ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. – Despite the recent addition of former NFL MVP Cam Newton to their long-time nemesis New England Patriots, Josh Allen and the upstart Buffalo Bills look like the team to beat in the AFC East.
Newton, who signed a one-year deal with $7.5 million, will likely compete with former Auburn quarterback, Jarrett Stidham for the right to succeed Tom Brady, comes to a division that many see as winnable and as wide-open as it’s ever been as the Pats look suddenly—mortal and vulnerable.
While the sight of never having to lose again to TB12 is a delight to many in Bills Mafia, third-year starter, Josh Allen—and the Bills recent playoff run—have given rise to a deeper playoff run. While many will want to debate as to which team is likely to win the AFC East, as both New York and Miami aren’t quite where the Bills and Pats are, take a look below at the projected starting offensive skill set players of both.
(* = player acquired via trade/free agency)
Buffalo Bills:
QB: Josh Allen (24) 3,089 yards, 20 TD’s, nine interceptions and a 85.3 QB rating.
RB: Devin Singletary (22) 151 carries, 775 yards, two TD’s
WR: Stefon Diggs* (26) 63 catches, 1,130 yards receiving, 17.9 YPC, six TD’s
WR John Brown (30) 72 catches, 1,060 yards receiving, 14.7 YPC, six TD’s
WR Cole Beasley (31) 67 catches, 778 yards receiving, 11.6 YPC, six TD’s
TE: Dawson Knox (23) 28 catches, 388 yards receiving, 14.8 YPC, two TD’s
Average age: 31.2
New England Patriots:
QB: Cam Newton* (31) 572 yards, zero touchdowns, one interception.
RB: Sony Michel (25) 247 carries, 912 yards, 3.7 YPG, seven touchdowns.
WR: Mohamed Sanu* (30) 26 catches, 207 yards receiving, 8.0 YPC, one touchdown.
WR: Julian Edelman (34) 100 catches, 1,117 yards receiving, 11.2 YPC, six touchdowns.
WR: N’Keal Harry (22) 12 catches, 105 yards receiving, 8.7 YPC, two touchdowns.
TE: Matt LaCosse (27) 13 catches, 131 yards receiving, 10.1 YPC, one touchdown.
Average age: 33.8
In the Bills, you have youth at QB, RB, TE and WR1 in Allen, Devon Singletary, Dawson Knox, Stefon Diggs and dependable vets at WR2 and WR3 in John Brown and Cole Beasley.
What helps Allen over Newton is that he also played a full year, compared to the two games that Newton played down in Carolina, and is less injury-prone than the former 2010 Heisman Trophy winner as well. Allen also has two 1,000-yard wideouts who can take the top off opposing defenses.
Is Buffalo the team to beat in the AFC East?
While being better on paper doesn’t always translate to the field—see 2019 Cleveland Browns—the Bills have a better starting unit of offense than the Patriots, who are older, and outside of 34-year-old three-time Super Bowl champion and MVP in Julian Edelman, don’t really have the kind of personnel to really make you fear them vertically.
While New England has the better coach in Bill Belichick, a savvy and ball-hawking defense and an edge in experience, Brady leaving is a HUGE hole to fill, and one would be wise to pick Buffalo over New England due to the entrenched signal-caller that the Bills have in Allen over an unproven Stidham and a proverbial wildcard in Newton.
Stranger things have happened in football before, but as of now, the Bills—and not the Pats—are the new alpha of the AFC East.