Lamar Jackson isn’t ahead of Josh Allen in the MVP race? Stephen A. Smith gives his verdict

Stephen A. Smith expressed that the reigning MVP Lamar Jackson isn’t ahead of Josh Allen in the closely fought MVP race. In a week that saw Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, and Jackson lose their respective games, Allen and the Bills broke the Kansas City Chiefs’ nine-game streak.

Stephen A. Smith and Shannon Sharpe appeared on an episode of the Nightcap podcast where the duo debated over their MVP picks. Sharpe concluded that Lamar Jackson is the frontrunner to defend the MVP title. Jackson would be the sixth player to go back-to-back MVP if he wins the title this season.

Smith didn’t agree with Sharpe’s conclusion. He attributed Sharpe’s actions to his association with the Baltimore Ravens. Sharpe had played with the Ravens from 2000-2001 following his long stint in Denver.

The broadcaster expressed that there’s no way Lamar Jackson is ahead of Josh Allen. Smith took out the numbers to prove why he believed the same. Baltimore Ravens are 7-4 to the season, suffering huge losses against the Las Vegas Raiders and Cleveland Browns.

Smith noted that Josh Allen has been a strong candidate for the prestigious award on numerous occasions. Allen finished second in 2020, third in 2022, and fifth last season. Allen and the Bills are locking in on the division title for the fifth time with only competition from the Miami Dolphins. With a win over the Chiefs, Buffalo is looking the strongest since 1992.

Earlier, Smith had handed the title to Jared Goff, whose Detroit Lions are the No. 1 NFC seed with a single loss this season.

Josh Allen shakes up NFL MVP odds after win over reigning champions

As the NFL regular season enters its final stretch, the race for the league MVP has intensified. For much of the season, Josh Allen lagged behind Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson in MVP contention. However, the tide has shifted in Allen’s favor following recent performances.

After Buffalo’s Week 8 victory over the Seattle Seahawks, Allen overtook Mahomes in betting odds for the first time. This momentum continued as Jackson’s struggles in the Baltimore Ravens’ loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers opened the door for Allen to emerge as the frontrunner.

Coming off Week 11, Allen is now the clear favorite at U.S. sportsbooks. FanDuel lists him at +125 odds. Furthermore, he moved from +300 to +130 at ESPN BET.

According to PENN Entertainment’s sports betting data, Allen accounted for 28.4% of all MVP market wagers. He held an impressive 63.8% of the betting handle, cementing his position as the leading candidate for the coveted award.