Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen has made the NFL his personal playground this December. In three games, he has completed 65.9% of his passes (58/88) for 852 yards and seven touchdowns. Once you add his 168 yards and six touchdowns on the ground, it’s impossible to dispute him being the league’s best player over the past month. But does that mean he has MVP honors locked up?
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ESPN’s Monday Night Countdown crew discussed the MVP race ahead of Week 15’s two MNF contests. During their pregame show, former center Jason Kelce supported Allen in winning the award. Moments later, host Scott Van Pelt expressed the opinion that Lamar Jackson was still alive for the distinction.
“I would just like to raise my hand and remind people: Lamar Jackson has 34 touchdowns and three picks… he’s way too young to have fatigue… and he’s playing at a remarkable level as well. But clearly, what Josh Allen is doing… is insane.”
Allen and Jackson are FanDuel Sportsbook’s top two favorites for MVP distinction through Week 15. In their mind, Allen (-900) is much more likely to capture the honors than Jackson (+750).
If Kelce had a vote, he probably wouldn’t pick either quarterback. But if forced to choose only between them, Allen’s dominant December would be his deciding factor.
“As much as I want Saquon Barkley to win the MVP, it’s really hard to argue anything other than Josh Allen at this point. Especially with these last few weeks and how he has won games.”
Allen is deservedly the MVP front-runner right now. If Jackson has any hope of pulling even or ahead in the final weeks of the regular season, he’ll need to replicate his tremendous Week 15 performance in Week 16.
Lamar Jackson needs the AFC North title to win his third MVP
The Baltimore Ravens’ most important game of the year comes this Saturday when they host the Pittsburgh Steelers (10-4). The Ravens (9-5) will move into a first-place tie with the Steelers atop the AFC North if they defeat their arch-rivals. If they don’t, Pittsburgh will clinch the AFC North crown.
It’s rare for anyone to earn MVP without carrying their team to a division championship these days. The last man to do so was Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (2012). So even if Jackson were to post better numbers than Allen across the board, he’d probably fall short of claiming his third MVP.
However, if Jackson were to catapult Baltimore above Pittsburgh in the standings, things could be different. It would put his and Allen’s seasons on a more even playing field and possibly bring their head-to-head matchup into consideration.
That decisive 35-10 victory would undoubtedly boost Jackson’s chances in the event of the Ravens capturing the AFC North.
#Ravens QB Lamar Jackson has had five career games with 5+ passing TDs and 5 or fewer incompletions.
No player has ever done that before in MFL history.
In fact, the next closest player has 3. pic.twitter.com/zUDfE9C3Vt
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) December 16, 2024
Jackson, like Allen, posted terrific numbers in Week 15. He threw more touchdown passes (5) than incompletions (4) in Baltimore’s 35-10 win over the New York Giants. That showing put him in his own stratosphere of NFL history.
New York’s defense is better than most would believe, but Jackson’s production against them will mean nothing if he fails to show up against the Steelers. His MVP chances – and Baltimore’s Super Bowl odds – hinge on him delivering in that game.
Kickoff for the divisional affair is set for 4:30 p.m. E.T. on FOX.
