The Buffalo Bills are once again in great shape heading into the 2023 season in large part because they have Josh Allen as their starting quarterback. The No. 7 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft is one of the best players in the NFL at his position and looking to get the Bills over the hump.
Josh Allen has made some major strides in the first five years of his career, turning into one of the most dominant players in the league. His combination of size, strength and athleticism is matched by very few players, especially when compared to quarterbacks.
Heading into Year 6, there are certainly some lofty goals for Josh Allen and the Bills as they are looking to get over the hump in the playoffs. Buffalo is 4-4 with the Wyoming product under center in the playoffs thus far in his career, advancing to the AFC Championship Game once but losing to the Kansas City Chiefs.
What can we expect to see from Josh Allen in 2023? Here are three early bold predictions for the two-time Pro Bowler.
3. New Career-High In Total Offense
There aren’t many players in the NFL that can rack up numbers in the fashion that Josh Allen does it. He has a huge arm, which leads to some eye-popping passing stats but is also one of the best running quarterbacks in the NFL.
The Bills will sometimes deploy him as their short-yardage back, asking him to pick up the tough yards between the tackles to keep drives alive or convert in the red zone. During the 2021 season, he led the NFL with 6.3 yards per carry en route to a career-high 763 rushing yards.
Also in that season, Josh Allen set his career-high with 5,170 yards of total offense. This season, that record is going to be rewritten. Josh Allen will finish the 2023 season with the most total yardage of his career, surpassing the 5,200-yard plateau while setting a career-high in passing yards in a single season.
2. Throws Single-Digit Interceptions
One of the biggest issues that has plagued Josh Allen throughout his career is turnovers. He has thrown a lot of interceptions, sometimes at the least opportune times. In four out of the five seasons of being a professional, Josh Allen has thrown double-digit interceptions.
He has shown some growth in that area, as he hasn’t come close to replicating the 3.8 interception percentage he recorded as a rookie. But that number has begun creeping up the last two seasons, as the 2.3 in 2021 and 2.5 in 2022 were the second and third worst marks of his career.
In the postseason, that was a major deterrent to the Bills finding success. He threw three in two games during the most recent playoffs, unable to replicate the outstanding performance he put together the previous year.
Taking care of the ball is something that should have been an emphasis for Josh Allen this offseason as it will help take him and his team to another level. He will accomplish that feat, throwing single-digit interceptions for only the second time in his career.
1. Josh Allen Wins MVP Award
Having what could be the best statistical season of his career, Josh Allen will be rewarded at the end of the season with another major personal accolade; the 2023 MVP award. The closest that he has come to winning the award was the 2020 season when he finished second behind Aaron Rodgers, who would win the award in two straight seasons.
To top off his MVP season, Josh Allen will also help lead the Bills to double-digit victories for the fifth straight season and fourth straight AFC East title. The road to the Super Bowl in the AFC could very well run through Orchard Park as the Bills are in a position to be near the top of the conference once again.
