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Somebody has to win the 2023 NFL MVP Award, right?
So why not Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen?
Allen is suddenly in the forefront of the discussion as several other front runners (looking at you Brock Purdy, Jalen Hurts and Dak Prescott) have faltered in recent weeks.
But it wasn’t too long ago that fans were asking “what’s wrong with Josh Allen?”
The Bills fell to 5-5 with a 24-22 loss to the Denver Broncos on November 13. Allen had thrown for 19 touchdowns, but also 11 interception in that span and it looked like Buffalo might be on the outside looking in at the playoffs.
Buffalo fired offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey following the loss to the Broncos. Since then, the Bills are 4-1 and Allen has thrown for 1,178 yards, nine touchdowns and four interceptions. Allen also has six rushing touchdowns in that span.
In their lone loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, he thew for 339 yards and two touchdowns with a further 81 yards and two more scores on the ground.
That’s got folks talking.
After Purdy laid an egg on Monday night against the Baltimore Ravens, Lamar Jackson is now the odds on favorite for the NFL MVP award.
But Allen is gaining momentum.
On paper, it’s hard to argue against.
Sure, Jackson has had a good year. And the Ravens are in line to be the top seed in the AFC. But Allen’s statistical performance far trumps that of Jackson.
The two are virtually identical in total yards (Allen with 4,191 to Jackson with 4,143). Allen has 40 total touchdowns compared to Jackson’s 24. They’re both completing just over 66 percent of their passes.
Though Allen does have 18 turnovers to Jackson’s 12.
Either way, it appears the 2023 NFL MVP race is coming down to the wire. And the winner is bound to be controversial.