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Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen didn’t help his case for NFL MVP on Sunday with a loss to the New England Patriots at home in Week 13. Allen entered the game behind Tom Brady in the MVP odds at +500, while Brady was far ahead with +175 odds to win at DraftKings Sportsbook. Allen has now dropped to +1000, while Aaron Rodgers and Kyler Murray climbed ahead of him to +600 and +750, respectively.
Allen and the Bills didn’t have a chance to put up big numbers in a game where the high winds were a major factor, but a comeback win in a big game like this would have helped his chances to take home the award. Instead, Allen couldn’t finish the job in the red zone and his team fell to 7-5 while the Patriots took a commanding lead in the AFC East with a 9-4 record and a tie-breaking win over their main competition.
Josh Allen NFL MVP odds: +1000
No quarterbacks have been consistently elite like we’ve seen in other seasons, but Tom Brady’s numbers are better than Allen’s and they are coming off much different statistical performances in Week 13. Brady lit up a bad Falcons defense, while Allen completed just 50 percent of his passes for 145 yards and a touchdown. Those stats come under horrible conditions in the wind, but over the long run, those numbers won’t have the context we have right now.
Through 12 games, Allen has thrown for 3,216 yards, 26 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, while rushing for 422 yards and three touchdowns. Those are good numbers, and if the Bills had a better record, Allen would likely look better for MVP at the moment. But, as it is, losing to the Patriots and falling deeper behind them in the division does not help his cause.
To finish the season, the Bills are at Buccaneers, vs. Panthers, at Patriots, vs. Falcons and vs. Jets. These matchups do give Allen an opportunity to make a move for the MVP award. A win over the world champion Bucs in Tampa next week would be a great start and then going into Foxborough and knocking off the Patriots three weeks from now, would likely get him right back on track. With the other three matchups looking like likely wins against poor defenses, the Patriots and Bucs are the key for Allen to turn his season and MVP hopes around.
With these odds, I wouldn’t be completely against betting on Allen, but he hasn’t been the same player he was last season and he could have four cold weather games in his last five to stunt his numbers. Add in Kyler Murray and Aaron Rodgers playing extremely well in their own right, and this just isn’t looking like Allen’s year.
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