NFL.com predicts Josh Allen as the Buffalo Bills’ 2019 MVP.
By Nick Wojton / Billswire.usatoday.com
Former NFL wide receiver-turned-analyst on NFL Network’s Good Morning Football Nate Burleson put the bar a whole lot higher for Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen on Monday.
Burleson tagged Allen as the player he believes will be the “most improved” second-year player in the NFL in 2019.
“We saw the highlights, the hurdling over guys, and we even saw the the fantastic throws where he shows off the arm strength,” Burleson said, referring to Allen’s rookie season. “I know he’s athletic and I hope I don’t see as much running this upcoming season and what they did is added pieces that’s going to make him more comfortable.”
NFL.com prediction
Before the 2019 NFL season even starts, many will predict that second-year quarterback Josh Allen will be a major factor for the Buffalo Bills, one way or another.
NFL.com projects it to be for the better.
The outlet recently took a stab at who will be every team’s most valuable player when next season is all said and done. Allen is the MVP guess for the Bills.
Here’s why NFL.com thinks so:
That blend of optimism and apprehension in Baltimore can also be found up north in Buffalo, where the Bills hope Allen will take the next step. Like (Lamar) Jackson, Allen is a first-round pick who flashed as a rookie but also struggled at times with ball placement and mechanics. Even with those Year 1 deficiencies, Allen gives Bills fans the kind of quarterback excitement they haven’t seen since … Jim Kelly? That dash of Fitzmagic a while back? Flutie Flakes? Allen doesn’t have a true No. 1 wideout to throw to, but we love the fireworks potential of Allen’s howitzer and free-agent addition John Brown’s blazing straight-line speed. Sportswriter Rule No. 483: “Cannon” and “howitzer” are the only artillery-related terms allowed to describe the power of a quarterback’s throwing arm.
While Allen’s arm strength is a heavy reason mentioned in terms of how he’ll become this team MVP next year, that has little to do with why in reality. Sure, Allen can throw the deep ball, but true observers of the Bills know it’s about the mentioned mechanics and the QB’s accuracy next season.
Allen knows how to send it deep, but Tom Brady and Drew Brees aren’t throwing for near 5,000-plus yards a season because of the deep ball. It’s because of consistency and keeping the offense on the field. For Allen to be Buffalo’s true MVP, he has to convince offensive coordinator Brian Daboll that he will improve his accuracy and complete short-to-intermediate range passes that keep the chains moving more frequently.
Doing so will improve his completion percentage, passing yards, and most importantly, win totals, in 2019.