Lamar Jackson is putting together another MVP-caliber season. The Baltimore Ravens’ star quarterback has carried his team to a 10-5 record, clinched a playoff berth, and sits tied atop the AFC North. With 37 touchdown passes, nearly 3,800 passing yards, and just four interceptions, Lamar’s brilliance this season has been undeniable.
But somehow, the anti-Lamar agenda is still alive and well. Whether it’s premature MVP proclamations or outright dismissals of his value, critics continue to find ways to move the goalposts on his greatness. Instead of celebrating one of the league’s most electrifying players, some analysts are intent on tearing him down.
The latest example? Former cornerback Logan Ryan, who suggested Lamar Jackson isn’t as valuable as Josh Allen because of Derrick Henry. According to Ryan, the Ravens wouldn’t lose much without Lamar, while the Bills would fall apart without Allen.
The anti-Lamar Jackson MVP bandwagon is getting awfully crowded
Ryan had this to say on CBS Sports:
“Derrick Henry is the biggest reason why Lamar doesn’t seem as valuable as Josh Allen. If you take off the Bills, they’re much worse than what the Ravens are without Lamar Jackson…Josh Allen has more value to his team.”
Let’s start with Derrick Henry. With 1,636 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns, he’s having an incredible season, but the idea that Henry is propping up Lamar Jackson ignores reality. Lamar was already a two-time MVP before Henry arrived, and his 2024 campaign is on pace to be his best yet.
If anything, Henry benefits more from Lamar. Jackson’s dual-threat ability forces defenses to stay honest, creating space for Henry to dominate. Baltimore’s offense runs through Lamar—his command of the pocket and dynamic playmaking keep defenses on edge. Henry’s been great, but Lamar is what makes the Ravens’ offense unstoppable.
Ryan’s take isn’t just wrong—it’s lazy. He joins a growing list of analysts like Dan Orlovsky, who prematurely crowned Allen the MVP, in downplaying Lamar’s greatness. These narratives follow the same tired pattern: if Lamar runs, he’s just an athlete; if he throws, it’s his supporting cast. Now, because Henry is excelling, people are acting like Lamar isn’t the engine driving Baltimore.
Here’s the truth: Lamar Jackson is Baltimore’s most valuable player. He’s been carrying the Ravens for years and is doing it again at an elite level. The MVP race is close, but hot takes like Ryan’s only highlight how determined some are to overlook Lamar’s brilliance.
If anyone wants to argue for Josh Allen, they’ll need a better case than this. Lamar Jackson’s MVP campaign speaks for itself—no lazy narrative can change that.