Ravens' Lamar Jackson One-Upped by Josh Allen Again

Lamar Jackson continues standing on the cusp of teflon status, as close as he can possibly be to securing an untouchable reputation without having already done so.

The Baltimore Ravens quarterback's got all of the regular season accolades anyone could ever ask of him; multiple MVP trophies, All-Pro selections, records as a passer and a rusher, enough to secure his status as the most mobile quarterback to grace the Hall of Fame well over a decade before he's even eligible for consideration.

The question as to how he holds up in the brightest moments stands as the only concern worth having with Jackson. His 3-5 playoff record won't win over many critics, granting additional stakes to every run-of-the-mill matchup against the other big bad quarterbacks of the AFC.

Baltimore Ravens Quarterback Lamar Jackson and Buffalo Bills Quarterback Josh Allen — Dec 8, 2019; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) and Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) embrace following the game at New Era Field. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images | Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

Jackson didn't just lose his hold over the MVP award to Josh Allen last winter. His Buffalo Bills counterpart sent the Ravens towards another early offseason, taking a lead in the ongoing quarterback ranking debate that favors team wins more than they probably should be weighted in a team game.

The fact remains Jackson's Ravens fell short in the AFC Divisional Round, and they only doubled down on dragging the quarterback with them in their very next team-wide opportunity. They faced off in a regular season-opening rematch of that showdown, right back in Buffalo, where the Bills overcame a 16-point fourth quarter deficit in under four minutes before securing the eventual 41-40 win on Sunday Night Football.

By no means did Jackson lay an egg, balancing his rushing and throwing responsibilities with exquisite dismantling of Buffalo's defense. He completed 14 of his 19 passing attempts and amounted three touchdowns, one of which he walked in himself. But Allen ruled the fourth quarter, vacuuming up Baltimore's missed opportunities wherever he could find them.

Incomplete drives and turnovers kept the Bills' score moving in the clutch, and it showed in the box score as well as on the telecast.

Josh Allen. MVP. pic.twitter.com/6HLRa5Zdsf
— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) September 8, 2025

The Ravens entered this fall with some of the heftiest expectations they've ever had to reckon with, looking like they'd compiled arguably the NFL's most complete assortment of talent after an active offseason of adding potentially-instant contributors. Jackson's launching pad to the position of the league's top quarterback looked wide-open, but a game liked this only helped Allen look even more like the man.

Jackson, like all franchise quarterbacks, will receive the majority of the credit when his team succeeds, but every time they fail will be spun into an indictment of his abilities. He didn't sell his team short in any particular way this time, but his rival completely converted on his chance to assert himself as the reigning MVP.

Make sure you bookmark Baltimore Ravens On SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!