Lamar Jackson? Saquon Barkley? Josh Allen? The latter has pulled away as the NFL’s MVP favourite after another inspired performance for the Super Bowl-hunting Buffalo Bills, says Jeff Reinebold.
Allen threw for 362 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 68 yards and two scores as the Bills ended the Lions’ 11-game winning streak with a 48-42 win in the NFL’s highest-scoring game of the season on Sunday.
He has now accounted for 15 touchdowns in the last four games, including six in last weekend’s 44-42 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
“I would say the last few weeks, when you look at the Chiefs game, the Rams game and then last night, he has certainly pulled away from the field,” said Reinebold.
“I haven’t seen him play better. He has that rare ability of an athlete that can take over a game and make everybody in the arena and playing spectators part of his show, that’s what he did against the Lions.
“It was a masterful performance, and not in the way we’ve seen Aaron Rodgers or Patrick Mahomes have masterful games. It was like the schoolyard and he’s the best kid and everybody is running around trying to tag him.”
The Bills and Lions combined for 1,080 yards on the day as the NFL’s two most prolific offenses in what could yet prove to be a Super Bowl rehearsal.
It was the latest statement performance from Buffalo against a Detroit team that has steamrolled much of the league, Sean McDermott’s side seeking to maximise a Championship window in which they have fallen agonisingly short in recent years.
“The Lions defense is nicked up but you don’t go out and score 48 on anybody without it being an accomplishment,” Reinebold added.
Highlights from the Buffalo Bills at the Detroit Lions from Week 15 of the NFL season.
“If you are a Bills fan, one thing you always worry about is when the game tightens up in the playoffs and the scores come down and everybody is a little more conservative.
“If they get into a shootout they can go toe-to-toe with anybody and that always gives you a chance.
“It’s a brand new day in football because, yes, defense still wins Championship, but if you can’t keep up in one of these games and you’ll spend the next week at home.”
Jeff Reinebold tells the Inside The Huddle podcast that Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is getting hit too often and that the side need to find a way to protect him better.
Elsewhere, Jackson threw five touchdown passes to guide the Baltimore Ravens to a commanding win over the New York Giants, while Barkley was limited to just 65 rushing yards having amassed 632 yards on the ground over the previous four games.
Allen has now thrown for 3,395 yards and 25 touchdowns to just five interceptions this season, while also rushing for 484 yards and 11 scores.
“He is absolutely on top of the NFL world,” said Sky Sports NFL presenter Neil Reynolds.
“This has fluctuated a few times. I don’t think Saquon will get it because he’s a running back, I think Lamar’s five losses hurt. The way Josh Allen has taken over games, there are all these ‘wow’ plays and he had the big touchdown run against the Chiefs. I would say it’s a crowded race but Josh Allen is still my MVP.
The best of Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson’s five touchdown games against the New York Giants.
“He was like the kid that had the growth spurt before everybody else, pounding little kids into the dirt, that’s Allen at the moment.
“They have scored at least 30 points in eight straight games, so it’s no fluke.”
Speaking on the Inside The Huddle podcast, Neil Reynolds and Jeff Reinebold praise quarterback Baker Mayfield for the way he is driving his Tampa Bay Buccaneers team forward.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers meanwhile continued their march as postseason dark horses in a 40-17 win over the Los Angeles Chargers and their No 1-ranked scoring defense.
Baker Mayfield delivered another stand-out display amid his career resurgence in Tampa, completing 22 of 27 passes for 288 yards, four touchdowns and an interception.
“He is going to throw his body around, he inspires the players around him and that’s a tremendous quality for a quarterback to have,” said Reinebold.
“Other quarterbacks do it in different ways. Jalen Hurts is a little quieter but Baker wants to be one of the boys. I’m sure after the game he heads with the offensive lineman down to the local pub.”
Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathon Taylor saw his touchdown scratched off after dropping the ball before breaking the plane of the endzone.
Rookie running back Bucky Irving led the way out of the backfield with 117 rushing yards, while Mike Evans continued his pursuit of an 11th-straight 1,000-yard campaign with nine catches for 159 yards and two scores. He now has 749 yards and nine touchdowns on the year.
“I think he’ll be a Hall of Famer,” Reinebold added. “He is a guy that the guys look too easy for, how some guys it looks like it’s strained and you get a sense of how hard they are playing.
“He plays hard but he’s so silky smooth and he looks like he’s not even working playing the game.
“The revelation about the Bucs is the ability to take Rachaad White and that young rookie running back Irving that is a handful – now you have a running game and you mix it with a great defense and the ability to throw to Mike Evans.
“They are going to be a good team in the playoffs.”
