1. Allen and Diggs are a top five QB/WR duo entering 2021
Bleacher Report writer Tyler Brooke came out with his list of the top five quarterback/wide receiver duos entering 2021. Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs have been rewriting the Bills history books all season despite limited time to work together in the offseason and training camp. Allen and Diggs were ranked third on his list and here's why:
No. 3. Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs, Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen has taken another huge step in his development this year, in large part thanks to the addition of Stefon Diggs. Allen went from a solid quarterback in 2019 to a Pro Bowler this season. His completion percentage jumped from 58.8 last season to 68.7 this year, and he's thrown for 4,320 yards and 34 touchdowns while adding another eight TDs on the ground. Diggs was also selected to his first Pro Bowl this year, hauling in a career-high 120 receptions for 1,459 yards and eight touchdowns.
After showing off elite arm strength in college, Allen's accuracy and ball placement have improved dramatically this season. That, combined with elite route running from Diggs, has turned the Bills duo into one of the hardest for opposing defenses to slow down.
The connection between Diggs and Allen should only get stronger moving forward. Buffalo acquired Diggs via trade Diggs in March, but the lack of a traditional preseason didn't give him and Allen a normal offseason to work on their timing together. With both players fresh off their first Pro Bowl seasons, Allen and Diggs should take another big step forward in 2021.
2. Bills are eager to finish the season undefeated in the division
With a win against the Dolphins on Sunday, the Bills will have completed the season with a 6-0 record against divisional opponents for the first time in franchise history. The Bills are in a position where they control their own destiny for AFC playoff seeding and with a win or a Steelers loss they will lock up the two seed. Jordan Poyer touched on how eager the team is to finish the season being undefeated within the division.
"Very eager," Poyer stated. "I mean we're eager to come and we have another opportunity to play another divisional opponent and come out on top with the victory. It's our next opponent so anytime we get a chance to be able to lace up and go out there and play, we're excited about the opportunity. We have the mindset that we want to go out there and win football games so that's what we're going to try to do. Continue to prep each day and go out there and execute on Sunday."
3. ESPN has Josh Allen ranked third in the MVP conversation
ESPN staff writer Courtney Cronin ranked the top five candidates in the NFL MVP race and had Josh Allen ranked third. Allen has proved on a national stage the past four weeks why he should be in the MVP conversation. A panel of nine ESPN analysts voted on the top 10 players in the MVP race, and here is what they had to say about Allen.
No. 3. Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills
2020 stats: 4,320 passing yards, 34 TDs, 9 interceptions (plus 418 rushing yards and 8 rushing TDs) in 15 games
Top-five votes: 9 of 9 | Odds to win MVP: +1200
No quarterback has seen a larger increase in Total QBR from 2019 (49.4) to 2020 (81.6) than Allen, according to ESPN Stats & Information. It has helped the Bills establish supremacy in the AFC East with their first division title since 1995 and first season sweep of the Patriots in 20 years.
Allen is likely too far behind Rodgers and Mahomes to win the MVP, but he's no less deserving of being in the conversation after his remarkable turnaround, completing 68% of his passes for more than 4,000 yards and helping Buffalo earn its most single-season victories since 1993. Allen put an exclamation point on his terrific 2020 by throwing for 320 yards and four touchdowns in a prime-time win over the Patriots, which earned him his eighth 300-yard passing game of the season. His 34 passing touchdowns also set a new single-season franchise record.
