In a year of heated campaigns, the NFL MVP race has given fans and pundits plenty to argue about.
The race between Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen and Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has generated plenty of controversy on social media and sports talk shows in recent weeks. Allen is currently the odds favorite at -300 to win the award, while Jackson is the second best at +225.
Allen and Jackson have a strong yet slightly different argument over the award, with no clear consensus on the strongest case.
For Allen, a fifth straight division title, a 13-3 record and the only win against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs headline his campaign. Statistically, Allen’s 3,731 passing yards and 28 touchdowns, along with 531 rushing yards with 12 touchdowns, anchor his MVP-caliber season, though he doesn’t lead the league in any particular category.
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But Jackson makes a very different argument as the league’s most statistically efficient player this year. Jackson leads the league in touchdown percentage and passing yards per attempt while also leading the rest of the league (quarterbacks and running backs) in rushing yards per carry. But Jackson’s statistical performance weighs, compared to Allen’s, in that the Ravens have won just 11 and still haven’t found their team with just one week remaining.
Jackson’s Ravens also defeated Allen’s Bills, 35-10, in their meeting this season.
These features earned Jackson the nod from many voters in the media, some of whom have expressed their support for the Ravens star publicly.
NFL insider Dianna Russini made it clear that she plans to vote for Jackson during Tuesday’s episode of the “Scoop City” podcast, citing his superior statistical performance.
“I’m leaning towards Lamar,” Russini said. “I don’t think Josh Allen did anything this weekend for me to go, ‘Okay, he stole this thing.’
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Meanwhile, FOX Sports NFL analyst and MVP voter Emmanuel Acho argues with Allen during an episode of FS1’s “The Facility,” pointing out the fact that Buffalo has an inferior overall roster, especially on defense, compared to the Ravens. The Bills rank 20th in total defense this year while the Ravens are 14th. Jackson also has the benefit of leaning on the league’s all-time rushing leader Derrick Henry as a partner, while Allen lacks superstars in his offense.
“Simply put, Josh Allen has to do more, if not more, with less,” Acho said. “I was rewatching the Ravens game last night, and there were moments, if not most, when I asked myself, ‘Who is the best player on the Ravens offense?’ I mean, make no mistake about it, Derrick Henry rushed for 120 yards in that game. I’m always watching this game, and I’m saying the Ravens offense has a Hall of Famers offense.”
Meanwhile, NFL on CBS broadcaster and former Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo made an argument that was mocked and echoed by NFL fans in the debate. Romo argued that Allen should have the best award since he has yet to win one, while Jackson already has two MVPs.
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“I think they’re tied in my mind. I think Josh Allen might only get an edge because Lamar had two. If Josh had two, you’d be going with the guy coming in. That’s just human. Nature in my opinion,” Romo said while broadcasting the Bills’ win over the New York Jets on Sunday.
ESPN First Take host and former Super Bowl champion Ryan Clark has been one of Jackson’s most vocal voices in the MVP race this year. Clark argued that if Allen was chosen as MVP over Jackson, it would only be because the voters had already given Jackson the award twice.
Both players have one more game to polish their MVP cases. However, Jackson may be the only player to do so on Sunday.
With the Bills having already wrapped up their division title and locked themselves into the No. 2 seed in the NFL playoffs, head coach Sean McDermott said Allen will not play the entire game against the New England Patriots on Sunday. McDermott told the media that Allen will start the game to preserve his first team streak but will come off the field at some point.
Jackson will need to lead his team to victory against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday to clinch the AFC North title in Baltimore.
If Jackson puts in another dominant performance while Allen is benched on Sunday, it could change the current odds and change the race.
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