Well, that didn’t take long. Just last week, ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky declared Josh Allen the 2024 MVP with three games left to play, brushing aside Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and the rest of the field. Not seven days later, Allen barely scraped past the 3-12 Patriots in a 24-21 slog, while Jackson carved up the division-leading Steelers in a 34-17 statement win.
For anyone who watched both games, the performances weren’t in the same universe. Allen struggled against one of the league’s worst defenses, throwing for just 154 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Meanwhile, Lamar torched the Steelers with three touchdown passes.
Orlovsky’s premature proclamation looks worse with each passing day. If the MVP is truly about value and consistency, Lamar Jackson is clearly in the running for the award. Josh Allen’s performance against the Patriots proved one thing: this race isn’t over.
Lamar Jackson is making Dan Orlovsky's Josh Allen declaration age terribly
Let’s start with the basics. Josh Allen’s game against the Patriots was forgettable. He completed 16 of 29 passes for a measly 154 yards, averaging just 5.3 yards per attempt. His lone touchdown came in the first half, and he threw a bad interception in the second.
The Bills’ defense bailed him out with three second-half turnovers, including a bizarre fumble recovery for a touchdown that proved to be the game-winner.
Lamar Jackson would be sent to another dimension if he had a game like this against a 3-11 team pic.twitter.com/u49Y9BkrH9
— Kevin Oestreicher (@koestreicher34) December 23, 2024
That’s not an MVP performance. That’s a quarterback barely scraping by against a team led by a rookie head coach in Jerod Mayo and a rookie quarterback in Drake Maye, who are already counting down to the offseason.
Meanwhile, Lamar Jackson was the definition of clutch against Pittsburgh. Facing a defense that’s been one of the league’s best all season, Lamar went 15 of 23 for 207 yards and three touchdowns, averaging a scorching 9.0 yards per attempt.
After Pittsburgh tied the game in the third quarter, Lamar immediately responded with a touchdown drive to take the lead. Even his lone interception—just his fourth of the season—didn’t slow Baltimore down, as Marlon Humphrey’s pick-six sealed the victory.
The stakes couldn’t have been higher, either. The Ravens were playing for their playoff lives and a chance to pull even with the Steelers atop the AFC North. Lamar didn’t just deliver—he dominated.
The MVP award isn’t just about stats—it’s about delivering when it matters most. Lamar Jackson did exactly that, leading the Ravens to a 10-5 record while pulling even atop the AFC North with a statement win over the Steelers. Meanwhile, Josh Allen, Orlovsky’s prematurely crowned MVP, struggled to get past a 3-12 Patriots team, finishing with just 154 passing yards, one touchdown, and a QBR of 28.6.
Orlovsky’s early crowning of Allen already looked lazy, but after this week, it’s indefensible. Lamar didn’t just perform well; he thrived against a division leader in a must-win game, throwing for three touchdowns and averaging 9.0 yards per attempt. Allen? He barely managed to survive against one of the worst teams in the league.
Let’s not forget the head-to-head result either. Back in Week 4, Lamar and the Ravens demolished Allen’s Bills 35-10. Yet Orlovsky dismissed that and the final three weeks of the season to call the race “over.” If you’re going to make a take that bold, you better hope it ages better than this.
The MVP race is far from decided. But if Orlovsky is still clinging to his Allen argument after this week, it’s clear he wasn’t paying attention.