Josh Allen has been paying dividends for the Buffalo Bills since they drafted him in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Allen holds the team’s single-season passing record and is already a Pro Bowler and Second Team All-Pro. He has taken the team as far as the AFC Championship game.
In 2021, the team signed him to a 4 year, $21,443,037 contract, undoubtedly making him the face of the franchise. They have continued to build a great team and put plenty of talent around the young signal caller.
Now, Allen has officially thrown his hat in the ring for league MVP by being named the front-runner by the odds makers in Vegas.
Why is Allen Leading the MVP Race?
After the Bills lost their season opener to the Jets, there were a lot of people questioning Allen and wondering if he was losing his touch. He quieted the peanut gallery by having three dominant performances after that game.
Against the Raiders, the Commanders (who do have an outstanding defense), and the Dolphins, Allen had an average of 76.8 percent completion percentage and a 120.9 passer rating. He has thrown for 1,048 yards and nine touchdowns in just four games, leading his team to a three-win one-loss record going into a week five game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Allen is not lacking in the intangibles, either. He is a brilliant young leader with a reputation for doing things the right way. This is why his team named him a captain for the 2023 NFL season.
The Daboll Factor
Brian Daboll served as the offensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills from 2018 until 2021. While the jury is still out on Daboll as a head coach (now with the New York Giants), there is no question that he has a special talent within a passing game.
Daboll has worked with many greats, including spending time with the Patriots, twice, during the Brady years. Before he came to Buffalo as the OC, Daboll was the OC and quarterbacks coach for Alabama where he coached Jalen Hurts, Tua Tagovailoa, and Mac Jones through outstanding college careers. Even now, he has helped to advance Daniel Jones as a viable option at quarterback.
Daboll gave an invaluable gift to Buffalo in his coaching of Allen as well as his impact on the overall passing game. Buffalo was always known for a great defense, but Daboll helped them find their feet as an offense.
Allen must take what he learned from Daboll and continue to grow his game. Daboll was able to create an extra edge for Hurts, Tagovailoa, and others long after he had moved on. There is no reason to think that the same breakthrough won’t last long term for Allen.
Will Allen Have an MVP Year?
It looks like this could be Josh Allen’s year- but only time will tell. Don’t miss a minute of the excitement. Catch all of your favorite NFL teams at The Winslow.
