Lamar Jackson got back into the NFL MVP race after another dominant performance in the Baltimore Ravens’ 31-2 win against the Houston Texans. The Ravens have won their last three games and are well-positioned to win the AFC North.
Winning the division title while arguably having the best stats in the league will make Jackson a serious threat to Josh Allen in the MVP race. However, former NFL All-Pro offensive lineman Kyle Long thinks there is another quarterback who should win the MVP over the quarterbacks in Baltimore and Buffalo.
Kyle Long Picks Patrick Mahomes Over Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson for MVP Award
Long, the former Chicago Bears offensive lineman, made the case for Patrick Mahomes to win the MVP award. His comments came after the Kansas City Chiefs’ 29-10 win against the Pittsburgh Steelers and secured the first seed in the AFC.
The Chiefs (15-1) have the best record in the NFL, and the star quarterback has done fairly well despite several key players missing time this season due to injuries. Mahomes hasn’t had a good statistical season, but he has won games with his WR1 (Rashee Rice), RB1 (Isiah Pacheco), and WR2 (Hollywood Brown) being absent for the majority of the year.
Patrick Mahomes is the MVP
— kyle (@Ky1eLong) December 26, 2024
Playing behind an offensive line with serious issues at both tackle spots has hurt Mahomes’ performance. Still, the two-time NFL MVP has constantly come up big in critical situations, especially in the fourth quarter.
Jackson won the MVP award last year due to his team’s record, so Mahomes should at least be part of the race alongside the Ravens quarterback and Allen. Heading into Week 17, the Chiefs’ star had worse odds to win the award than Saquon Barkley and Jared Goff. It was quite surprising, as in the past, the quarterback on the team with the best record typically has the best chance of winning the MVP.
Allen Has Had the Most Impact Among All MVP Candidates
Mahomes’ team has the best record in the NFL, and you can argue he should be among the top three candidates to win the award, but it can be said Allen has a better case than others to be the league’s MVP.
The Bills quarterback lost both Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis in the offseason, but he has won another division title with the Bills.
Buffalo is 12-3 and has the second-best record in the AFC. It wouldn’t have been possible without Allen, who has contributed 37 touchdowns for his team. He has also thrown just six interceptions this year, which is why his team has been dominant this year. Allen lost to Jackson in Week 4, but Allen is the only quarterback who has won against Mahomes this season.
Allen has not only led them to a fifth straight division title, but his team is a legitimate threat to the Chiefs in the playoffs.
Dak Prescott had better stats than Jackson last year, yet the Ravens quarterback won the MVP because of his team’s record. The same should be applied this year, as Allen’s team has a better record and has won against the best teams in both conferences, the Detroit Lions and Chiefs.