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Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen had a vintage game against the Cincinnati Bengals, accounting for four touchdowns as he led the Bills back from a double-digit deficit in the fourth quarter.
The win has also gave Allen a boost as he aims for a rare career accomplishment. The Bills quarterback had seen his MVP odds slashed as the team struggled, but the big game on Sunday helped him climb back into the conversation for the league’s top individual honor.
Josh Allen Making His Move
As SI.com’s Peter Dewey noted, the competition for league MVP has largely become a two-man race between New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye and the frontrunner, Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford.
Allen surged back into the top five, reaching the No. 4 odds after throwing for three touchdowns and rushing for another in Sunday’s 39-34 win over the Bengals.
Having a strong individual performance in such an important game gave Allen a boost in the MVP race, Dewey noted.
“Josh Allen went off in Week 14 for the Bills, keeping their AFC East hopes alive in the process,” Dewey noted. “Buffalo erased a double-digit deficit in the fourth quarter, and Allen finished the day with 251 passing yards and three scores as well as nine carries for 78 yards and a touchdown.”
Allen is still a long shot to win the award, Dewey added, but has put himself back in the running and could flip the odds if the Bills surge down the final stretch.
“He’s facing an uphill battle to win back-to-back MVPs with the Bills well out of first in their divison, but a win over New England in Week 15 could flip this market in a big way towards Allen,” Dewey wrote.
Josh Allen Faces Unique Challenge
Allen could be facing a greater degree of difficulty than his competitors for MVP, one analyst suggests. Jeffrey Chadiha of NFL.com broke down the potential candidates, noting that Allen may need to prove even more this year given that he’s the reigning MVP.
“The great thing about winning the MVP is that it marks your place in history. The bad thing is that previous winners generally must do a hell of a lot more to win it a second time,” Chadiha wrote. “Allen is on pace to have a better statistical season than he did during his 2024 MVP campaign — he should finish with more passing yards, rushing yards and touchdowns — but man, he’s had some flops.”
Chadiha suggested that some of Allen’s past mistakes could count against him to a greater degree than the other candidates.
“He had two turnovers in an upset loss to Miami and two more (to go along with eight sacks) in a loss to Houston. Allen had six interceptions last year. He already has 10 this year,” he added.
Allen was able to remain mistake-free in Sunday’s win over the Bengals, which also saw some heroics from the Bills quarterback. He scored on a 40-yard touchdown rush in the team’s 21-point fourth quarter and also converted a 3rd-and-15 with a 17-yard rush to ice the game.
Nathan Dougherty is a sports reporter covering the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins. Previously he wrote for the Rochester Business Journal and served as the assistant editor of athletic trade magazines Coaching Management, Athletic Management and Training & Conditioning. He is based out of Rochester, New York, and loves everything football. More about Nathan Dougherty
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