFC playoff race. And if we’re lucky, we’ll see someone answer Jackson in the MVP race with a great Monday night performance.

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Frank Schwab is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdown.corner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @YahooSchwab