The Buffalo Bills have won the AFC East the past three years but after a lackluster performance in the playoffs, the thought is that they could be trending down and the gap has closed within the division.
There is certainly some legitimacy to that thought as the Bills would split the season series with the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets. Both teams also made notable trades during the offseason with the Dolphins trading for cornerback Jalen Ramsey and the Jets trading for quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
While the gap may have closed, the fact remains that the Buffalo Bills are still the best team in the division for these four reasons.
4 reasons the Buffalo Bills are still the best team in the AFC East for 2023 season
Reason #1: Josh Allen is still the best quarterback in the division
The first one is fairly obvious as the team with the best quarterback usually has the advantage over the rest of the division. That player in the AFC East is Josh Allen.
The disparity at the position isn’t nearly as great as it was last year with the addition of Rodgers, who is a former two-time MVP, and with Tua Tagovailoa making significant strides in his performance last year.
However, these two also have major questions as Rodgers is coming off a down year and it remains to be seen if this is just a one-time thing or just the beginning of a dip in his performance as he nears the end of his career.
As for Tua Tagovailoa, he looked excellent early in the season with one of the best wide receiver duos in the league catching the ball from him in Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. However, he suffered a number of head injuries and durability has to be part of the discussion.
While Josh Allen did struggle with turnovers towards the end of last season, he still showed he can take over games and put this team on his back. He has discussed having to change his playing style moving forward but he remains a matchup nightmare for defenses and with an improved offensive line and the addition of Dalton Kincaid, he should be able to bounce back quickly and make it clear he is the top quarterback in the AFC East.