As we near the end of the 2024 regular season, two players have pulled away in the MVP race. Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson have been top-tier quarterbacks in the NFL for years, and both of these stars are on the verge of recording their best seasons statistically. The media and the sportsbooks have made it clear that Josh Allen is heavily favored to win the award. There has been some pushback from football fans regarding the slighting of the historical season that Lamar has had.
If the decision is made based primarily on statistics, I think the numbers would suggest that the MVP race should be much closer than it currently is. Josh Allen does have the upper hand in the case of a better team record. The Bills are sitting at the top of the AFC East with a record of 11-3; Baltimore’s record is 9-5 after pounding the lowly Giants. The combination of a great record and elite statistics gives Josh the advantage; yet, Lamar has certainly had an insane season that should not be overlooked.
Case for Josh Allen
Josh Allen has totaled ten rushing and passing touchdowns with no interceptions in the past two games alone. He currently has the highest QBR in the league and has racked up 25 passing touchdowns on the year while throwing only 5 picks. Considering the consistency of the video game-like stats he puts up, along with the fact that he has brought this Bills team within reach of the number one seed in the AFC, it makes sense why he is so far ahead in the MVP race.
Case for Lamar Jackson
Although the arguments made for Josh Allen’s case may seem overwhelmingly valid, the numbers show that Lamar should not be counted out. This year, he has 34 passing touchdowns along with only three interceptions so far. The only other players who have thrown for over thirty touchdowns and fewer than five picks are Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers. Lamar has more passing yards, fewer interceptions, a better completion percentage, a better passer rating, and more rushing yards than Allen. He is on the verge of breaking the all-time single-season passer rating and the all-time quarterback rushing leader records. Lamar also outperformed Josh in their head-to-head matchup early in the year, which the Ravens won easily by a score of 35-10.
What’s next
As we move to week 16, both of these quarterbacks will continue to strengthen their cases for the award. The Ravens have a tough divisional matchup against the Steelers, while the Bills look forward to thrashing the 3-11 Patriots. Expect each of these candidates to fill the stat sheets as they have done consistently this year. It will be interesting to see what kind of magic they can create this week.
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