The NFL will have a blockbuster battle between the two MVP front-runners on their hands come the Divisional Round weekend. With the Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills easily taking care of their Wild Card matchup, a dream match between Allen and Jackson is shaping up. It will be one of the most anticipated matchups of the year.
Fans are already beginning the hype as one of the closest races for the MVP award plays out on the playoff stage. While Josh Allen has the home-field advantage, Lamar Jackson is walking in with the psychological edge.
Fans Are Ready for Bills-Ravens II
The two teams squared off early in the year in a wholly one-sided encounter. The Ravens dispatched Buffalo 35-10 before the MVP conversation had truly started catching fire. Since then, Buffalo has emerged as one of the best teams in the league, especially with the addition of Amari Cooper.
Baltimore, on the other hand, has been equally impressive. Their late-season defensive turnaround allowed them to win the AFC North. At this point of the year, the two teams are virtually inseparable, making their match next week all the more tantalizing for fans.
Some are even willing to term it the “real Super Bowl,” in an ode to the classic 49ers-Cowboys matchups from the early 1990s. “This could be like the old school 49ers Cowboys games back in the 1990s. The real Super Bowl.”
This could be like the old school 49ers Cowboys games back in the 90s. The real Super Bowl.
— The Online Card and Coin Shop (@CardandCoinShop) January 12, 2025
Fans are divided on both sides, a microcosm of the season and the MVP race that has essentially boiled down to these two dual-threat quarterbacks. While one fan says, “Should be an easy win for the bills!”
Should be an easy win for the bills!
— James (@Dean_James_1) January 12, 2025
Another believes the same for Lamar, “Easy win for Lamar.”
Easy win for Lamar
— Freedom Nexxus (@InfirmaPeribit) January 12, 2025
But one thing is for certain, “This game will be one for the ages.” The two sides are nearly identical in every category. According to PFN’s QB+ metrics, Jackson ranks as the best quarterback in the league with a 99.8 score and an A+ rating, and he notched the second-best passer rating for a season in league history.
This game will be one for the ages 🔥
— Fran (@FrankenLclr) January 12, 2025
But, Allen isn’t far behind in QB+ at No. 3 with a 92.2 score and an A- rating. Similarly, the two offenses aren’t far apart, ranking second and fourth, respectively, in PFN’s Offense+ rankings. Those kinds of numbers have many believing this will be the “game of the year.”
game of the year
— Bryce Young Enjoyer (@SwipedBySlavin) January 12, 2025
However, there is one key category that separates the two squads. While the Ravens, thanks to a miraculous turnaround from Week 11 onward have evolved into the eight-ranked unit in football, Buffalo is toiling way behind at 18th, according to PFN’s Defense+ metric.
With a razor-thin margin between them, the Divisional Round cannot come soon enough.