The Associated Press’ Rob Maaddi
Next week’s NFL MVP matchup between Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen won’t be decided.
With a spot in the AFC title game up for grabs, the stakes are higher.
In the divisional round, Patrick Mahomes and the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs (15-2) will face C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans (11-7) while Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens (13-5) will go to Allen and the Buffalo Bills (14-4).
On January 26, the victors compete for a spot in the Super Bowl.
Following the Ravens’ 28-14 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday, the Bills advanced with a 31-7 victory against the Denver Broncos on Sunday. In the first game of wild-card weekend, the Texans defeated the Chargers 32–12. After earning the top seed, the Chiefs get a bye.
The AFC divisional games were decided upon prior to the start of the NFC games.
The Philadelphia Eagles advanced to the divisional round on Sunday afternoon after defeating the Green Bay Packers 22–10. If the Buccaneers defeat Washington on Sunday night, they would play Tampa Bay. The Commanders will face the Detroit Lions, the top seed, if they prevail. The winner of the Vikings-Rams game would then be played by the Eagles. On Monday night, Minnesota travels to Arizona to play Los Angeles.
A nationwide panel of media members gave Jackson 30 of 50 first-place votes, giving him the advantage over Allen for the Associated Press All-Pro Team. Allen received 18 first-place votes and was named to the second team of the All-Pro team.
The last time a player won MVP without being selected to the first team All-Pro came in 2003, when Peyton Manning and Steve McNair shared the honor. Manning won the All-Pro award over McNair.
The only other instance was in 1987, when Joe Montana was named an All-Pro and John Elway was named MVP. Jerry Rice finished second with 30 votes, while Elway received 36 MVP votes to Montana’s 18.
Against Pittsburgh, Jackson, the two-time NFL MVP, completed 16 of 21 throws for 175 yards and two scores. In addition, he rushed 15 carries for 81 yards.
Against Denver, Allen was 20 of 26 for 272 yards and two touchdowns. He ran forty-six yards.
In Week 4, the Ravens defeated the Bills 35–10 in their meeting in Baltimore.
The final four teams in a conference will return for the second consecutive year. The Ravens defeated the Texans and the Chiefs defeated the Bills last season. The last time the Texans, Patriots, Ravens, and Broncos all advanced to the divisional round in the same season was in 2011–12.
Josh Dubow, a writer for AP Pro Football, contributed.
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