Ravens Star's MVP Odds Take Hit Following Loss

The relationship between Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen has taken many forms before developing into the high-stakes rivalry it's become today.

They were two of the bigger project quarterbacks coming out of the 2018 NFL Draft, but their respective franchises each needed fresh starts with new legs. The Baltimore Ravens called upon Jackson as the Joe Flacco era looked to be approaching its end with his incumbent team, who developed into one of the younger MVPs in league history in his sophomore breakout.

Allen had a longer leash than most raw, tools-y prospects are granted, and ended up putting it all together around the turn of the decade right alongside Jackson. The ascending stars didn't clash regularly from their separate divisions, but they were lumped together as two AFC greats who couldn't surpass Patrick Mahomes and his inevitable Kansas City Chiefs.

That's still more or less the case, as neither of the two have ever stepped foot on Super Bowl soil to this day, but they've grown into the two best regular season quarterbacks of their era. They've split the last pair of MVPs as back-to-back finalists, and use every matchup as a way to back up their respective cases.

Allen got the last laugh heading into Sunday's matchup, having bested Jackson in the previous postseason and MVP race, but many predicted Jackson to strike back with his third trophy in 2025. The Ravens look like one of the most complete rosters in the NFL, and their Week 1 rematch in Buffalo looked like the perfect chance for Jackson's Ravens to re-assert their dominance.

Instead, Allen used the opportunity to further catapult into his own QB1 distinction. The Ravens' defense allowed a 16-point turnaround within the final four minutes of regulation in succumbing to a 41-40 opening night defeat, and while Jackson attempted to slow down the opportunistic Bills, Allen hit on every single scoring chance he could in pulling off the dramatic upset.