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Critics noted that Allen's performance should not have justified an MVP nod. He frequently made poor decisions that went unpunished and had a far weaker strength of schedule compared to Jackson, whose Ravens faced stronger competition. Although Allen had a fantastic season overall, it was Jackson who truly delivered historic numbers and demonstrated unprecedented versatility.
Conclusion: The Value of MVP Criteria
This debate surrounding the MVP is symptomatic of a wider issue: the criteria used to designate the Most Valuable Player are often influenced by narrative rather than pure statistics. Lamar Jackson's case begs the question of how we define value in sports; is it strictly about the numbers, or are there intangible factors at play?