The 2022 NFL season is winding down, but there is still a lot at stake for many teams heading into Week 18. One such team that has already secured a playoff spot and is just fighting for seeding now is the Buffalo Bills, but in terms of personal accolades, their star quarterback Josh Allen may be working on putting together the first MVP campaign of his career.
Right now, the Bills focus is obviously going to be on the health and well-being of Damar Hamlin, who collapsed on the field in Buffalo's now suspended Week 17 contest against the Cincinnati Bengals. Buffalo is currently slated to play their Week 18 game against the New England Patriots as scheduled, but that could obviously change at some point if needed.
When the Bills do take the field again, their star quarterback Allen will be looking to put the finishing touches on a potential MVP season. Allen has quickly emerged as one of the best players in the game, and he has given the Bills a great shot at landing the top seed in the AFC. So with that being said, let's take a look at why Allen will end up winning the 2022 NFL MVP award.
Why Josh Allen will win the 2022 NFL MVP
After a couple of rocky seasons to begin his career with the Bills, Allen broke out in 2020 and has quickly established himself as one of, if not the best, quarterbacks in the game. Allen's incredible arm strength allows him to make any sort of throw, and he has the ability to make plays on the ground with his legs as well. With Allen turning into a star, Buffalo's offense has become a well-oiled machine.
Allen was the MVP runner-up in 2020 before failing to garner much consideration for big awards in 2021, but in 2022, it's clear he's one of the frontrunners for the MVP award. Allen has already been selected to the Pro-Bowl for the second time in his career after somehow not getting selected in 2021, and with two games left to go, Allen may have the inside track to walk away with the biggest award in the gam award.
Now it goes without saying that the Bills status for the final two games of the season is murky. They obviously have dealt with a very serious situation regarding Hamlin's health, and while they are on track to play their Week 18 game it appears, there hasn't been much word on what will happen with their suspended matchup against the Bengals. Of course, Hamlin's situation is far more important than any of this scheduling nonsense, but it is worth noting for when the Bills return to action.
For Allen, the 2022 season has been business as usual for him so far (340/536, 4029 YDS, 32 TD, 13 INT). He has had some struggles when it comes to turnovers, but Allen seems to be well on his way to setting career-highs in passing yards and touchdowns over the final two games for the Bills.
Of course, we also have to account for Allen's contributions on the ground, where he only continues to become more and more of a weapon. Among the MVP candidates (which appears to be Allen, Patrick Mahomes, and Joe Burrow) Allen is the best runner of the three, and that gives him a significant advantage on his competition. Allen will likely set a career-high in rushing yards when all is said and done, and his numbers through 15 games are already phenomenal as is (115 CAR, 746 YDS, 7 TD).
In terms of dual-threat quarterbacks in the NFL right now, it's tough to argue that Allen isn't the best of the bunch. He's already a top passer in the league, but when he takes off with the football, he's extremely tough to bring down. Allen has been struggling with an elbow injury at times in the second half of the season, but his play doesn't really show any true struggles due to that injury.
A quick look at the stats will make it look like Mahomes is going to run away with this award, but it's worth noting that Allen and Burrow have played one less game than Mahomes. Again, the status of that game remains up in the air, but assuming it gets played, Allen will have a great shot to add to his stats, which already are looking great.
Assuming Allen can surpass 4500 passing yards, 850 rushing yards, and 45 total touchdowns, he will have a very good shot to win his first MVP award. The Bills rely on him heavily for offensive production, more so than maybe any other player in the league, and Allen has delivered this season. If he can lead Buffalo to the top seed in the AFC, it will be increasingly tough to deny Allen his first career MVP award.
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