Three NFL.com writers are calling for the Buffalo Bills to finish the job this season and win Super Bowl LXI.
Matt Okada and Bill Smith both picked Buffalo over the Los Angeles Rams, while Gennaro Filice has the Bills taking down the Dallas Cowboys in the title game. However it plays out, the message is the same: this is the year three writers think Josh Allen and the Bills finally break through.
That pressure sits right at the center of Allen’s legacy. He has been brilliant enough to spark the conversation, but the one thing still missing is the ring.
Buffalo has reached the AFC Championship Game twice during the Allen era and came up short both times against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. The Bills also fell to the Denver Broncos in the AFC Divisional Round last season, leaving them still without a Super Bowl appearance with Allen under center.
The roster around Allen got a major jolt this offseason. Buffalo pulled off a blockbuster trade to bring in D.J.
Moore from the Chicago Bears, giving Allen another proven target in Joe Brady’s offense. Moore is coming off a season in which he caught 50 passes for 682 yards and six touchdowns while appearing in all 17 games.
Across his career with the Carolina Panthers and Bears, he has piled up 608 receptions, 8,213 receiving yards and 41 receiving touchdowns.
Allen’s side of the equation remains the biggest reason for optimism. Last season, he threw for 3,668 yards and 25 touchdowns while adding 579 rushing yards and 14 rushing touchdowns.
He enters this season with 30,102 passing yards, 220 passing touchdowns, 4,721 rushing yards and 79 career rushing touchdowns. He can also pass Mahomes for the most combined passing and rushing yards by a quarterback in his first nine NFL seasons.
Buffalo’s opener against the Houston Texans will launch the Brady era, with Brady promoted from OC to HC after Sean McDermott was fired. Allen said after Brady got the job, "Still respecting the past and what's been here the last 10 years and not shying away from that, but also having his own twist on it," Allen said after Brady was named HC.
"It's been really good to see him embrace the role and step into it. The way that he talks to the guys, you can tell he's very well respected with everybody in that locker room, and it's only going to continue to grow in my opinion."
For the Bills, the storyline is plain enough: the talent is there, the quarterback is in place, and the championship window is still open. The only question that matters now is whether this version of Buffalo can finally get to the promised land.
In Other News...
Josh Allen Just Gave Bills Fans A New Way To Join In
Josh Allen has found another way to make Bills home games feel personal this season. Working with children at Golisano Childrens Hospital of Buffalo, he helped create eight one-of-a-kind Buffalo Bills hats that blend his hand-drawn logo with artwork from the kids, turning a simple accessory into a shared piece of team identity.
Allen will wear one of the hats before each of Buffalos eight regular-season home games, and fans can buy them too, with the proceeds going to the Patricia Allen Fund at the hospital. The project, part of his partnership with New Era, carries forward a charitable effort he began last season and gives Bills supporters a direct way to take part in it. [Read more 🡒]
Bills May Have Quietly Added A Receiver Skill They Still Needed
The Bills kept tinkering with their receiver mix this week by adding Greg Dortch to the practice squad, a move that goes beyond special teams insurance. Dortch brings a long track record as a punt returner, but the appeal here is his versatility as a receiver and the chance he gives Buffalo to add another small, quick target who can help stress coverage underneath.
What makes the signing interesting is the fit. Buffalo has spent the offseason trying to upgrade the receiver room, and Dortchs film-based profile suggests he can create separation against man coverage, which is a useful trait in an offense that can never really have too many reliable options. Whether he becomes more than depth will depend on opportunity, but the Bills clearly saw a skill set worth keeping in the building. [Read more 🡒]
Josh Allens Top Target Suddenly Puts Buffalos Week 1 Stability In Doubt
Khalil Shakirs availability has become one of the quieter concerns hanging over the Bills as they head toward their season opener against the Texans. Buffalos top target has missed recent practices because of an undisclosed injury, and while the team remains optimistic about his status, the lack of detail and the cautious approach to his recovery have made this worth watching closely.
The Bills still expect Shakir to be ready for Week 1, and there is some relief in the fact that DJ Moore, who had his own preseason injury scare, is also projected to be available. Even so, Buffalos passing game has a different feel when one of Josh Allens most trusted receivers is sidelined, even briefly, and the final practice reports should tell a lot about how settled the offense really is entering the opener. [Read more 🡒]