The debate between Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen for the 2024 NFL MVP will continue until the winner is officially announced. Both quarterbacks have had great seasons and led their teams to division titles.
Dan Orlovsky, an MVP voter, recently confirmed he is picking Allen over Jackson for the award. The former Detroit Lions quarterback has consistently vouched for the Buffalo Bills quarterback this season, and some fans are irked by this.
Fans Call Out Dan Orlovsky’s MVP Take
In a recent segment on “First Take,” Orlovsky discussed why Allen should win the MVP over Jackson. He mentioned that the award cannot be given just based on stats, and we have to measure how impactful the player is based on the roster around him.
“The Buffalo Bills this year, with Josh Allen as their starting quarterback, average three points per drive. That’s top-five historically in the history of the NFL,” Orlovsky said. “So, to have a historically performing offense without a 1,000-yard back or 1,000-yard receiver tells me that the quarterback’s performance is absolutely off the charts.”
Orlovsky saying the Bills do not have a 1,000-yard rusher was, in fact, wrong, as James Cook has rushed for 1,009 yards and 16 touchdowns this season. This was one of the reasons why the fans were offended by the ESPN analyst’s views, and they called him out on social media. Here are some of the reactions:
One fan said, “Sounds like he had his mind made up a long time ago but used the last couple of weeks as proof.”
Once again, Dan’s choice is his choice, but the dishonesty is sad. Literally, his very first point was a lie. Not only is James Cook a 1,000 yard rusher, he also scored 18 TDs! Which could’ve been more had they not spammed the tush push. This erasure of a 2023 Pro Bowler is nasty
— GOWIE (@DaKidGowie) January 6, 2025
“Dude is always lying for Josh Allen,” wrote a fan.
“Sympathy MVP at this point. Saying he [Allen] is doing more with less because the stars on his team bounced because they were tired of losing when it matters most,” added another fan.
“Without a 1000 yard back. Bills have neither” you just lie, don’t cha? @danorlovsky7 https://t.co/DJjlFw99fp pic.twitter.com/pfS2WXPxi6
— auntie Cie. (@cienice_) January 6, 2025
The Bills finished the season as the second seed in the AFC with a record of 13-4. They lost a meaningless game in Week 18 against the New England Patriots yet ended the season with one more win than Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens.
His main argument for Allen winning the MVP is that he has led his team to a better record than Jackson while having less talent around him. Moreover, the Bills have wins against the Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs this season, both of which are the first seeds in the NFC and AFC, which boosts Allen’s MVP case.
As of now, the Bills quarterback is a heavy favorite (-230) to win the MVP award, while Jackson is behind at +185. The fans will hope that we get to see the two MVP candidates face each other in the playoffs this season, and there’s a strong possibility of it happening in the Divisional Round.
When comparing the two quarterbacks using PFN’s QB+ metric, Jackson (100.0, A+, first) outperformed Allen this season (92.2, A-, third), while the Ravens (93.6, A, second) performed better than the Bills (88.4, B+, fourth) in PFN’s Offense+ metric. Jackson’s season is not just the best in 2024 but since at least 2019, as far back as PFN’s data tracks.
Lamar Jackson Faces a Tough Test in the Wild Card Round
For Jackson to defeat Allen and the Bills for the second time this season, he will have to pass a tough test in the Wild Card Round. The Ravens are set to face the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the playoffs, and it will be a challenging matchup for them.
The Ravens quarterback is 2-4 against the Steelers in his career and snapped a four-game losing streak against them in Week 16. Baltimore won that game 34-17, and it played a huge role in the team’s path to the division title.
The Steelers came into the playoffs on a four-game losing streak and will be determined to pull off the upset against the Ravens. Russell Wilson is playing to earn a new contract, and if his team loses again, there will be serious questions about the franchise offering him an extension.
As for Jackson and the Ravens, they need to win the AFC this season, or the quarterback may forever be termed a playoff choker. The Ravens star is 2-4 in the playoffs and has already lost once to Allen in the postseason. He will have a chance to avenge that loss in the Divisional Round, but for that to happen, the Ravens and the Bills need to get past the Steelers and the Denver Broncos in the Wild Card Round.