Bills-Ravens II: The Divisional Round's Blockbuster MVP Matchup

The NFL will have a blockbuster battle between the two MVP front-runners on their hands come the Divisional Round weekend. With the Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills easily taking care of their Wild Card matchup, a dream match between Allen and Jackson is shaping up. It will be one of the most anticipated matchups of the year.

The NFL will have a highly anticipated matchup between the two leading candidates for the MVP award in the Divisional Round weekend. The Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills both cruised through their Wild Card matchups, setting up a dream match between Allen and Jackson. It will be one of the most closely watched games of the year.

Fans are already starting to build up the hype as one of the closest races for the MVP award plays out in the playoffs. Josh Allen will have the home-field advantage, but Lamar Jackson will enter the game with the psychological upper hand.

Fans Are Gearing Up for Bills-Ravens II

The two teams met earlier in the season in a one-sided affair. The Ravens beat the Bills 35-10, before the MVP conversation had really started heating up. Since then, Buffalo has become one of the best teams in the league, especially with the addition of Amari Cooper.

Baltimore, on the other hand, has been just as impressive. Their late-season defensive turnaround helped them win the AFC North. At this point in the season, the two teams are virtually inseparable, making their matchup next week all the more exciting for fans.

Some are even calling it the “real Super Bowl,” in a nod to the classic 49ers-Cowboys matchups from the early 1990s. “This could be like the old school 49ers Cowboys games back in the 1990s. The real Super Bowl.”

This could be like the old school 49ers Cowboys games back in the 90s. The real Super Bowl.

— The Online Card and Coin Shop (@CardandCoinShop) January 12, 2025

Fans are torn on both sides, a microcosm of the season and the MVP race that has essentially come down to these two dual-threat quarterbacks. While one fan says, “Should be an easy win for the bills!”

Should be an easy win for the bills!

— James (@Dean_James_1) January 12, 2025

Another believes the same for Lamar, “Easy win for Lamar.”

Easy win for Lamar

— Freedom Nexxus (@InfirmaPeribit) January 12, 2025

But one thing is clear, “This game will be one for the ages.” The two teams are nearly identical in every category. According to PFN’s QB+ metrics, Jackson ranks as the best quarterback in the league with a 99.8 score and an A+ rating, and he notched the second-best passer rating for a season in league history.

This game will be one for the ages 🔥

— Fran (@FrankenLclr) January 12, 2025

But, Allen isn’t far behind in QB+ at No. 3 with a 92.2 score and an A- rating. Similarly, the two offenses aren’t far apart, ranking second and fourth, respectively, in PFN’s Offense+ rankings. Those kinds of numbers have many believing this will be the “game of the year.”

game of the year

— Bryce Young Enjoyer (@SwipedBySlavin) January 12, 2025

However, there is one key category that separates the two squads. While the Ravens, thanks to a miraculous turnaround from Week 11 onward have become the eighth-ranked unit in football, Buffalo is toiling way behind at 18th, according to PFN’s Defense+ metric.

With a razor-thin margin between them, the Divisional Round cannot come soon enough.