Bills Central

Josh Allen, Patrick Surtain entering rarified air in Bills-Broncos playoff matchup

The 2024 award winners will face off in the postseason for the second-straight year
Khari Demos|
Buffalo Bills' quarterback Josh Allen (17).
Buffalo Bills' quarterback Josh Allen (17). | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Josh Allen and Patrick Surtain II are two of the best players in the NFL. And this ensuing playoff matchup between their Buffalo Bills and Denver Broncos is a playoff rarity.

Allen and Surtain will meet in the divisional round for what will be just the fifth postseason matchup of reigning league MVPs and Defensive Players of the Year. They are currently tied at 2-2, with the most recent matchup being Super Bowl LVIII, when 2022 MVP Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs downed 2022 DPOY Nick Bosa and the San Francisco 49ers.

The other MVP win came with Tom Brady and the Patriots, who defeated Aaron Donald and the Rams in Super Bowl LIII.

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The DPOY wins came for Brian Urlacher and the Bears over Shaun Alexander and the Seahawks during the 2006 playoffs, and "Mean" Joe Greene and the Steelers winning over Ken Stabler and the Raiders during the 1975 season.

This stat gets a little skewed, though, when a current season's MVP and DPOY matchup, like Allen and Surtain did during the 2024 playoffs. With Allen's Bills handling Surtain's Broncos, that put MVPs from that respective season at 4-1 over DPOYs in playoff matchups.

The other MVP wins include Aaron Rodgers and the Packers winning over Aaron Donald's Rams during the 2020 season's divisional round; Kurt Warner's Rams over Warren Sapp's Buccaneers during the 1999 season's NFC championship; and Brett Favre and the Packers downing Dana Stubblefield and the 49ers in the 1997 season's NFC championship.

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The lone win for a current season's DPOY came when Derrick Brooks and his Buccaneers defeated Rich Gannon and the Raiders during Super Bowl XXXVII.

So, going off of history, Allen has to like his chances going against Surtain in the playoffs again. But we will have to wait until Saturday to see if Allen and Buffalo can break the tie in this specific playoff series.

Patrick Surtain II
Denver Broncos' cornerback Patrick Surtain II. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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Khari Demos
KHARI DEMOS

Khari Demos is an award-winning sports media creator and is a contributor for Bills On SI. He has written sports betting article covering the NFL for The Athletic and has written pieces about the NBA, MLB, college football and basketball, and more, throughout his career.