Josh Allen’s start has him right in the middle of the MVP conversation, and Tom Brady is already treating the Bills quarterback like one of the early names to watch.
Buffalo enters Week 9 at 6-1, sitting in a strong spot and carrying the kind of buzz that comes with being viewed as one of the favorites to reach the Super Bowl. A big reason for that is Allen, who has once again taken over games and pushed the Bills to the top of the AFC.
The numbers tell the story. Allen has thrown for 1,793 yards with 11 touchdowns and five interceptions, and he has been just as dangerous as a runner, piling up 270 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground.
That production has fueled the MVP talk, and Brady’s name being attached to the discussion only adds more weight to it. Brady said Allen belongs among the handful of players who should be considered the early favorites for the award.
Still, Allen’s focus is elsewhere. He is not chasing individual hardware so much as trying to get Buffalo over the top this season.
The Bills are in position to make a real run, and Allen knows the only thing that will ultimately matter is what happens in the playoffs. Buffalo will be judged on how far it goes when the games get bigger.
Even with the defense having some issues, the Bills have looked like a team that can beat anybody when Allen is rolling. But that side of the ball will need to tighten up as the season goes on, because Buffalo can’t keep asking its quarterback to carry everything.
Allen has done enough to make the MVP chatter real. Now the Bills need the rest of the roster to help turn that into something bigger.
In Other News...
Bills Add Familiar AFC East Help Ahead Of Tough Week 9
The Bills added some familiar AFC East experience to their secondary this week, signing cornerback Kader Kohou to the practice squad ahead of their Week 9 matchup with the Vikings. Kohou arrives with a background that should make the transition easier, having spent three seasons with Miami and also time with Kansas City before his recent release.
For Buffalo, the move is about adding another layer of depth at a position that can get stressed quickly over the course of a season. The Bills are trying to keep momentum rolling with a fourth straight win in sight, and bringing in a player who knows the division gives them a little more insurance as the schedule tightens. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Offense Gets Its Biggest Test Yet Against Minnesota
Monday night brings a rare kind of measuring stick for Buffalo, one that strips away the weekly noise and puts the Bills offense in a direct collision with the leagues most efficient defense by the numbers. It is the sort of matchup that tends to tell you a lot about where a contender really stands, especially when the conversation centers on EPA per play and the gap between an attack that can score in bunches and a unit built to smother it.
The historical backdrop is part of what makes this one worth watching, because these elite-versus-elite showdowns have not come around often and they have not always gone the same way. The offense has had a slight edge over time, but the results have been close enough to suggest there is no easy script here, which only adds to the intrigue for a Bills team trying to prove its ceiling against Minnesota. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Face A Keon Coleman Decision That Could Split Fans
Keon Coleman has given the Bills a useful early return, with three touchdowns and 287 yards on 20 catches, and his presence has been part of Buffalos effort to keep the offense moving while the roster gets sorted out for the stretch run. Even so, the Bills are still weighing where they need help most as they try to build a team good enough for a real Super Bowl push.
That is where the conversation gets interesting, because ESPNs Dan Graziano floated the idea that Coleman could become part of a deal to bring in defensive help. No trade has been reported, but the mere possibility is enough to spark debate in Buffalo, where fans are already trying to figure out whether a productive young receiver is a core piece or a movable asset. [Read more 🡒]