The Buffalo Bills do not have to make too many changes to their roster this offseason, but there are a few areas that could help them close the gap on the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC...
The Buffalo Bills have a few players they could keep around for at least one more season via the franchise tag...
NFL MVP 2021: Award Candidates, Odds and Predictions
Feb 6, 2021
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers passes during the first half of the NFC championship NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Green Bay, Wis., Sunday, Jan. 24, 2021. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)
The 2021 NFL Honors will be held Saturday night in Tampa, Florida, with a pre-produced show set to air on CBS ahead of Sunday's Super Bowl showdown between the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The league's most prestigious individual awards will be handed out, from Defensive Player of the Year to Walter Payton Man of the Year. The evening will also mark the official announcement of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2021.
Of course, the Most Valuable Player Award is also on the line.
There has not been a repeat NFL MVP since Peyton Manning in 2008-09, and—barring unforeseen circumstances—there will not be one for the 2020 season, as Lamar Jackson is unlikely to attract much of the vote. However, two of the top candidates have the opportunity to pad their career resumes.
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has already won a pair of MVPs. Chiefs signal-caller Patrick Mahomes has more important things in mind, but he could become a two-time MVP. Then there's Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry, a back-to-back rushing champion looking to become the first running back to win MVP since Adrian Peterson in 2012.
Let's take a look at the odds for some of the top candidates heading into the 10th Annual NFL Honors
When it boils down to it, this is essentially a two-horse race.
Henry deserves plenty of praise after becoming just the eighth player in NFL history to rush for at least 2,000 yards in a single season. His 2,027 yards ranks fifth all-time, and he was quite simply the engine driving the Tennessee Titans' success throughout 2020.
But the reality is, the MVP Award so often goes to quarterbacks, and there were some spectacular quarterback performances this season.
So, what about Buffalo Bills star Josh Allen? The 24-year-old made an enormous year-over-year leap, raising his completion rate by just over 10 percentage points while throwing for 4,544 yards and 37 touchdowns against 10 interceptions.
Allen also rushed for 421 yards and eight scores, showcasing his mobility and escapability outside the pocket. Perhaps most notably, his improvement was vital in Buffalo amassing a 13-3 record.
Yet as good as Allen was, Rodgers and Mahomes were just better.
Mahomes went 14-1 in his 15 starts, throwing for 4,740 yards and 38 touchdowns against just six interceptions. He led the NFL with 316.0 passing yards per game and tied with Rodgers for the league lead in interception percentage.
Mahomes absolutely dominates when facing extra pressure, and his ability to make off-timing throws only makes the Chiefs' explosive offense that much more dangerous. That said, this one goes to the "old heads," so to speak.
Rodgers had a remarkable season, leading the NFL in completion percentage (70.7), touchdown passes (48), adjusted yards gained per pass attempt (9.6) and total QBR (84.3) in spite of a relative lack of talent and depth at the wide receiver position.
The 37-year-old ranked second in on-target throws per pass attempt and ranked towards the bottom of the NFL in bad throw percentage. He dissected opposing defenses all season long and should be awarded his third MVP trophy.
On Sunday, the 2020 NFL season will come to a close with Super Bowl LV. The night before, the league will be handing out some individual hardware...
Josh Allen Says He 'Proved' Bills Didn't Make a Mistake by Drafting Him in 2018
Jan 25, 2021
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen throws a pass during the first half of the AFC championship NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Jan. 24, 2021, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)
After leading the Buffalo Bills to their first AFC Championship Game appearance in more than two decades, quarterback Josh Allen said he has finally demonstrated his worth to the team that drafted him with the No. 7 pick in 2018.
"I proved they didn't make a mistake by drafting me," Allen told reporters Monday. "I'm just trying to help this team win (however) I can."
Though Buffalo's playoff run ended Sunday with a 38-24 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, Allen had a breakout season that put him squarely in the mix for being named the league's MVP.
For just a taste of the criticism that Allen has faced since joining the league, ESPN's Kevin Van Valkenburg compiled some of the strongest takes earlier this month, highlighted by a note from Football Outsiders that there weren't enough statistics to save him as "every piece of empirical evidence ... leads to him being a failure."
"He's a highly competitive, mature player," Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll said. "That's why we selected him. We did a lot of due diligence on him. He's about leadership, toughness, competitiveness. I'm proud of the way he handles himself for the Buffalo Bills. He's done a lot for this team."
The Wyoming product earned his first Pro Bowl nod this season after throwing for a career-high 4,544 passing yards and 37 touchdowns. He also boosted his completion percentage by nearly 11 points, going from 58.8 en route to a Wild Card Game in 2019 to 69.2 this season. Neither Tom Brady nor Peyton Manning has accomplished such a drastic feat, according to Van Valkenburg.
Luckily for the Bills, Allen is under contract to make $6.91 million in 2021 and has a fifth-year option for 2022, so they could be back right where they left off next season.
Bills' Josh Allen Says He's 'Disappointed' He Threw Ball at Chiefs' Alex Okafor
Jan 25, 2021
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) tosses the ball towards Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Alex Okafor (57) after being sacked during the second half of the AFC championship NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 24, 2021, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen regretted his role in a late-game scuffle against the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday.
Allen threw the ball at Chiefs defensive end Alex Okafor, leading to an altercation that featured four personal foul calls:
"The way it ended doesn't sit right with me," Allen said after the game, per Matthew Fairburn of The Athletic. "How chippy and ticky-tack it got, I'm disappointed in myself that I let my emotions get to me there. That's not how you're supposed to play the game of football. All the other stuff, it is what it is, but I need to control what I can control."
The Bills were trailing 38-21 at the time with under four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Allen was hoping to lead a late-game miracle but took an 18-yard sack on third down to make scoring another touchdown near-impossible.
Allen was called for unsportsmanlike conduct, while teammates Dion Dawkins and Jon Feliciano earned flags for unnecessary roughness. The team was fortunate a flag on Okafor caused the penalties to offset, allowing the Bills to kick a field goal. However, the game was still effectively over as the Chiefs sealed the 38-24 win.
Despite the disappointment, Allen vowed to be better in the future.
"I have to be a better leader for this team."
Patrick Mahomes Proves He's NFL's Best QB After Outdueling Josh Allen
Jan 25, 2021
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes celebrates at the end of the AFC championship NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Sunday, Jan. 24, 2021, in Kansas City, Mo. The Chiefs won 38-24. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann)
Sunday night's AFC Championship Game was a glimpse into the future of the conference, a battle between a pair of immensely talented young quarterbacks in Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs and Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills. I wrote earlier in the week that we could be looking at the beginning of the next great rivalry at the NFL's most important position.
Instead of a back-and-forth duel between a pair of young gunslingers, we were treated to the starkest of reminders that while Allen and the Bills are an ascending young team, the Chiefs are the best team not only in the AFC but also in the NFL.
And Mahomes is the gold standard at quarterback—by a sizable margin.
The certainty regarding that last statement had been a bit cloudy in recent weeks. Over the past two months or so, it can be argued that Allen has played just as well as Mahomes—and perhaps even a little better. Their statistics in the regular season were close to identical. Allen posted a slightly better completion percentage, while Mahomes had about 200 more passing yards and one more touchdown pass in one less game.
"Most would say that Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes currently is the best in the game. Some who know the game and who study it carefully are wondering whether Bills quarterback Josh Allen has caught up with Mahomes.
"[Chris] Simms and I separately have been hearing talk along those lines based on Allen’s incredible improvement in 2020. And the point often made is this: There’s a difference when it comes to seeing Allen perform in person.
"Size, speed, mobility, accuracy. Incredible velocity when he throws. Uncanny ability to sprint one way and throw the other."
Add in that Mahomes came into the game with turf toe after suffering a concussion in last week's win over the Cleveland Browns, and there were murmurs that this could be Allen's time to shine.
As it turns out, those murmurs came from Fantasy Island.
To be fair, Allen didn't necessarily play poorly. He threw for 287 yards and two scores and helped guide the Bills to an early 9-0 lead.
But then reality kicked in, and the league's best quarterback got to work.
When Mahomes hit Mecole Hardman from three yards out early in the second quarter to help cut the lead to 9-7, it marked the beginning of an onslaught that would see the Chiefs score on six of seven drives. The only "drive" that didn't result in points was when Mahomes took a knee at the close of the first half.
When Mahomes hit Pro Bowl tight end Travis Kelce for his third touchdown throw of the game early in the final quarter, Kansas City had a three-possession lead and the game was essentially over.
Mahomes' toe may have bothered him a bit at times—he limped about on a few occasions. But it certainly didn't hamper his play. At the close of Kansas City's 38-24 victory, Mahomes was 29-of-38 for 325 yards and three scores. His passer rating was a robust 127.6, and he averaged a beefy 8.6 yards per attempt.
He didn't care that Christmas was a month ago—Mahomes carved up a Buffalo defense that had no answer all game like the Grinch on a prime cut of roast beast.
Predictably, while accepting the Lamar Hunt Trophy as AFC champs (again) on the CBS telecast, Mahomes was quick to credit his teammates.
"[The key to the win] was just trust in each other," he said. "The best thing about this team is we believe in each other, and every single time we hit the field we leave everything we have. But the job's not finished. We're going to Tampa, and we're gonna try to run it back."
In fairness, Mahomes wasn't a one-man show Sunday night. Kelce and wide receiver Tyreek Hill both had huge games, combining for 22 catches, 290 yards and two touchdowns. The Kansas City defense sacked Allen four times and limited the Bills to five third-down conversions on 14 attempts.
But if the Chiefs are going to down Tom Brady and the Buccaneers in two weeks in Tampa to become the first repeat Super Bowl champions since Brady's New England Patriots of 2003 and 2004, it's going to take another great game from Mahomes.
The smart money should be on that happening, at least if the first four years of his professional career are any indication.
Patrick Mahomes has never...
Played a road playoff game, or been anything but the 1 or 2 seed.
Those numbers are just staggering. And they don't even tell the whole story. Mahomes is now 44-9 as the starter for the Chiefs. In his second season, he became the second quarterback in league history to throw for over 5,000 yards and 50 touchdowns in the same campaign. He has already been named the MVP of both the NFL and the Super Bowl. His only playoff loss was in overtime against the greatest quarterback in league history (Brady) in a contest where the Chiefs never got a possession in overtime.
Oh, and he won't turn 26 until after the 2021 season has started. Mahomes is incredibly accurate. Capable of making throws with ease that most other quarterbacks wouldn't even comprehend attempting. There are times that the 10-year, $450 million megadeal he signed last year looks like a bargain.
In many ways, it's fitting that Mahomes will have to get past Brady to lock in the Chiefs as the next true NFL dynasty. Brady was at the helm of the last great dynasty in New England, and he's widely regarded as the best to ever play the position.
That the pair have split four previous meetings is just icing on the cake.
As great as Mahomes has been to date, it's going to be a while before he challenges the Golden Boy for the title of GOAT, although a win against Brady in the Super Bowl will narrow the gap.
Ten Super Bowl appearances and six rings is a resume that's hard to top.
But Sunday evening, Mahomes served notice that we need to knock it off with comparisons about who the best is right now. Allen hasn't caught up. Neither has Baltimore's Lamar Jackson. As great as veterans like Seattle's Russell Wilson and Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers are, Mahomes has surpassed them. Quickly.
Patrick Lavon Mahomes II is the best quarterback in the National Football League.
And it's not close.
Josh Allen: 'No Doubt' Bills Will Be Back After AFC Title Game Loss to Chiefs
Jan 24, 2021
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen throws a pass during the second half of the AFC championship NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Jan. 24, 2021, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Sometimes the other team is just better, and that was the case for the Bills on Sunday.
Kansas City looked ready to defend its Super Bowl title after a slow start and never looked back once it scored three touchdowns in the second quarter. Patrick Mahomes threw for 325 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions, Tyreek Hill tallied nine catches for 172 yards, and Travis Kelce was unstoppable with 13 catches for 118 yards and two touchdowns.
The only way to keep up with an offense like that is taking advantage of every single opportunity to score touchdowns, and Buffalo did not do that.
It settled for a field goal from the Chiefs' 2-yard line to end the first half and then settled for a field goal from the Chiefs' 8-yard line on its opening possession of the second half. Allen also threw an interception in the red zone early in the fourth quarter when his team was still within striking distance.
"I didn't perform well enough for this team," hetold reporters. "... We moved the ball well enough. We got down to the red zone but we couldn't get the ball in the end zone. A couple bad decisions on my part."
The good news for Buffalo is it appears to have its franchise quarterback.
Allen took significant strides this year and was an MVP candidate after dealing with some inconsistency in the first two seasons of his career. He is just 24 years old and figures to be in his prime for seasons to come.
If he continues to improve, AFC playoff showdowns between Mahomes and Allen may become an annual January tradition.
Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs Defeat Josh Allen, Bills to Advance to Super Bowl LV
Jan 24, 2021
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes throws a pass during the second half of the AFC championship NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Sunday, Jan. 24, 2021, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann)
One win stands in the way of back-to-back championships for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Kansas City clinched a spot in the Super Bowl with a 38-24 victory over the Buffalo Bills in Sunday's AFC Championship Game at Arrowhead Stadium. Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill led the way for the defending champions, who will face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and attempt to be the first back-to-back Lombardi Trophy winners since the New England Patriots in 2004 and 2005.
Ironically, it will be the same Tom Brady who did that standing on the other sideline in the Super Bowl.
As for Buffalo, it failed to make its first Super Bowl since the 1993 season and could not keep pace throughout the game despite a quick start.
Josh Allen, QB, BUF: 28-of-48 for 287 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT; 7 carries for 88 yards
Chiefs' Unstoppable Offense Overcomes Early Mistakes, Cruises to Super Bowl
Sometimes it seems as if Kansas City will be unstoppable for the next decade with Mahomes under center.
The start of Sunday's game was not one of those times.
Hill dropped a deep ball that likely would have set up a scoreon the Chiefs' opening possession, and Mecole Hardman muffed a punt that led to a one-play, three-yard touchdown drive for the Bills. Just like that, it was 9-0 Buffalo with Kansas City seemingly tripping over itself with uncharacteristic mistakes.
In reality, all those mistakes just delayed the inevitable.
Kansas City scored three touchdowns in the second quarter alone to seize control of the game with Hardman making up for his mistake with a touchdown catch and a 50-yard run that set up a score for Darrel Williams. Clyde Edwards-Helaire scored the third touchdown in a stark reminder to Buffalo just how explosive this offense can be when it's not making mistakes.
The Chiefs aresimply impossible to stop when the secondary playmakers are contributing like that because Kelce and Hill, who both went over 100 yards, are almost always going to get their numbers, as well.
The pair put on a clinic in the third quarter with Hill taking a short pass and darting his way through multiple tackles and leaving defenders in his wake for 71 yards before Kelce capped off the touchdown drivewith a score on a shovel pass. Throw in Kelce's second touchdown catch for good measure and there was little drama down the stretch.
Tampa Bay's defense better be ready.
Missed Opportunities in Scoring Position Doom Bills
Josh Allen was an MVP candidate this season, but Sunday was his chance to enter rarified air by taking down the current best quarterback in the league and setting up a date with arguably the best one in NFL history.
Alas, he struggled in the early going as Buffalo fell behind by two scores going into halftime. Buffalo punted three times in the first half, settled for a field goal inside Kansas City's 5-yard line and escaped key turnovers when defenders dropped interceptions on two of Allen's passes.
The visitors' only touchdown until Isaiah McKenzie scored in garbage time came when they started on the Chiefs' 3-yard line following Hardman's muffed punt.
The Bills' FG before the half was (sorta) defensible, but I think you go for it there. Going from 12 to 9 is pretty blah. You still need two scoring drives to win, and they have the best player on the planet.
Halftime changed nothing as Buffalo settled for another field goal inside Kansas City's 10-yard line on its first possession of the third quarter and then seemingly lost all hope when Allen threw a red-zone interception in the fourth quarter to Rashad Fenton.
Frankly, the Bills should have gone for some of their fourth downs—especially on the short field goals—considering they were going up against an absolute juggernaut in Mahomes. Kansas City also made life more difficult on Allen by shadowing Stefon Diggs everywhere he went, and the star wide receiver struggled to create the separation he did earlier in the playoffs and throughout the regular season.
The infrastructure is in place for Buffalo with Allen leading a talented offense, but there is no chance to beat the Chiefs with failed red-zone trips and field goals instead of touchdowns.
What's Next?
The Chiefs will go for the Lombardi Trophy in a showdown with Brady and the Buccaneers on Feb. 7.
