It feels surreal to say we're now roughly a quarter of the way through the 2025 NFL campaign, though that's the fact of the matter. We now have a decent sample size to formulate opinions beyond our pre-season priors. Qualitative discourse comes along with the natural progression of the league calendar, like who should be this year's MVP choice.
Buffalo Bills fans rightfully think their superstar quarterback, Josh Allen, justifies claiming football's most prestigious individual honor -- for the second time in a row. After all, the club is sitting at 4-0 primarily because of his ability to carry them every week.
However, Pro Football Focus (PFF) ostensibly feels Los Angeles Rams gunslinger Matthew Stafford has done enough to snatch Allen's crown through four games. This surely won't sit well with members of the Bills Mafia, who can't help but acknowledge the result with a condescending sneer.
Bills fans can't help but let out scornful laugh as PFF names Rams' Matthew Stafford quarter-season MVP
It's funny how fast life can come at you. Allen's 2024 MVP bid stirred up quite a controversy, with many believing Baltimore Ravens signal-caller Lamar Jackson was the more deserving candidate. Eight months later, the shoe is on the other foot, with Stafford set to dethrone Buffalo's franchise centerpiece.
PFF lauded Stafford's otherworldly arm talent, citing his elite 90.8 passing grade and 8.3 percent big-time throw rate. The one-time Super Bowl champion's production merits recognition, especially after an offseason of alarming back injury updates. Nevertheless, context and situation matter, and few have been set up to succeed like him.
Stafford is operating behind PFF's No. 8-ranked protection unit. Meanwhile, he's throwing to standout wide receiver Puka Nacua, the sports analytics platform's current Offensive Player of the Year choice. Moreover, the 37-year-old also has one of the premier and most innovative head coaches in the business in Sean McVay and an upper-echelon defense.
Allen has an O-line capable of going toe-to-toe with the Rams' group up front. Yet, he lacks a proven alpha like Nacua (or fellow L.A. wideout Davante Adams) and a renowned play-caller like McVay. Be that as it may, the Bills icon has matched or exceeded Stafford's output and led Buffalo to a 4-0 start.
In other words, the reigning recipient of football's most prestigious individual honor is doing more with less. Allen has a higher completion percentage over expectation and passer rating than Stafford and has taken one fewer sack across four contests this season. Plus, let's not overlook the former's contributions on the ground as he paces to clear the double-digit rushing touchdown mark for a third straight year.