Double Standards and Turnovers: Josh Allen hailed as “Passionate” but would Lamar Jackson get the same label?
- lavozlatinatu
- Feb 23
- 5 min read
By Andrea Cacciuttolo - Chief of Opinion Writing
Word Count: 1263
Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes
After Buffalo’s 30-33 loss to Denver in overtime in the AFC Divisional Round, Josh Allen addressed the media in tears telling reporters how he “let his teammates down” by throwing four interceptions in the game. The media labeled Allen as “passionate” and a “leader”. But this left a lot of fans wondering if Lamar Jackson would be given the same amount of grace as Allen.
The two quarterbacks were both drafted in the 2018 NFL Draft. Josh Allen was picked 7th overall, while Jackson slid all the way down to the 32nd pick. The final selection of the first round. Quarterbacks Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold were also selected in the 2018 Draft, but they took their time to emerge as stars. Allen and Jackson however, burst out of the gate at a level above their peers.
From the get-go, there was an unusual narrative that clung to Lamar Jackson’s back: “He’s a running back”. When in fact, his ability as a passer is far more impressive. In a certain sense, it makes sense. During his time at Louisville, the 2016 Heisman rushed for 4,132 yards and broke the quarterback rushing record in 2016. But he also threw for 9,043 yards with 69 touchdowns to 27 interceptions. Rather than focus on his elite talent in being a dual-threat quarterback, the media chose to focus on one side of the coin. At the 2018 draft, analysts went so far as to say Jackson should switch positions entirely and become a running back in the NFL.
Throughout their careers, the two men have had similar statistics in key seasons. The key difference? Interceptions. Isn't it interesting how the “running back” has a touchdown to interception rate of 3.3%, compared to Josh Allen’s 3.9%? While Jackson has certainly rushed for more touchdowns than Allen, the fact that he has collectively thrown less interceptions overall is just a testament to his intelligence and ability to manage the football well.
Let’s talk about intelligence, because historically it’s not a label the media gives black quarterbacks. “Athletic” is the characterization typically given to black athletes. “Flashy, aggressive, explosive, beast” are just a few adjectives we see and hear by sports media. But their white counterparts? “Intelligent, hard worker, technical.” And maybe the most insulting one of all: “Plays the game the right way”.
Analysts love to debate Jackson’s pocket presence, but seem to shy away around any debate on Allen’s. In fact, these two play a relatively similar game. Both are extremely athletic, both are able to read cover zero defenses, both of these guys have a rocket for an arm, and are able to make in-game adjustments against blitzes. And in 2024, Josh Allen had the second most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in the league. Jackson only had four, yet we never saw Josh Allen labeled as a “running back” and no one ever questioned whether he was “enough” of a quarterback.
And in 2024, Josh Allen won his first MVP. But many argued that the award should’ve gone to Jackson. So let’s compare: Who deserved it?
Josh Allen’s Stats:
● 3,731 passing yards, 28 touchdowns, 6 interceptions
● Passer Rating: 101.4
● Sacked 14 times
● Pressured 16.4% on dropbacks
Lamar Jackson’s stats
● 4,172 passing yards, 41 touchdowns, 4 interceptions
● Passer Rating: 119.4
● Sacked 23 times
● Pressured 20.1% on dropbacks
So right off the bat, we see that Jackson is miles ahead of Allen. He was able to do more with arguably less. Josh Allen’s offensive line was ranked 8th overall by Pro Football Focus, compared to Lamar Jackson’s offensive line ranked at 25th overall. The MVP is given to the league’s most valuable player. Some say that wins matter, and to a certain extent they do. But what happens when a quarterback puts a team on his back, and can’t win because one man himself cannot win four quarters of football?
Opportunity, time, location, and personnel all play a major factor in whether a quarterback has the tools he needs to succeed. You’ve got a great offensive line but your defense can’t manage to get a stop to save their lives? Good luck. Are you a quarterback who’s never played in Denver’s infamous altitude? Get ready for a battle.
Both the Bills and the Ravens led their divisions in the 2024 season. And met in the AFC Divisional Round with the Bills narrowly escaping with the win, winning 27-25 after the Ravens failed a two-point conversion to win the game. After the game, the focus was on Lamar Jackson’s two interceptions in the game. Instead of the 147 rushing yards the Ravens’ defense allowed, Jackson was left to take the blame for the loss.
Fast forward one year later, and Josh Allen had a staggering four turnovers in the AFC Divisional Round. Two fumbles in the first half, two interceptions in the second half, and as if it couldn’t get any worse Buffalo’s running back James Cook fumbled the ball as well. And when Allen went to address the media, he was not held responsible for the loss. Not at first at least. He stood on the podium and cried while taking responsibility for the loss. I’m not saying athletes shouldn’t feel comfortable enough to show emotion- far from it actually.
It takes guts to cry in front of anyone, these athletes have millions of eyes on them, and millions of dollars behind them. Relying on them, they are the determining factor for teams in terms of how much product a team can sell. And when you literally sell your team short, the heat of the moment would make anyone emotional.
What I’m saying is that this privilege to be able to cry in a post game presser seems to be reserved primarily for white athletes. I have a strong feeling that if Jackson stood where Allen was and showed the same emotion, it would be the topic of conversation for the next several news cycles. Instead of being labeled “passionate” and a “leader” Jackson would’ve been labeled “emotional”. At a certain point, the double standard gets exhausting.
Having said all of this, Lamar Jackson has continuously risen to the occasion. He has continuously set the standard for the skillset required of quarterbacks in the modern NFL. In my opinion, Lamar Jackson “plays the game the right way”. He’s the shining example of the modern quarterback. Humble, intelligent, charismatic, and most importantly, he’s a leader. He should’ve been given the MVP award in 2024, and he should’ve been to a Super Bowl by now. No quarterback is perfect, even the greats like Tom Brady and Steve Young fell short in big games. But the noise for them was nothing compared to what it is for Lamar Jackson.
Black athletes are held to a higher standard, even in spite of them outperforming white athletes at the same position. Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson have had similar career trajectories yet opposing narratives. At a certain point, something’s gotta give. And it will have to be the media, it falls on the shoulders of the media to right these wrongs. Personally, I don’t have a lot of faith in the current faces of sports media to shift the conversation. But there is a new generation of sport analysts entering the field, and with new generations comes change. At least that’s what the narrative is, let’s just hope we’re able to have analysts who appreciate these quarterback’s abilities instead of pitting them against one another.
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