Posted at 7:00 a.m.
Q. Did Josh Allen dethrone Patrick Mahomes at the top of the quarterback hierarchy?
A. Due to his size (6’5″ and 237 lbs) and the threat he poses on the ground (763 yards and 6 touchdowns in 2021), it is suspected that Allen would be picked ahead of Mahomes by a majority of managers. generals. That said, Allen and the Bills have been eliminated by Mahomes and the Chiefs for the past two years. Allen’s improvement has been phenomenal in his first four seasons, possibly the most meteoric in history. If he stays healthy, the Bills should be legitimate contenders for a number of years.
Q. Was Von Miller the missing piece for the Bills to win the first Super Bowl in franchise history?
A. Their defense was first in both points and yards last season, but lacked a player who could make the “big” play when it mattered. That’s why the Bills bet to offer a 120 million contract for six years (more than 50 million guaranteed) to a 33-year-old player like Miller, who won the Super Bowl with the Denver Broncos in 2015 and with the Los Angeles Rams last year. The quarterback chaser will add dimension to a defense that already had several top players in Ed Oliver, Tre’Davious White, Jordan Poyer, Micah Hyde and Matt Milano. With that defense, a quarterback of Allen’s caliber and a good head coach like Sean McDermott, the Bills’ Super Bowl chances have never been better since the early 1990s.
Q. What will the 2022 edition of the Patriots look like?
A. It is said that Mac Jones showed up to camp in splendid shape after putting more emphasis on his diet and training, thus borrowing a page from Tom Brady’s playbook… In return, the Patriots tried several experiments in order to find the right formula when it comes to their choice of offensive plays over the past few weeks. Bill Belichick admitted that his team was looking for the best method, she who lost a huge piece with the departure of Josh McDaniels for Las Vegas. The acquisition of DeVante Parker, formerly of the Dolphins, has improved the receiving group, and the offensive line and running backs are strong. On defense, as long as Belichick is there, the unit will get the job done. The Pats are expected to battle for a playoff berth, but a division championship and a return to the Super Bowl this year seem unlikely.
Q. Did the Dolphins make the right decision in sacrificing five draft picks to get Tyreek Hill?
PHOTO WILFREDO LEE, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Tyreek Hill
A. In addition to trading first-, second-, and fourth-round picks in 2022, as well as fourth- and sixth-round picks in 2023, the Dolphins signed Hill to a $120 million four-year deal, a player with a heavy past. The former Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver said he considered his new quarterback, Tuo Tagovailoa, more accurate than Patrick Mahomes… Just in case Tagovailoa wasn’t feeling enough pressure. There’s no doubt Hill’s presence will make their offense more explosive and dangerous, but the Dolphins paid dearly for him. Probably too much.
Q. Will the Jets ever come out of the basement?
A. Poor Jets… They’ve already lost tackle Mekhi Becton all season to a knee injury. The club’s first choice in 2020, Becton had missed that of 2021 because of an injury to the same knee. The news is better in the case of Zach Wilson, but the quarterback still missed most of the preseason schedule with a knee injury. Second hope chosen in the 2021 draft, Wilson must progress, he who had a painful first lap (55.6% of successful passes, 9 touchdowns, 11 interceptions and efficiency coefficient of 69.7). The Jets are hoping for more success with their first three picks of 2022, cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, wide end Garrett Wilson and defensive end Jermaine Johnson II. The Jets have missed the playoffs for the past 11 years, and that bad streak is likely to continue for at least another.