Patrick Mahomes vs. Josh Allen stats: Who's the better NFL MVP favorite so far in 2025?

The NFL Most Valuable Player award can also be called "the NFL's best, most impactful quarterback" award. Since 2013, MVP has gone to a QB for 12 consecutive seasons. 

Patrick Mahomes (2), Lamar Jackson (2) and Aaron Rodgers (3) each have won MVP multiple times in that span, accounting for more than half. Josh Allen, last year's winner, is trying to join that exclusive club in 2025.

Mahomes is the betting favorite to win his third MVP for the 5-3 Chiefs, which would make him the seventh player in NFL history to do. The previous members are all in the Hall of Fame (Jim Brown, Johnny Unitas, Brett Favre, Peyton Manning) or will be soon (Rodgers, Brady).

Allen, meanwhile, is trying to make it two in a row for the Bills. Only Brown, Joe Montana, Favre, Manning, Rodgers have repeated in the past, so that would put in Allen in a different kind of rarefied air

With Mahomes' Chiefs playing Allen's Bills in Buffalo in Week 9 (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS), here's looking at who's been "most valuable" to his team in 2025:

MORE WEEK 9 NFL:

• NFL power rankings for Week 9
• NFL Week 9 picks, predictions
• NFL Week 9 picks against the spread

Mahomes vs. Allen: Passing stats

Mahomes has been more prolific because he needs to be. The Chiefs pass the ball 56.8 percent of the time, putting them in the middle of the pack. The Bills pass only 49.5 percent of the time, No. 32 in the NFL.

Related, Buffalo has the No. 1 rushing offense in the NFL, averaging 164.4 yards per game. Kansas City is a strong No. 9, 126.5 yards per game. Both QBs have contributed well to their respective running production.

MORE: Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen among scariest offensive players in NFL history

Mahomes vs. Allen: Rushing stats

This might be surprising that Mahomes and Allen are so close with their numbers in an area where Allen typically dominates. Mahomes is having a career year with his willingness to run more and make more plays that way for his team.

Mahomes vs. Allen: Supporting casts

Mahomes is second on his team in rushing behind now-injured Isiah Pacheco (41.1 yards per game). At wide receiver and tight end, he now has five healthy key targets: Travis Kelce, Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy, Hollywood Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster. The Chiefs' offensive line remains a transitional work in progress when not thinking about Trey Smith and Creed Humphrey inside.

Allen is supported by running back James Cook, who leads the NFL with 6.0 yards per attempt and 107.6 yards per game. He has less reliable receivers, down to Dalton Kincaid, Khalil Shakir and Keon Coleman. Overall, the Bills have a better offensive line from outside to inside.

The Chiefs have produced 3026 yards of offense with 214 points. Mahomes is responsible for 78.6 percent of the yardage and 58.9 percent of the scoring. The Bills have produced with 2,680 yards of offense with 207 points. Allen is responsible for 67.9 percent of the yardage and 49.3 percent of the scoring.

That's a significant disparity in how much a QB is doing to lift his team with arm and legs when considering similar output, Mahomes having played eight games to Allen's seven. Other than the lesser, deeper receiving corps, the other advantage Allen has is the fact the Chiefs' defense is playing at a higher level than the Bills'.

MORE: Why does Patrick Mahomes wiggle his fingers before the snap?

Mahomes vs. Allen: The MVP decision (so far)

Mahomes won't be reaching his passing levels from 2019 and 2022, the previous two years in which he won MVP.  Allen, however, is having a more efficient and proficient season than his lone winning campaign of 2024. When comparing others to Allen last season, it is arguable that Lamar Jackson should have repeated and won his third MVP.

There's been buzz around Patriots breakout QB Drake Maye and the Colts' Jonathan Taylor is trying to return a running back to MVP status for the first time since 2012. But the eye test says Mahomes is having a spectacular renaissance, back-loaded with healthy weapons and now adding a lot more to the running game.

Should Allen's Bills best Mahomes' Chiefs on the field during the regular season again and Allen outplays Mahomes, that can tilt things back to Allen for the time being. But should Mahomes stay stellar and win with help from the defense and better passing and running stats, he has a chance to run away with his third MVP award in the second half.