The 2024 NFL MVP conversation pushes fans deeper into a conversation about impact

Josh Allen is the NFL's MVP favorite and for good reason. Despite his seemingly typical numbers, his Buffalo Bills boast wins against the Chiefs and Lions, made possible by his weekly personal highlight reel being 10 minutes long. The team traded Stefon Diggs and Allen's lesser performances resulting in fairly embarrassing losses, like they've experienced against the Ravens and Texans, prove that Josh is the only thing Buffalo has got going.

Allen's ability to fill the talent gap to produce the same production despite losing Diggs puts the trophy firmly in his camp for some. Those alternative, one-man-show arguments never sustain for long, but they do ring particularly true in Josh's case.

On a macro level, if Allen finished his career without an MVP or two, his awe-inspiring talent wouldn't match those with similar skills in the annals of football history. Since Saquon Barkley lost pace for the all-time rushing record, which coincided with Allen's triumph over the Lions, the quarterback has held the title in hand.

Social media strictly highlights or embarrasses. There is no in-between nor compromise. You are either promoting something or tearing something down (or being torn down). It's wildly entertaining and tragic at the same time.

Patrick Mahomes, whose numbers are returning to a vintage level, spent part of his ridiculous yearly income buying Rolexes among other expensive items for his offensive line. The group had been struggling due to injuries and incompetence, but still, the QB paid his dues. This came the year after he bought custom golf carts for a much better group.

Josh Allen publicly received a gift from his offensive linemen. A #17 jersey with "Allen" exchanged for the simple acronym "MVP." On the flip side had each lineman's name engraved. The moment is genuinely beautiful between teammates. As beuatiful as the piece is, it's prematurely celebrative and a bit childish. Sure, these are grown men paid to play a game, but those of us who mostly work from home (me, the media) demand a least a little professionalism and decorum.

I hate being a Grinch with a clear red and gold bias, but there is a clear distinction between these moments. Josh Allen should win the MVP, especially according to his new jewelry, but the race has changed a bit.

Lamar Jackson's performance was only outshone by Beyonce's on Netflix while we emptied our stockings. A consecutive MVP could be in his sights because the numbers actually reflect how incredible Jackson is.

When Jackson won the trophy last year, it was more about Dak Prescott, Brock Purdy, and Josh Allen losing late-season games and Jackson standing in the gap. That consolation prize for not being one of those guys was another line in the history book.

What we didn't know is that it could affect Jackson's next line in the book. There are only six men, and five quarterbacks (Unitas, Favre, Manning, Brady, and Rodgers), who have won at least three MVPs. All of them also added a Super Bowl title to their resumes—in fact, each of those signal callers won the big game either before or during their second MVP. Awarding Lamar his third trophy before his first Super Bowl appearance would break a legitimate and historically important precedence.

Derrick Henry's MVP candidacy hurts Jackson's as well. His stats have improved since Henry arrived from Tennessee, so how valuable is the guy who needed another perfect player to get better? A harsh question but a real one.

I do believe that Jackson will make and eventually win a Super Bowl, simply based on the law of averages (as much as we would love it, the Chiefs aren't winning it every year). He'll have to overcome some of his playoff woes, but he is clearly of an elite ilk.

Barkley's case was always a weaker one. If he wasn't going to break Eric Dickerson's record, then he was never going to win the MVP. Jared Goff's moment in the sun was cute, but the Lions are last year's 49ers with him fitting the role of elevated Purdy.

I'd like to challenge Josh Allen's supremacy with another candidate you have never heard of: Patrick Lavon Mahomes II.

The Chiefs have locked up the #1 seed and Mahomes will rest for the next few weeks as he becomes a father once again. He will not add to his ledger for the rest of the regular season, but the justification stands.

The first six weeks of the season were not particularly sexy when the numbers were analyzed, but Mahomes always found a way to win games. Proven through all of the tight contests by the Chiefs, Mahomes blazes through the brush to come out with victories. Add in some luck (a blocked FG) and some hilariously silly "contemporaries," (the Raiders) and what you have is an all-time, historically relevant team.

Since the Chiefs got DeAndre Hopkins (and with the return of Hollywood Brown), Mahomes has been able to dissect a more open field with valuable targets, a terrifying sight headed into the postseason.

Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen have had the same season. As of December 26th, they both have 26 passing TDs (add Josh's rushing and receiving TDs to make 37). Allen has more dazzling performances with strong victories while Mahomes has more passing yards and more wins overall. Against the Patriots, Allen didn't capture the opportunity to dominate and lost some steam with Jackson's performance.

This year's MVP race has been much more fun with offensive numbers returning to an entertaining level. 2023 had more candidates until the end (Lamar, Dak, Brock, and CMC), but this year's deeper conversation makes it interesting. Allen is gonna win it. It's a fact, but I think it's good to look at Patrick Mahomes' season through the lens that, despite the tipped picks and tight contests, he will probably end up on this podium year in and year out.