Your guide to Bills' regular season finale against Miami Dolphins in Week 17

Josh Allen will receive votes for NFL Most Valuable Player. That much seems clear.

Buffalo News sports reporter Vic Carucci, one of 50 voters tabbed by the Associated Press to select the NFL All-Pro team and assorted year-end honors, publicly pledged his ballot to Allen after the Bills dismantled the Patriots, 38-9, on "Monday Night Football" in Foxborough, Mass.

“Without a doubt, he has in my mind solidified the argument that he should be MVP,” Carucci told WGRZ's Adam Benigni on "Sports Talk Live." “The oddsmakers say he’s third on the list behind Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes. I think he is at the top of that list. The balloting ends on Jan. 5. I’m a voter for the AP. I can tell you who I’m casting my ballot for, and it’s not a homer vote. The guy is legit.”

Interviews with more than a half-dozen voters, including a couple with Buffalo connections in Hall of Fame General Manager Bill Polian and Hall of Fame wide receiver James Lofton, in addition to Peter King of NBC Sports, Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com, Paul Domowitch of the Philadelphia Daily News/Inquirer and Nate Davis and Jarrett Bell of USA Today, indicate Carucci isn’t alone in his thinking.

Voters who spoke with The News stressed they could only speak for themselves, as they hadn’t discussed the topic with other voters, but the conversations in aggregate also reinforced the notion that Allen is a longshot to win.

Rodgers, the Green Bay quarterback, is the heavy favorite, receiving 2/9 odds from BetOnline.ag, followed by Mahomes (13/4), the Kansas City quarterback, then Allen (9/1). Tennessee running back Derrick Henry, a distant fourth at 22/1 a week ago, is off the board.

“In the last dozen years or more, it’s become a quarterback’s award, since Peyton Manning came to the fore,” said AP sports writer Barry Wilner, who doesn’t cast a ballot but has overseen the voting process for a quarter century. “So it’s hard for anyone from another position to win it, and especially in a year when you have quarterbacks having great seasons. I think Rodgers, Mahomes and Allen are all in the conversation.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if any of those three guys win it.”

The 2020 MVP award winner is expected to be announced during Super Bowl week, Wilner said. The league has yet to set a date for its annual award show, "NFL Honors," because of scheduling uncertainty due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It typically airs the night before the game.

The last seven MVP awards have gone to QBs – Lamar Jackson, Mahomes, Tom Brady (his third), Matt Ryan, Cam Newton, Rodgers (second) and Peyton Manning (fifth) – since running back Adrian Peterson claimed the hardware in 2012. Quarterbacks have won the award in 17 of the last 20 years. Two were honored in 2003, when Manning and Steve McNair were named co-MVPs.

The AP does not provide specific guidelines for voters to consider. It’s up to each individual to determine the criteria he or she deems important for choosing MVP, weighing statistical production, consistency, team success, the surrounding talent and a host of factors.

“It’s that whole water cooler debate of what’s most valuable,” Davis said. “Is it the guy with the best stats or is it the guy who’s most indispensable to his team? It’s kind of left up to the individual voter to decide who gets your vote.”

It’s generally understood by voters that the award is meant to honor a single season in its totality, based on a player’s performance from Week 1 through Week 17, and not a shorter or larger body of work. Ballots are not accepted early, and playoff performance doesn’t factor into the equation.

The statistics for the front-runners through 15 games:

Rodgers

353/502 (70.3%), 4,059 passing yards, 44 TDs, 5 INTs, 119.4 passer rating; 145 rushing yards, 3 TDs.

He leads the league in touchdown passes and passer rating, ranks second in completion percentage and fifth in passing yards. The Packers (12-3) can clinch the No. 1 seed in the NFC with a victory at Chicago.

Mahomes

390/588 (66.3%), 4,740 passing yards, 38 TDs, 6 INTs, 108.2 passer rating; 308 rushing yards, 2 TDs.

He leads the league in passing yards but trails Rodgers in most every other major category. The Chiefs (14-1) have secured the No. 1 seed in the AFC and will rest Mahomes for the regular season finale against the Chargers.

Allen

378/547 (69.1%), 4,320 passing yards, 34 TDs, 9 INTs, 106.4 passer rating; 418 rushing yards, 8 TDs.

He set single-season franchise records for completions, total yards and touchdowns while leading the Bills (12-3) to their first division title since 1995. He's second in the league in total touchdowns, trailing Rodgers 47-43; third in the league in passing yards, tied for third in completions, fifth in passing touchdowns and fifth in passer rating. He also has nearly double Rodgers’ interception total and might not play much, if at all, in the finale against the Dolphins.

Henry

344 carries, 1,777 rushing yards, 15 TDs, 1 fumble; 19 catches, 114 yards.

He leads the league in carries and rushing yards and will win a second consecutive rushing title, a feat last accomplished by Hall of Famer LaDanian Tomlinson in 2006 and ’07. He needs 223 yards to become the eighth player to surpass 2,000 rushing yards in a season. The Titans (10-5) need either a win at Houston or the Colts to lose at home to the Jaguars to win the AFC South.

There’s a case for each candidate.

We asked voters to share their thoughts, which have been lightly edited for clarity and brevity:

Bill Polian, Hall of Fame GM, SiriusXM NFL Radio

I don’t know how other people are thinking, and I don’t put a lot of stock in these sorta ‘curbstone polls’ that pop up every now and then, because like most voters, nobody’s ever polled me.

You’re the first person that’s asked where I’m leaning. And I wouldn’t say anyway.

But having said that, I think that it’s clearly a four-horse race at this point in time. It’s Aaron Rodgers, Patrick Mahomes, Josh and the running back in Tennessee. At least in my mind, it’s one of those four.

And I think Josh stacks up very favorably.

It’s a very tough call, because if you use the barometer – which by the way, no one has said to me as a voter that this is the barometer you have to use, but I always apply it: ‘Where would the team be without this player?’ Every one of those guys fit the bill.

I haven’t made my choice yet.

We still have time, so I’m going to use every minute I have.

Peter King, NBC Sports

Absolutely, unequivocally, Josh Allen is in the discussion because right now Buffalo might be the best team in football.

But as we head into Week 17, I am leaning toward Aaron Rodgers.

He’s got them in position to win homefield in the NFC; he’s obviously going to just walk into the Hall of Fame one day; and this has been one of his best two or three seasons. Plus-39 touchdowns to interception ratio (44:5).

A quarterback rating (119.4) that could set the all-time NFL record (122.5, set by Rodgers in 2011).

No matter what fanbase you’re from, it’s hard to say that’s not deserving of the MVP. Or at the very least, man, you might pick somebody else, but it’s hard to have had a better season – period – than Aaron Rodgers has had.

At the start of this month, Josh Allen was not on my radar as far as who I thought was going to be MVP.

Derrick Henry was on my radar. Tom Brady was on my radar. Russell Wilson was on my radar.

But Josh Allen had that little October slide where he went a couple of games without throwing a touchdown pass, and they lost a couple of games in there to Tennessee and Kansas City.

I think it’s important to play great in big games, and to play great down the stretch of the season. But I do value 16 games, and I value what happened in Week 5 or 6 nearly as much as I value what happened in Week 15 or 16.

Charean Williams, ProFootballTalk.com

I never make up my mind until every game is played, because it’s not over until it’s over.

Earlier this season, it appeared Russell Wilson was going to run away with the award. Now, he’s not even in the conversation. Then, it was Patrick Mahomes who was the favorite. Now, it’s Aaron Rodgers who has the best odds in Vegas.

But Josh Allen certainly has put himself in the running. He has 300 more passing yards than Rodgers and 273 more rushing yards and five more rushing touchdowns.

The Packers and Bills have the same record.

You could make a case for either player, and neither is wrong.

I think the same goes for offensive player of the year.

Stefon Diggs, Alvin Kamara, Derrick Henry and Davante Adams all have cases for it. Whoever gets it is deserving, but so are several other players who don’t win it.

The best case for Josh Allen, in my opinion, is to consider where the Bills have come from to get here. The Packers were 13-3 last season. The Bills last won the division in 1995, and they haven’t won 12 regular-season games since 1993.

Paul Domowitch, Philadelphia Daily News/Inquirer

I hadn’t made up my mind yet, but the more I looked at Allen, right now I’d honestly say I’m probably leaning toward him as the MVP.

Player of the Year, Aaron Rodgers wins hands down. His numbers are just that overwhelming.

But MVP is not Player of the Year.

You’re talking about who’s most valuable to your team and Rodgers has far more talent around him. He’s got probably one of the league’s best offensive lines. He’s got Devonte Adams. And I look at Mahomes as the other guy I was considering, and he’s got Travis Kelce.

I realize that Josh has Stefon Diggs, but this is going to be his first Pro Bowl. He’s not Devonte Adams. Cole Beasley’s having the best year of his career with Josh. And Josh doesn’t have the offensive line either of them has. He also doesn’t have the defense a team like Kansas City has, where they’re sixth in points allowed this year.

And maybe because of what I’ve seen from (Eagles rookie quarterback) Jalen Hurts, the legs are a bigger factor than maybe they would have been in my consideration earlier. This is a guy that’s got 38 rushing first downs, which is only two fewer than Devin Singletary, and eight rushing touchdowns.

Whether people feel as strongly as me about his value to the team compared to Rodgers and Mahomes, I don’t know. I can’t speak to that. I feel fairly certain he’s going to get a lot of votes. This could be one of the closer races in recent memory, so it’ll be interesting to see how it shakes out. But I think he’ll be right there in the thick of it.

James Lofton, Hall of Fame receiver, CBS Sports

I’m going to vote for Aaron Rodgers.

I think he’s doing more with less than the other quarterbacks, and he’s had a phenomenal year, too.

They did not give him a second receiver to really throw the ball to, and to elevate Robert Tongan, the great tight end in Green Bay, you of course know of his background, right? (He was undrafted out of Indiana State in 2017, initially signed with the Lions and ended his rookie season on the Packers practice squad.)

Not to diminish what Josh Allen has done, but in a way it’s almost a cumulative effort to win the MVP award. Early in the season, everybody thought Russell Wilson was the guy because he had had a number of good seasons and he was having another good season, and then he kind of faltered for a little while.

Nobody expected the big jump that Josh Allen had in terms of completion percentage.

The addition of Stefon Diggs, who has played probably better than any receiver in the league, has really helped him out. But it’s one hand washing the other with those two.

There are people who look at metrics and analytics and there are people who do the eyeball test, and there are people who sample a little bit of both. When you watch Rodgers and Mahomes play, you know that they are the best guys on the field, obviously.

Allen could belong in the conversation, but does he get votes? Those are two different things.

Nate Davis, USA Today

I wouldn’t be surprised if some people vote for him, but it’s not the ‘most improved player.’

It’s the most valuable player.

The first couple of times I really got to see him play this year were the prime-time games against the Chiefs and the Titans and he wasn’t particularly good in those games. In fact, I don’t think he was particularly good in October. The consistency factor matters.

And the perception issue.

We all know who Aaron Rodgers is. When you see Aaron Rodgers exceeding his own bar, from what you’ve seen over the years, it’s really impressive.

And I don’t think that’s a knock against Josh.

I just don’t think he’s had the kind of year that Lamar Jackson had last year, where it makes you sit up and go, ‘Wow. I’ve never seen this kind of thing.’ And it really sets him apart in a way where you think he is the guy over anyone else.

I’m totally impressed with the way Josh has played this year. He’s probably working his way into the conversation that we like to have: If you were starting an NFL team and you had to start with one guy, who would it be?

I think most people would probably take Mahomes based on what he’s done his first couple of years.

But if this is who Josh Allen is going to be, the Bills are in great shape for the next several years. He’s going to be in that category of guys you look at as a potential MVP candidate in any given season.

Jarrett Bell, USA Today

Russell Wilson has never received one single MVP vote because of the way that the thing is set up where you vote for one guy and you just get one vote. You don’t get a second-place or third-place vote. That feels a lot like how Josh Allen might wind up here.

I’m not saying he won’t get any votes. Let me be clear about that.

He’s had a great season, no doubt.

But I think he’s going to have to stand in line behind Mr. Rodgers and Mr. Mahomes.

I’m sure there’s going to be people in Buffalo saying, ‘He’s our guy.’ And they should support him.

But if you’re calling me from Green Bay, you might say, ‘How could you think about anybody else?’ If you’re calling me from Kansas City, it’s kind of like, ‘Look at the record.’

They’ve been better than Josh Allen. And that’s nothing for him to be ashamed about.

He’s an up-and-coming, rising star. He’s been so impressive to watch as he’s taken his steps from year to year.

We’ll probably be having this conversation in the future.

The Buffalo Bills have not had to rely on their young players nearly as much as in recent years.

Heading into Week 17, just 19.91% of the team’s snaps have been played by rookies or second-year players, a total that ranks 27th in the NFL. Compare that to two years ago, when the Bills headed into the final week of the 2018 season with 37.6% of their snaps taken by players falling into that category, third most in the NFL.

That’s as good an indication as any of where the Bills are in their rebuild under General Manager Brandon Beane and coach Sean McDermott. The second-year players filling key roles for the Bills this season include defensive tackle Ed Oliver, running back Devin Singletary and tight end Dawson Knox. Cody Ford, a second-round draft pick in 2019, was on that list, as well, before being lost for the season because of a knee injury.

As the Bills’ first four picks in the 2019 draft, it’s not a surprise that those four are participating as much as they have. It’s a bit more of a surprise that the Bills have gotten what they have from their rookie class, though, given the unique set of circumstances they faced coming into the NFL.

The Covid-19 pandemic hit right after the NFL scouting combine last year. As a result, the usual scouting process was disrupted. Many schools had their pro days canceled, and predraft visits by prospects did not take place. The NFL draft was conducted virtually, as were spring practices around the league.

“When the country shut down, I thought Brandon and his staff really did a phenomenal job of continuing to do the job and go through the process of getting us to draft day and the necessary meetings we had to have as a staff and then the way the draft was handled overall,” McDermott said. “It was a communication challenge to say the least ... but just the work that went into it led us to where we are and the players that we were able to get that have made an impact.

“I think the biggest thing with the draft class this year is not having the offseason just like every team, not being able to get to know them as well as we would have liked to early or them to get to know us. It made it a challenge, but I love the way that this class has persevered. This will be something that they will remember for the rest of their lives, ‘Hey I got drafted into the NFL the same season, same year (as a pandemic),’ and I think they'll learn a lot from kind of the mental bank, if you will, or the mental fortitude that they get from the way they've grown through this.”

Here’s a look at what the Bills’ rookies have done with one game left in the regular season.

Second-round DE A.J. Epenesa: 13 games (no starts), 234 defensive snaps (23.737.%), 11 tackles (three for loss), one sack, one pass defensed, three quarterback hits.

Epenesa conceded Friday that no spring practices or preseason games had an impact on him at the start of the regular season.

“We really just got thrown into the games right away after a couple weeks of preparation,” he said. “I think every single person in the league could have benefited from something else – whether it was preventing injuries or just getting better and practicing and getting more repetitions. It definitely had some effect on everybody in the league.”

Epenesa was a healthy inactive in the season opener. While he got into the lineup the following week, he didn’t start to receive consistent playing time since the team returned from its Week 11 bye. Since then, he’s played at least 34% of the defensive snaps in all five games.

“The absence of a real offseason and a true training camp definitely affected him early on like we all expected that it would,” defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier said. “But his growth and maturation as a player over time, it’s so evident for us. … You can see his physicality and his pass rush. He’s come along so far from where he was early in the season. He’s done a great job of working extremely hard and learning from players like Jerry Hughes and Quinton Jefferson and others. And you’re seeing it in his play. He’s a lot more comfortable, has a lot more confidence and it’s helping our defense.”

Epenesa’s emergence has led to the Bills making veteran defensive end Trent Murphy a healthy inactive on a weekly basis.

Third-round RB Zack Moss: 12 games (no starts), 386 offensive snaps (37.6%), 109 carries, 473 yards, 4 TDs, 13 catches, 82 yards, 1 TD.

Moss, who missed three games early in the year with a toe injury, is second to Singletary in rushing yards and second to quarterback Josh Allen in rushing touchdowns (8 to 4). Since the bye week, the workload has been close to evenly distributed between Singletary (191 snaps) and Moss (164). The only big discrepancy in that time came in Week 13 against San Francisco, when Moss played just 11 snaps (to Singletary’s 62) – the result of a benching that came after a fumble near the Bills’ end zone.

The next week, however, Moss played 44 snaps against the Steelers.

“We never lost confidence in Zack,” McDermott said. “I think it’s a great example of how important that reset is. There’s going to be adverse moments. There’s going to be tough moments. Our play, although we want it to be perfect, there’s going to be moments when it isn’t. The biggest thing we can do is get ourselves back as soon as possible for our teammates. The ability to do that mentally is a skill.”

Fourth-round WR Gabriel Davis: 15 games, (10 starts), 761 offensive snaps (74.2%), 33 catches, 492 yards, 6 TDs.

Davis has been a huge find as a fourth-round pick, especially given John Brown's injury-plagued season. Davis has learned every receiver spot, which is a big accomplishment for a rookie, allowing the offense to function at a high level even without Brown.

"We ask a lot of him as a young player," offensive coordinator Brian Daboll said. "He's played a lot of football for us. He's the guy who has to fill in if another guy needs a break. We've got to move him to the other spot, so the other guys play their own spots. For a rookie, that's an impressive feat for him. He's gotten better since he's been here. I know that (quarterback Josh Allen) has, we all have, confidence in him. He's made some good plays for us.

“He's earned that opportunity since he's been here from training camp. He's come in, he's learned. He's got a great group of guys to learn from. … The receiver room is a really close-knit room and he fits right in line."

Davis has played the second-most snaps among wide receivers, behind only Stefon Diggs.

Fifth-round QB Jake Fromm: No games.

Fromm has had perhaps the most unusual season of any of the rookies. He has been isolated from the rest of the team as a Covid-19 precaution. That means he observes practice, but does not participate in team reps. His on-field work comes after practice ends, when he goes through the game plan and throws to receivers under the direction of assistant quarterbacks coach Shea Tierney. The Bills plan to continue with the same plan for Fromm into the postseason.

“Not an ideal situation, but it’s the situation that we’re in,” Daboll said last month. “You're still talking with coaches and meeting with coaches, and doing some things, albeit it on your own or away from the group a little bit. But I'm sure from Day 1, he stepped in to where he's at now, I think he's made some improvements. It's always hard to judge until you're out there and you're doing it in live bullets. But he's doing the best job he can. I think we're doing the best job we can to ensure there's improvement as it goes on, and we're ready to go if we need him.”

Sixth-round K Tyler Bass: 15 games, 28 of 34 field goals, 49 of 51 extra points.

Bass overcame a slow start to the season – missing a pair of field goals inside 40 yards in Week 1 against the Jets – but the Georgia Southern product has turned into a weapon. Bass drilled three field goals from 54-plus yards in the first half against Arizona. He iced the win against the Chargers in Week 12 with a 43-yard field goal with less than 4 minutes left. He’s kicking with a ton of confidence and showing why patience is required with rookies.

“It's great to see a player, especially a young player like that to come in and you know there's going to be some choppy waters,” McDermott said last month. “For him to stay confident, and then for the coaches to stay confident as well in him, to see him work himself through it (is great to see).”

Bass has touchbacks on 62 of 92 kickoffs, a percentage of 67.4 that ranks 13th in the NFL. He needs eight points Sunday to surpass the franchise record for most points in season of 140 set by Steve Christie in 1998.

Sixth-round WR Isaiah Hodgins: Zero games.

Hodgins has spent his rookie year on injured reserve. He had shoulder surgery last month.

Seventh-round CB Dane Jackson: Four games (two starts), 119 defensive snaps (12%), 12 tackles, one interception, three passes defensed, one fumble recovery.

Jackson has spent most of his rookie season on the practice squad, but has performed admirably when called up to the active roster. His interception in Week 7 against the Jets helped the Bills pull out a victory in a game that was closer than expected. He also recovered a fumble against Arizona in Week 10.

Even if he does not get called up again for the rest of the year, Jackson should be in the mix for a roster spot in 2021.

Welcome to the first Bills Mailbag of 2021. We're leading this week with plenty of questions about the condition of Cole Beasley. Let's get right to it ...

Mark F. asks: What happened to Kenny Stills?

Jay: It takes days to go through protocols related to Covid-19 testing, so there is no reason to think that anything happened other than Stills, a free agent wide receiver who visited the Bills on Wednesday, is currently going through that process. The team will not confirm anything else until that’s done.

Nick Rosenberg asks: Kenny Stills’ role when Cole Beasley is healthy?

Jay: In that case, I’d say insurance more than anything. Of course, John Brown’s status factors into that, as well. If those two are healthy, they join Stefon Diggs as the obvious top three receivers for quarterback Josh Allen. Rookie Gabriel Davis is the clear No. 4, too, and I don’t see Stills unseating him at this point. Things look a lot different if Beasley and/or Brown aren’t able to play, though. In that case, Davis could move into the slot. That could open a spot outside for Stills, who had averaged 14.5 yards per reception over his previous three seasons coming into 2020. Even the threat of a deep ball could open things up for the other receivers.

David asks: What do you think about all these wide receivers being brought in? Week 17 starter rest or injury concerns?

Jay: A little bit of both. Given what happened to Beasley last week – and Diggs the week before – it’s understandable if head coach Sean McDermott wants to play it safe in Week 17. Beasley being listed as week to week also calls into question his availability for the start of the postseason. With practice squad players being able to join the active roster at a moment’s notice, it makes sense for Beane to give the coaching staff as many options as possible. 

Thomas Larsen asks: When they bring in someone midseason like Kenny Stills, do they measure character as much as skill? Like, will he fit in the locker room?

Jay: As much as possible, of course. General Manager Brandon Beane relies on his staff for that. Paths cross frequently in the NFL, so it’s a good bet someone either knows the player well, or knows someone working in the league who does. In Stills’ case, Bills assistant general manager Joe Schoen was working as Miami’s director of player personnel in 2015 when Stills was acquired by the Dolphins. It’s a good bet the Bills know plenty about Stills’ character.

Beulah Jo asks: What are the chances of getting that 14th touchdown scorer this weekend?

Jay: Pretty good. They should have had it last week, but Taiwan Jones dropped a would-be touchdown catch. Nevertheless, targets to Jones and Andre Roberts showed the Bills are aware of the record – even if they would never acknowledge that publicly. Players without a touchdown catch this season include Devin Singletary, Roberts and Jones – as well as every offensive linemen. Keep in mind that Ty Nsekhe appeared to be the primary target of a play a few weeks ago, but he was covered, so Allen looked elsewhere. Dion Dawkins has touchdown catches in each of the last two seasons, as well, so we know that’s a page in Brian Daboll’s playbook.

cannoncbs asks: Why won’t the NFL set up a draft lottery like the NHL? It won’t guarantee tanking teams the first pick! Then allegations might cease and put more trust in the game. Thoughts, Jay?

Jay: How about making it even better? This idea, which was floated last year by Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, is one I like: Make the 18 nonplayoff teams part of a straight lottery – one ball per team. That way, there is no incentive for teams to want to lose for better lottery odds. If that were the case this season, it would be fascinating. The one-win Jaguars would have the same chance to land the No. 1 overall pick as an 11-win AFC team that could miss the playoffs (which is crazy). The NFL could then turn that into another huge offseason event. It’s strange that the league seems content to incentivize losing with the current system in place.

Kevin Thompson asks: It seems like the Bills have not had as many players on the injured list compared to other teams. Do you think the state-of-the-art training facility the Pegulas built has had a significant impact on this? Also, if Beasley can’t play who is the best replacement?

Jay: Yes, I do believe there is a direct correlation between the investment in the training facility and the team’s ability to stay healthy. The organization has done everything possible to put a high priority on avoiding the types of injuries that can be – at least to some degree – avoided. That team’s sports science and strength-and-conditioning departments deserve a lot of credit for that, as do owners Terry and Kim Pegula for investing in the new training facility. As for Beasley, the logical replacements are Davis and possibly Isaiah McKenzie.

Jeff Kamien asks: Happy New Year, Jay. In looking at the Bills’ unrestricted free agents, Matt Milano, Jon Feliciano and Daryl Williams appear to be the biggest priorities. Might the Bills sacrifice Mitch Morse and John Brown in order to clear room for the three mentioned?

Jay: Absolutely that is on the table. Let’s start with Brown first. He’s a good player. He had a great season in 2019. We can’t ignore how the offense has functioned without him, though. With a potential savings of more than $8 million, moving on from him this offseason has to be a consideration.

In regards to Morse, the potential savings would be either $4.875 million or $7.625 million depending on whether the Bills decided to take his dead money cap hit of $5.5 million over one year or split it over two. The Bills benched Morse earlier this season. If not for an injury to Cody Ford, he might not even be in the lineup.

Those two moves would provide a substantial savings and provide Beane with some flexibility as he attempts to re-sign Milano, Feliciano and Williams.

IDiggIt asks: The Bills’ offensive line seems to have finally come together as a cohesive unit once the constant shuffling and rotation of the guards stopped after Cody Ford’s injury and the return of Jon Feliciano. What do you foresee for the ‘21 Bills offensive line with a flat cap and free agents to sign?

Richard S. asks: Early prediction and rationale for Bills’ O-line starters next season?

Jay: The above question touches on this. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Bills move on from Morse, then re-sign Feliciano to play center. The franchise loves Feliciano’s toughness, and he’s close with Allen. Ford should be back to play left guard and Dawkins is set at left tackle. That leaves questions on the right side. Brian Winters is a free agent whom I wouldn’t expect back. I’d prioritize re-signing Williams to play right tackle and then have a competition at right guard, including Ike Boettger and whoever else Beane brings in.

Paul Catalano asks: Does Josh Allen get an extension this offseason or next and where do you think ballpark he will be money wise?

Jay: We will revisit this question plenty after the playoffs, because Allen has the opportunity to make himself even more money with a deep postseason run. As it is, the Bills have time on their side right now. The final year of Allen’s rookie contract next season comes with a low cap number. It’s a guarantee the Bills will pick up his fifth-year option. The use of the franchise tag after that means he’s under team control for at least the next three seasons. Given that, the Bills can negotiate a long-term extension from a position of strength. After that, it’s up to Allen. He seems genuine in his desire to be here for a long time. Whatever contract he signs next is going to make his kids rich. Given all that, I would not be surprised if the two sides reach an agreement this offseason. If not, though, fans don’t need to panic. Allen isn’t going anywhere any time soon. As for the money – I’d expect Allen to be paid the way he’s played this season, which is (at worst) like a top-five quarterback. That will put him somewhere in the neighborhood of $35 million per season. Parents, teach your kids to throw a tight spiral.

Rick McGuire asks: I don't think we're going to see offensive coordinator Brian Daboll back with the Bills next year. He's most definitely earned a shot at being a head coach. Is Ken Dorsey ready to be an offensive coordinator? If he's not promoted, will he leave and go elsewhere, perhaps with Daboll as his OC?

Jay: All of that is a possibility, Rick. There is no doubt McDermott has a list of candidates to replace Daboll, should he get a head-coaching job. I would expect Dorsey to be on that list, although the only one whose opinion matters on if he’s ready for such a role is McDermott. Allen’s development and the seemingly strong working relationship he has with Dorsey works in the quarterback coach’s favor. Keeping Allen happy and on the right track should be the top priority of whoever takes over as the next offensive coordinator, if Daboll departs.

Pat Reale asks: What direction do you think the Bills go in the first round of the 2021 draft?

Jay: With the No. 32 pick? Kidding, kind of. There’s a lot of time and important football between now and then, Pat, not to mention free agency. As it stands, though, the team has needs – or potential needs – at offensive line, cornerback and linebacker. Of those three, my preference would be to continue to protect Allen at all costs, so I’ll go with an offensive lineman.

John Jarzynski asks: I am fascinated by Bill Belichick's record without Tom Brady. Does he have it in him to rebuild the team at age 68? Where do they go for a quarterback?

Jay: I’m tempted to say never doubt the Hoodie, but I’m over here seriously doubting him. Did you see what a mess that team was Monday night? They are absolutely in quarterback purgatory right now – a place the Bills found themselves for basically the entirety of New England’s reign atop the AFC East. Now, if Belichick manages to find a quarterback the way the Patriots did with Brady, perhaps they turn it around quickly. If I had to choose right now, though, I’d say New England is in for a lengthy downturn.

Luigi Mike Speranza asks: One of the most exciting plays in the NFL is the kickoff return, which was greatly limited due to the head injury concerns. Any chance it might make a comeback as it is appearing from time to time now?

Jay: I don’t see much of a change in that regard. As long as teams continue to kick off from the 35-yard line to start games or after scores, touchbacks are going to be recorded a high percentage of the time. If anything, I could see the NFL continuing to move toward eliminating the kickoff altogether in an effort to make the game safer. As long as the rules stay the way they are, though, the Bills have an advantage with Andre Roberts as their returner. A good example of that came after the Patriots took a 3-0 lead on their opening drive Monday night. Roberts responded with a big return out near midfield, giving the offense a short field to start the game off on a positive note.

Robert Goodwin asks: Watching the ball drop had me wondering: Biggest ball drop in Bills history? Ronnie Harmon vs. Cleveland, Stevie Johnson vs. Pitt, the person who thought the whammy weenie was a good idea, or other?

Jay: I had to dig into the history of the whammy weenie and … wow … that’s a heck of a story. As far as on-field drops, Harmon’s is much bigger than the one by Johnson. The Bills were 2-8 when Johnson dropped the pass against the Steelers, followed by the infamous “God” tweet. They might have gone to the Super Bowl had Harmon held on against the Browns.

X-Jbuss81 asks: Which uniforms would you like the bills to wear for the playoffs?

Jay: I’m not a huge uniform guy, but the team’s best look to me is the all-whites with the red standing buffalo helmet.

Colt Snyder asks: Will you take me to the game with you?

Jay: I will not. Happy New Year, though!

Louis Stromberg asks: Happy New Year’s Eve Eve to you as well. In honor of such an occasion please rank the following Eves: Keanu Reeves, Steve Miller Band, Cleveland, pet peeves, breaking even. Thanks and go Bills!

Jay: 5. Pet peeves. Mine is people calling it the “first annual” anything. There is a word for that. It’s inaugural. Please use it. 4. Breaking even. It’s better than losing, I guess. 3. Steve Miller Band. “The Joker” is one of those songs everyone sings along to. 2. Cleveland. I bet the Browns regret not taking Josh Allen. 1. Keanu Reeves. Positive: He filmed “Henry’s Crime” in Buffalo in 2010. Negative: Here’s what Jeff Simon wrote of the movie in The News in 2016: "Buffalo couldn’t have possibly looked colder and grayer in the film and Reeves couldn’t possibly have looked more wooden.” Hey, they can’t all be home runs. Reeves seems like a good dude. Happy New Year, everyone!

When the Buffalo Bills throw: The looming question is how much Josh Allen will play. He’s just 40 yards away from topping Drew Bledsoe for the franchise record for the most passing yards in a single season. That would be a nice record for Allen to break. Allen’s quarterback rating this season of 106.4 ranks fifth in the NFL. The Miami Dolphins present a tough challenge, though, allowing a cumulative passer rating of 85.3, which ranks fourth best in the league. In Buffalo’s Week 2 win, Dolphins cornerback Byron Jones left the game with a groin injury that caused him to miss the next two weeks, as well. In those three games, Miami allowed 25 points per game. With Jones in the lineup for Miami’s other 12 games, that averaged drops to 17.3. EDGE: Bills.

When the Bills run: The Bills ran for 112 yards in Week 2. Of course, with Allen throwing for 415 yards, there wasn’t a big need to run. Miami came into the season having allowed at least 2,000 rushing yards in four of the past five years, but the Dolphins have shown improvement in 2020. They have given up 1,784 rushing yards, which ranks 17th in the league. With T.J. Yeldon still on the NFL’s reserve/Covid-19 list, the Bills might be in a position to give Taiwan Jones some carries, or to call up Antonio Williams from the practice squad to limit playing time for Devin Singletary and Zack Moss. EDGE: Dolphins.

When the Dolphins throw: It’s tough to identify where the Bills will bring pressure from. Eight Bills defenders have at least six quarterback hits this season. Getting pressure on Dolphins rookie Tua Tagovailoa will be paramount. Tagovailoa has been good with a clean pocket, throwing for 10 touchdowns and no interceptions. According to analytics website Pro Football Focus, he’s the only quarterback to not have an interception with a clean pocket. The Dolphins throw to their tight ends a lot. Durham Smythe, Mike Gesicki and Adam Shaheen have combined for 969 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns, the most receiving yards and tied for the most touchdowns in a single season in franchise history at that position. EDGE: Bills.

When the Dolphins run: Miami has things rolling on the ground lately, rushing for 380 over the last two games, an average of 5.7 yards per carry. Myles Gaskin gained 169 yards from scrimmage against the Raiders in Week 16, the most by any Dolphins player this season. That came a week after Salvon Ahmed rushed for 122 yards, which had been the most. “That’s how we do it this year,” Dolphins offensive coordinator Chan Gailey said. “Whoever gets the hot hand, we let them go.” The Bills are allowing 4.7 yards per rush, which ranks 27th. EDGE: Dolphins.

Special teams: Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders is the current AFC Special Teams Player of the Week. Sanders went 4 for 4 on field goals, including the game-winning 44-yarder, against the Raiders. Miami’s special teams coordinator, Danny Crossman, had the same role with the Bills for six years before being fired after the 2018 season. Bills long snapper Reid Ferguson will face his brother, Blake, for the second time this season. Blake Ferguson is a rookie long snapper for Miami. EDGE: Bills.

Coaching: Brian Flores has done a solid job in rebuilding the Dolphins, who have the second-youngest team in the NFL at an average age of 25.84 – just behind the Los Angeles Rams (25.82). Miami can finish as high as the fifth seed in the AFC with a win, or drop out of the playoffs entirely with a loss and wins by Cleveland, Baltimore and Indianapolis. The biggest decision for Bills coach Sean McDermott is what to do with his starters. With a win guaranteeing the No. 2 seed, the team has at least something to play for. McDermott, though, might see what happened to Cole Beasley last week – a knee injury in the fourth quarter against the Patriots with the game safely in hand – and decide to play it safe. EDGE: Bills.

Prediction: Bills 24, Dolphins 20.

The Buffalo Bills probably will rest at least a few key starters in Sunday’s game against Miami, based on coach Sean McDermott’s approach in last year’s home finale.

If the Bills rest their key starters and lose to Miami, then Buffalo’s likeliest opponent in the first round of the playoffs will be Cleveland.

If the Bills beat Miami, Buffalo’s likeliest opponent in the first round is Indianapolis.

Those are the key perspectives to know in advance of the regular-season finale at Bills Stadium.

The Bills face a similar situation to last year, when they put many key players on the bench for most or all of a Week 17 game against the New York Jets. The Bills were locked into the No. 5 playoff seed entering that game.

This year, the Bills are locked into either the No. 2 or No. 3 seed in the AFC. That’s important because it means either way, the Bills would avoid a meeting with No. 1 seed and defending Super Bowl-champion Kansas City until the AFC championship game.

The only way the Bills drop from No. 2 to No. 3 is if they lose and Pittsburgh wins.

But Pittsburgh already has announced it plans to sit quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, along with a few other players, for Sunday’s game at Cleveland. Oddsmakers have responded by making the Browns 10-point favorites.

McDermott isn’t revealing his playing-time intentions, although he said he and General Manager Brandon Beane worked out "a plan." The Bills are 1-point favorites over Miami.

“We could sit here all day honestly and talk about pros and cons” of resting key players, McDermott said Tuesday.

“Mentally, you’ve got to prepare like you’re playing the entire football game,” Bills safety Jordan Poyer said after the team’s walkthrough practice Wednesday. “That’s my mindset. I know that’s every guy on this team’s mindset, to go out there and go play and to go play to win. … I’m expecting to play the entire game, and I’ve got to prepare that way.”

However, in the Week 17 game against the Jets last season, the Bills held out starters Tre’Davious White, John Brown, Cole Beasley, Devin Singletary and Dawson Knox.

Quarterback Josh Allen played just seven snaps. Fifteen or fewer snaps were played by a slew of other starters, including Poyer, Dion Dawkins, Mitch Morse, Jon Feliciano, Jerry Hughes, Star Lotulelei, Tremaine Edmunds, Matt Milano and Micah Hyde.

“We're always trying to weigh every fact we can, every variable and try to put that into the equation to help us make a good decision here, and yet at the same time, we got to come back and do what’s right for our team,” McDermott said.

There are three other games on Sunday, besides the Steelers-Browns matchup, that could impact the Bills’ first-round playoff matchup.

They are Tennessee vs. Houston, Baltimore vs. Cincinnati and Indianapolis vs. Jacksonville. Tennessee, Baltimore and Indianapolis each are heavy favorites in those games.

If the Bills and Steelers both lose and the three favorites win (Tennessee, Baltimore and Indianapolis), then the Bills would be the No. 2 seed and face Cleveland, the No. 7 seed. Miami would claim the No. 5 seed and face the No. 4 Titans in the wild-card round.

If the Bills win, the Steelers lose to Cleveland and the three favorites win, then the Bills would face No. 7 seed Indianapolis in the wild-card round. Miami would be knocked out of the playoffs in that scenario.

If the Bills and Steelers both win and the three other favorites win, then the Bills would play Miami in the first round.

If the Bills lose, the Steelers beat Cleveland and the three favorites win, then the Bills would get the No. 3 seed and face Baltimore in the first round.

Here are my five takes on the Buffalo Bills’ regular-season finale Sunday at 1 p.m. against the Miami Dolphins at Bills Stadium.

1. Stay healthy.

Bills' Josh Allen will receive votes for NFL MVP. But enough to win? We asked voters

The 2020 MVP award winner is expected to be announced during Super Bowl week.

Given the murkiness of the Bills’ player-usage plan for this game, we are left to do some guessing – hopefully of the educated variety – as to how that will look.

It seems reasonably safe to say that if they intended to do anything other than play their starters as usual, there would be no vague discussion by Sean McDermott about how much or little Josh Allen and other front-liners will play.

The guess here is that the Bills will approach it as a preseason game, with starters getting a series or two just to keep away any hint of rustiness. But it wouldn’t be the least bit surprising if backups went the whole way, assuming the starters got in the bulk of their tune-up work in practice.

Either way, the priority is for everyone, including the backups, to emerge without injury. Though a Bills win assures them of a No. 2 playoff seed, it is not valuable enough to risk losing players for the games that truly matter. Besides, the Pittsburgh Steelers could hand the Bills the No. 2 spot by losing to the Cleveland Browns.

2. Matt Barkley getting some meaningful work is a good thing.

For the Bills, being without Allen for any extended time is at the top of scenarios they don’t even want to ponder.

It’s fair to say his absence would extinguish virtually all hope of postseason success. The Bills wouldn’t be where they are and aren’t going to get where they want to go without their MVP-worthy quarterback.

Still, this is football. Players miss plays and series and quarters and halves and even games.

If that happens with Allen, McDermott doesn’t get to wave a white flag. He must go with Barkley, and Barkley must be at least somewhat competent to keep the Bills competitive for however long Allen is out.

Playing all or most of this game would allow Barkley to establish at least some semblance of feel for game action, which is particularly important for a quarterback.

3. Take advantage of an ideal scouting opportunity.

It isn’t often that you host a potential wild-card playoff opponent the weekend before hosting that team again in the postseason, but that could be the case between the Bills and Dolphins even if it’s not likely.

The closest the Bills came to doing that in 1995, the previous time they won the AFC East, when they faced the Dolphins at home in the next-to-last game of the regular season (a 23-20 Buffalo victory) and took them on 13 days later at home in the wild-card round (a 37-22 Buffalo win).

The advantage for the Bills is that, with Miami able to assure itself of a playoff spot with a win Sunday, the Dolphins will be utilizing all their starters and showing at least a good portion of their strategic cards.

Meanwhile, the Bills have the luxury of their starting units watching from a safe distance for most, if not all, of the game. They also have the luxury of being as vanilla as possible with their game plan.

They will be free to study and learn as much as possible about the Dolphins, paying close attention to how they have evolved since the teams met way back on Sept. 20 in South Florida. The Bills’ focus, of course, will be on rookie quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. This will mark the Bills' first in-person look at Tagovailoa, who watched as Ryan Fitzpatrick played in the previous encounter. Fitz will miss the rematch after testing positive for Covid-19.

Even if the teams don’t play again next weekend, the scouting info will prove valuable for next season.

4. & 5. Stay healthy! It’s worth a second and third mention, which is why it will serve as the final two takes during this mini-bye week for the Bills.

Bills activate John Brown from Covid-19 list, make practice squad moves

Brown was deemed to have been a close contact with running back T.J. Yeldon, who tested positive last Sunday.

The Bills have activated John Brown from the reserve/Covid-19 list, so it’s possible he’ll see some action because he has missed the last five games, the first four while on injured-reserve.

That would make some sense, given that he has had so much time away from game-like conditions.

However, it’s hard to imagine Brown playing anything more than a series or two. The Bills already have a potentially large question mark hovering over their receiver position with Cole Beasley’s knee injury.

• • •

Game details

TV: CBS. Kevin Harlan (play-by-play), Trent Green (analyst).

Radio: Bills Radio Network. Buffalo-WGR 550 AM; Toronto-Fan 590 AM; Rochester-WCMF 96.5 FM and WROC 950 AM; Syracuse-WTKW 99.5 FM and WTKV 105.5 FM. Announcers: John Murphy (play-by-play), Steve Tasker (analyst).

Jim Kelly on Bills' hot streak: 'I think we could take this a long way'

"As I watched the Denver game at home with my family, I thought back to that first AFC East championship we won in 1989," writes Jim Kelly.

Series history: The Dolphins lead the series, 61-51-1 (including postseason).

Bills injury report: Out: WR Cole Beasley (knee), TE Reggie Gilliam (knee/hamstring).

Dolphins injury report: Questionable: WR Jakeem Grant (ankle), G Solomon Kindley (knee/foot), DE Shaq Lawson (shoulder), WR DeVante Parker (hamstring).

Point spread: The Bills are a 3-point favorite at vegasinsider.com.

Did you know: If the Bills beat the Dolphins, this would be their first undefeated season against divisional opponents in franchise history.

Next: For the second year in a row and third time in four seasons, the Bills will be playing a wild-card game. The opponent and day/time are TBD.

On Monday night, as the Buffalo Bills were beating up on the New England Patriots, Drew Bledsoe and some of his former teammates from both clubs held a virtual watch party on a video call.

The group included former Bills Eric Moulds, Takeo Spikes, Alex Van Pelt and Trey Teague, along with ex-Patriots Tedy Bruschi and Ty Law.

It was arranged as an event for some top customers of Bledsoe's Doubleback winery in Walla Walla, Wash., but mainly became a chance for the former teammates to catch up, laugh and share old stories.

As Josh Allen continued his assault on the single-season records that Bledsoe set with the Bills in 2002, a thought occurred to Bledsoe and Moulds, his top target.

"We think that the records this season in Buffalo need to have an asterisk next to them, because they haven't been in any (adverse) weather," Bledsoe, with tongue firmly planted in cheek, told The Buffalo News by phone this week. "I mean, come on, it's been like 70 degrees in November. That's not real Buffalo. We had to throw the ball around in the snow and the rain and the sleet, and these guys are out there in short sleeves in November.

"I just don't think it's fair. I don't think these records are actually valid. And Eric Moulds will back me up."

They had a good laugh over that one.

In all seriousness, Bledsoe, who turns 49 in February, is a big fan of Allen and of the Bills. He's thrilled with Allen's performance and couldn't be happier that it includes breaking Bledsoe's franchise marks for completions (378 to Bledsoe's 375), total yards (4,738 to Bledsoe's 4,426) and 300-yard passing games (eight to Bledsoe's seven), and Jim Kelly's record for touchdown passes (34 to Kelly's 33).

With 4,320 passing yards, Allen is 39 from equaling Bledsoe's record, but it is unclear if Allen will play, or how much, in Sunday's regular-season finale against the Miami Dolphins. 

"What Josh is doing, it's a great credit to him and it's also a great credit to their coaching staff," Bledsoe said. "His accuracy, timing, decision-making, everything that he's doing is at an elite level now. Watching him operate is just really fun. Obviously, I'm a bit biased, but, man, watching great quarterback play just gets me excited."

The similarities between Allen and Bledsoe are striking.

Allen is 6-foot-5 and 237 pounds. Bledsoe's listed height and weight as a player was 6-5, 238.

Both are from small towns on the West Coast. Allen is a native of Firebaugh, Calif. (population: 8,300), while Bledsoe was born in Ellensburg, Wash. (population: 21,000).

Both are/were highly effective from the pocket.

Of course, that last comparison only goes so far.

"What Josh is doing in operating from the pocket and distributing the football, that part I can at least relate to. That was my job; I was going to work from the pocket and distribute the ball to the real athletes on the field," Bledsoe said. "But where he really changes things is when he pulls the ball down and he goes and runs. You look at what he can do running the ball, he's got the speed, but he also has that physical side to him where when he gets around the goal line, he can get it across the line. And so that part is a real difference-maker.

"I think Steve Young was the first one to point out way back in the day that being a mobile quarterback is only good if you can operate from the pocket, first, and then you have the addition of being able to run the football. If you can do both of those things, man, you become really, really tough to defend. And that's what Josh is doing."

Allen isn't the only dynamic force on the Bills' offense, a fact Bledsoe's son and others watching Monday night's game with them greatly appreciated. Bledsoe said they were "in the depths of despair" before Stefon Diggs' three touchdown catches "saved them in their fantasy football championship games."

Bledsoe recognizes that this is a far different Bills team than any in recent memory, but not only because it won its first AFC East title since 1995 or, at 12-3, has its most victories since 1993.

"Even when they have success, they're usually kind of low-scoring affairs – run the ball and play defense," Bledsoe said. "All of a sudden, you watch the Bills and it's explosive. They're putting up points and scoring from all over the field."

Lack of mobility notwithstanding, Bledsoe was able to make a significant impact after joining the Bills in '02 in a rare intradivisional trade with the Patriots, who had made the former Washington State standout the top overall pick of the 1993 draft. The Bills gave the Pats a first-round draft pick in exchange for the then-ninth-year veteran after Tom Brady began his legendary ascent.

With Bledsoe at the controls of a pass-happy, high-flying offense, the Bills got off to a 5-3 start. However, as injuries mounted, they sputtered to a 3-5 finish. Still, Bledsoe's play was impressive enough to earn him a fourth career trip to the Pro Bowl.

"First of all, it was really fun, especially early in the season," he said. "Late in the season, we had some offensive line injuries and things changed late in the season. But early in the season, it was just a ton of fun, man. Eric Moulds and Peerless Price and Jay Riemersma at tight end ... and the secret weapon in that whole thing, honestly, was (fullback) Larry Centers coming out of the backfield. ... Even with those explosive receivers down the field, if I couldn't get the ball to them, I could drop it off to Larry and he could go take off and do stuff with it.

"We had Travis Henry running the ball and Josh Reed, who we had just drafted out of LSU. So we just had weapons all over the field ... As things progressed through the season, we got banged up and that changed things pretty dramatically. But through the midway point of the season, we were kind of lighting the world on fire."

That's what the Bills are doing now. As with fans and many players from Buffalo's past, Bledsoe is enjoying the ride.

He said his loyalty will always be with the Patriots, but with New England out of the postseason picture, he's fully on board with seeing the Bills win it all. According to Bledsoe, some of his former Patriot teammates shared that sentiment during Monday night's video call.

"The thing that was kind of cool was I think even these longtime, iconic Patriots Hall of Famers, in their heart of hearts, they're actually really happy to see it for the Bills," he said. "We talked about what that experience was like going and playing in Buffalo as an opponent. It was kind of funny. We were talking about (fans throwing) snowballs at the buses and all that stuff.

"But the truth is, I think that anybody that goes and plays against the Bills a number times, they understand how fervent that fan base is. Even if you're a division rival, you can't help but cheer for the Bills a little bit. And for me, after playing there for three years, if the Bills go on and win it all, I'll be ecstatic.

"I may even paint my face and jump on a table."

The closing arguments for NFL MVP have begun.

With voting by The Associated Press panel set for Jan. 5, Josh Allen is making a strong case.

If it's about generating strong numbers, the Buffalo Bills' quarterback is doing it. If it's about rising to the occasion when it matters most, he's got that covered, too.

"He continues to take steps in his development, which is awesome," Bills coach Sean McDermott told reporters. "He's hungry to grow, and when your top player or top players embrace that growth mindset and lead by example, I think it goes a long way in our locker room."

Maybe Bill Belichick didn't "buy into the Josh Allen craze" before Monday night's game between his New England Patriots and the Bills, as the ESPN announcing crew mentioned, noting Allen's unspectacular showing in Buffalo's 24-21 win against New England on Nov. 1.

10 observations: Josh Allen, Stefon Diggs make it look laughably easy in rout of Patriots

Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs absolutely toyed with the New England Patriots, writes Jay Skurski.

But Belichick probably had second thoughts after the Bills' 38-9 victory at Gillette Stadium. At least, he should, even if he told reporters afterward, "I don't know what (the ESPN announcers) said. I'm on the record with that. ... I've said multiple times that Josh Allen is a good football player and he's having a good year."

Try great, Coach. Try spectacular.

Allen has done every bit as much to earn the honor, even if oddsmakers have him third on the list of front-runners, behind Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers and Kansas City's Patrick Mahomes.

Allen was his typical, humble self.

"There's still some things we can grow on and work on," he told reporters. "We're nowhere near perfect and nowhere near where we want to be."

Against the Patriots, Allen threw for 320 yards, giving him a franchise-record eight 300-yard passing games in a season, and four touchdowns, three to Stefon Diggs. Allen's 34 TD throws for the season broke the team record of 33 that Hall of Famer Jim Kelly set in 1991. Allen also broke Drew Bledsoe's 2002 team records for completions (378 to Bledsoe's 375) and total yards (4,738 to Bledsoe's 4,426).

Diggs was more than happy to praise his quarterback, with whom he has developed instant chemistry as both put themselves among the best at their respective positions.

"If (bleep) ain't going right in the game, he just looks at me and says, 'Just get open and catch the ball,' " Diggs, who set a single-season record for receiving yards, told reporters. "He just keeps it in the simplest form for a receiver ... That just gives me confidence. I ain't even going to overthink it. I can just play ball and my quarterback is going out there throwing darts."

Quarter by quarter: Bills hand Bill Belichick worst home loss with Pats

Don't miss Mark Gaughan's quarter by quarter look at the Buffalo Bills' 38-9 victory over the New England Patriots on Monday night at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.

At 12-3, the Bills have their most victories since 1993, and it gave them their first sweep of the Patriots since 1999 and first by any AFC East team since the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins did it in 2000.

Shedding the Patriot albatross wasn't much of a big deal to Allen or other players, at least based on what they told reporters.

"It's (win) No. 12, we've got one game left," Allen said. "We plan to get to 13-3 and get ourselves in the playoffs. We've got our minds on bigger things."

Before this season, the Bills had lost 34 of 38 to the Patriots. Two of Buffalo's victories (including their previous win in Foxborough, Mass., in 2016) came in games when the Pats didn't have Tom Brady, who now plays for the postseason-bound Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

But that was when the Pats ruled the AFC East.

Now, the division title belongs to the Bills, who are looking to capture the No. 2 playoff seed, something they can secure with a win in Sunday's regular-season finale against Miami.

How humiliating was this loss for Belichick and the Patriots? The Bills pulled Allen with 11:56 left and replaced him with Matt Barkley.

Buffalo's defense did its job, though it did have some familiar issues against the run in the first half.

Sony Michel ran for 29 yards on the Patriots' opening possession. Two plays later, they appeared to be on the verge of burning the Bills with a trick play when Michel took a pitch and lateraled to Newton, who threw a pass that receiver Damiere Byrd allowed to go through his hands. The Pats ended up settling for a 45-yard Nick Folk field goal take a 3-0 lead.

On the ensuing kickoff, Andre Roberts set up the Bills near midfield with a 49-yard return. Allen was 5-for-5 for 41 yards on the Bills' opening series and they were able to drive to the New England 4. But they also had to settle for a field goal, from 22 yards, by Tyler Bass to make it 3-3.

On their second possession, the Bills caught the Patriots off guard with a fake punt as Jaquan Johnson threw a 13-yard pass to Siran Neal to give the Bills a first down at their 48 late in the first quarter.

The Bills converted another fourth down when Allen ran for 22 yards to the Patriots' 21. One play later, Taiwan Jones dropped an Allen pass in the end zone.

Buffalo caught a break at the end of the quarter when a Patriots offside wiped out an Allen interception in the end zone. After Dawson Knox dropped a touchdown pass, Zack Moss ran five yards up the middle for a score to give the Bills a 10-3 lead 10 seconds into the second quarter.

The Patriots then gouged the Bills for runs of 21 yards by Michel and 28 yards by J.J. Taylor, which helped set up a nine-yard Newton touchdown run. Folk's missed extra point allowed the Bills to stay in front.

The Bills answered with a drive that opened with a 24-yard connection with Knox over the middle and was kept alive with a 12-yard completion to Knox on fourth-and-two from the New England 43.

An 11-yard Allen run and a 13-yard screen to Isaiah McKenzie put the Bills at the Patriots' 4. From there, the Patriots' secondary converged toward Gabe Davis in the end zone, leaving Lee Smith wide open for a TD to make it 17-9.

Late in the half, Allen first looked as though he was going to go deep to Davis, who took defenders with him, then went long instead to a wide-open Diggs with a perfect throw for a 50-yard touchdown connection to give the Bills a 24-9 halftime advantage.

"Josh is really playing some good football and I'm just trying to do my job in getting open," Diggs said. "And then he did the rest. He threw me a great ball. I just had to catch and run."

By halftime, Allen had thrown for 173 yards and two touchdowns, while Newton had 34 passing yards. In the third quarter, Belichick yanked Newton in favor of Jarrett Stidham.

Allen found Diggs for two more scores, an 18-yarder in the third quarter and an eight-yarder in the fourth, as the Bills continued their mission of making up for years of embarrassment at the hands of the Patriots.

Three matchups to watch when the Miami Dolphins visit the Buffalo Bills for the NFL regular-season finale Sunday.

Miami tight ends vs. Bills safeties. The Dolphins’ tight ends have produced 82 catches for 969 yards and 11 touchdowns, which amounts to the best collective production from the position in Miami team history. Mike Gesicki, a second-round pick from 2018, is tied for 13th among NFL tight ends with 48 catches for 656 yards. Durham Smythe, a fourth-round pick from 2018, has 23 for 185 yards. Gesicki had eight catches for 130 yards and a TD in the Week 2 game vs. Buffalo. Starting receiver Jakeem Grant is expected to miss the game. Top wideout DeVante Parker is dealing with a sore hamstring. Miami will need Gesicki to produce.

Bills defensive ends vs. Austin Jackson. Miami took Jackson with the 18th overall pick in the 2020 draft. The 6-foot-6, 310-pound Southern California product has started 11 games and played reasonably well. He has given up four sacks. Jackson is only 21 years old, he has light feet and he has long arms (34 1/4 inches). He’s a finesse player. He’s not real physical. He’s not looking to bury people. Pro Football Focus hasn’t given him real good run-blocking grades this year. The Bills probably will be facing him for the next four years, at least. He has a ton of upside. Can he become a dominant player?

Bills RBs vs. Miami’s run defense. The expectation is the Bills are going to rest Stefon Diggs and run the ball more than usual. If Miami wins, it is facing the prospect of playing Tennessee and big, bad Derrick Henry in the wild-card round. Miami ranks 17th in the NFL against the run and 23rd in yards per rush allowed. Inside linebacker Jerome Baker is not elite. Miami does have good edge setters vs. the run in Kyle Van Noy and Shaq Lawson. The Bills are 17th in yards per rush at 4.26 a carry. The Bills are tied with Kansas City in rushing attempts at 19th in the league.

The Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins are headed toward a revival of the glory days of their rivalry.

Miami has prepared itself to contend with the passing powerhouse the Bills have built by investing more money in the cornerback position than any team in the NFL.

If you want to try to contain the Bills’ offense for the next several years, you better have defensive backs. Miami currently has the fifth and the sixth highest-paid cornerbacks in the NFL in Byron Jones ($16.5 million a year) and Xavien Howard ($15 million a year).

Miami also is set up to bolster its roster this offseason.

The Dolphins currently have the No. 3 pick in the draft, thanks to their deal with Houston that sent tackle Laremy Tunsil to the Texans. That trade also gave Miami Houston’s second-round pick, which is set to be No. 35 overall. So that gives Miami three picks in the top 35. (What a stupid, go-for-broke trade that was by fired Houston coach Bill O’Brien.) Miami has 10 picks overall in the 2021 draft.

The Dolphins are seventh in most cap space for 2021, at $35 million, based on a minimum cap of $175 million, according to Spotrac.com. (The cap could go up to about $195 million.) So Dolphins General Manager Chris Grier should be able to get some much-needed receiving help for young quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

A great rivalry requires both teams to be good, as the Bills and Dolphins were during the Jim Kelly-Dan Marino era. Add up all the Dolphins’ assets, and Miami vs. Buffalo should be a war for years to come.

“Every position is important,” Miami coach Brian Flores said on a call with Buffalo media this week. “But with the talent at receiver in this league and the talent at tight end in this league, Chris and myself … believe that having talented guys in the back end is important. … That is something with Chris and I, we’ve always been on the same page as far as never having enough corners in this league.”

The Dolphins also drafted Noah Igbinoghene in the first round in April. Igbinoghene, of course, got roasted by Stefon Diggs in Week 2, and he had tough games against the Seahawks and Rams. But Igbinoghene is fast and athletic and still has a bright future.

The Dolphins need to hit some of these draft choices to keep up in the talent arms race with Buffalo.

Why? Consider the ages of the Bills’ most important players: Allen 24, Diggs 27, Tre’Davious White 25, Tremaine Edmunds 22, Dion Dawkins 26 and Ed Oliver 23.

The 30,000-foot view. Of course, the development of Tagovailoa is the biggest factor in determining how bright Miami’s future is. Tagovailoa has had a good rookie season, even though Ryan Fitzpatrick, who will miss the game due to a positive Covid-19 test, essentially has quarterbacked five of Miami’s 10 wins. Keep in mind Tagovailoa is only 13 months removed from major hip surgery. He has completed 65% of his passes with 10 TDs and just two interceptions. The book on him coming out of Alabama was he has outstanding accuracy, he can extend plays outside of the pocket, he throws with anticipation that’s uncommon for a draft prospect and he has excellent pocket presence. All of those things have been on display this year. Tagovailoa does not have a strong arm. He does not have a huge body. He does have a history of getting dinged by injuries. So those are shortcomings when you compare him with the Bills’ Allen.

Tank for Tua. Grier and Flores deserve a lot of credit for overhauling the roster. They took a lot of grief for supposedly tanking before the start of last season. Still, this is only Year 2 of the Flores regime and there is work to be done. Miami has caught some breaks this year. They beat the Rams thanks to fumble-return and punt-return TDs. They were beaten in first downs, 31-8, in that game. They were outgained by Arizona, 442-312, and won with the help of a fumble-return TD. Then they had the great escape, thanks to Fitzpatrick, last week in Las Vegas. Miami leads the NFL in turnover ratio (plus-11) and is tied for first in takeaways (with 27). As we have documented in this space, big turnover advantages are hard to repeat year after year (see New England, 2019).

Shaq report. The Dolphins gave former Bills defensive end Shaq Lawson $30 million over three years in free agency. They have gotten pretty much exactly what the Bills had last year: A solid starting edge player.

Lawson never is going to be an edge-bending speed rusher, which is why the Bills did not pay to keep him. But he is a stout edge-setter against the run who is going to play hard and provide some extra-effort pressure on the quarterback. He averaged 4.8 sacks over the previous three years for the Bills. He has four sacks this year for Miami. He had 40 pressures last year for the Bills. He has 38 this year for Miami, according to Pro Football Focus.

The Bills are paying Mario Addison the same salary. Addison has a little better speed than Lawson. Addison has five sacks and 39 pressures.

“He’s been able to pressure the quarterback and set the edge and do some good things in the run game,” Flores said. “He brings great energy. Just as a teammate, he’s been great.”

The Belichick tree. Flores and Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll worked together for four years in New England under Bill Belichick, from 2013-2016.

“I don't know what he's going to call,” Flores said this week. “I think he's done a phenomenal job there with Allen in that offense. I think he’s got a lot up his sleeve. He and I have had many, many conversations offensively and defensively. You do this, I'm doing that. You do that, I'm doing this. ... A lot of respect for him. I certainly don't know what he's doing to call, and that's what makes him good. He's a damn good coach. Daboll is a great friend of mine, someone I have a lot of respect for. We'll compete on Sunday and he'll have some bullets in his gun."

Stats for the road. Miami’s offense needs to stretch the field better. The Dolphins rank tied for 30th in pass plays of 20-plus yards with 34. But Fitzpatrick has thrown 24 of those in 267 attempts. Tagovailoa has just 10 of the 20-plus gains in 237 attempts. Miami has four pass plays of 40 or more yards, tied for third fewest. The Bills, meanwhile, have 61 pass plays of 20-plus yards, which is tied for third most. Kansas City leads with 67. Houston is second with 62.

Here is how News' sports writers see Sunday's regular season finale between the Bills and Miami Dolphins at Bills Stadium:

Vic Carucci

Sean McDermott has been trying to play coy with which players will be on the field for this one. Which means Josh Allen and other starters will see minimal action, if any.

That means the Bills don't view trying to win as a higher priority than keeping their front-liners healthy for the postseason, and that makes perfect sense. The Bills still could end up with the No. 2 seed if the Steelers, who are sitting Ben Roethlisberger, suffer a probable loss to the Browns, who need to win to get into the playoffs.

Even with backups, the Bills could make this game competitive, but with a playoff spot on the line for the Dolphins, it's hard to see Miami losing. Dolphins, 21-17.

Jay Skurski

This is perhaps the toughest game of the year to handicap given the uncertainty of who will play for the Bills. If it were up to me, the starters would be in at the beginning of the game, with a close eye on the game in Cleveland. If the Steelers fall behind big to the Browns and/or the Bills take a good lead, give quarterback Josh Allen, wide receiver Stefon Diggs and several others a quick hook. Keep the game plan as safe as possible, demand that Allen does not take any unnecessary hits, but try to win the game.

The No. 2 seed should be enough incentive for that. Home-field advantage, even in a game with limited fans, still has significance. Going up against a rookie quarterback should work in the Bills' favor. Tua Tagovailoa has a lot to prove for Miami, and with Ryan Fitzpatrick out because of Covid-19, the Dolphins' playoff hopes rest with their prized rookie. That's a lot of pressure. In my mind, Tagovailoa isn’t up to the task just yet. Bills, 24-20.

Mark Gaughan

There’s little doubt Sean McDermott will manufacture a mini-bye week for a good number of his veterans in the regular-season finale. You have to think Cleveland is going to get the job done in a must-win situation and beat Pittsburgh, even though the Browns are going through a Covid problem. That would clinch the No. 2 seed for Buffalo. The only reason to go all-out vs. Miami would be an interest in playing Indianapolis over Cleveland in the wild-card round. Does it matter? Not really. Both teams have good running games. I think Indy would be a slightly easier matchup, but the Colts have arguably the best offensive line in the NFL. Neither would be an easy game for the Bills.

There will be no slam-dunk wins for any AFC team in the playoffs. All seven teams are dangerous when they're at their best. The most indispensable Bills should sit most of the game. That list starts with Josh Allen, Stefon Diggs, Tre White, Tremaine Edmunds and Matt Milano. Nevertheless, I don’t envision a cake-walk win for Miami. Look for a boring, defensive game. Dolphins, 20-10.

Jason Wolf

This is like a playoff game for Miami, which is fighting for a postseason berth, and the Dolphins would be in big trouble if the contest mattered nearly as much to the Bills.

But Josh Allen, Stefon Diggs and other key starters are unlikely play the majority of the game, in my opinion, based on the risk-reward factor and Sean McDermott’s track record. There isn’t a massive difference between the No. 2 and 3 seeds this season, without a bye in play, and with a home wild-card game guaranteed, the Bills just can’t afford to risk an injury to one of their top playmakers.

The point was driven home by Cole Beasley, who is week-to-week after suffering a knee injury late in Monday’s blowout victory at New England.

In last year’s “meaningless” regular season finale, with the No. 5 seed assured, McDermott pulled most starters after the first quarter and lost to the Jets. This week, he’ll make sure the starters are prepared to play to keep them sharp. He might trot them out there for a few series. But anything more would be a surprise. And a mistake. Dolphins, 23-20.

Rachel Lenzi

The Bills should be able to rest easy, while the Dolphins remain in the hunt for a playoff spot – win against the Bills, and the Dolphins are locked in. The final regular-season game for both teams, though, isn’t that cut-and-dry.

With Ryan Fitzpatrick out due to a positive Covid-19 test, there will be no FitzMagic. Rookie Tua Tagovailoa will have to direct the Dolphins' offense with no relief should he get in trouble.

And while Bills coach Sean McDermott is playing coy in regards to his lineup against the Dolphins, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see some starters/marquee players the final regular-season game when playoff seeding and a playoff opponent is still at stake. 

If the Bills choose to rest their starters, this will be an exercise of their depth. The Dolphins, however, just don’t have the swagger of the playoff-ready Bills. Bills, 21-17.

Bills tight end Tyler Kroft has tested positive for Covid-19 and was placed on the reserve/Covid-19 list, the team announced Saturday. 

He will not play in the regular season finale against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday and the wild-card playoff game next weekend. Players who test positive must be quarantined for 10 days.  

Kroft was on the Covid list last month as a close contact of cornerback Josh Norman, who had tested positive, and did not play against Arizona in Week 10.

After being activated from the list, Kroft did not play until returning to the lineup last Monday in the victory against the New England Patriots, taking part in 12 snaps on special teams. 

He has 12 catches for 119 yards and three touchdowns for the season.

The Bills activated four players from the practice squad: tight end Nate Becker, cornerback Dane Jackson, defensive end Mike Love and running back Antonio Williams. Becker and Jackson serve as Covid replacements for Kroft and running back T.J. Yeldon, who tested positive last Sunday before the team departed for New England. 

Sean McDermott says the primary thing he needed to do upon arrival as the Bills’ head coach in 2017 was “get the right people on the bus.”

“It’s a people-driven business, like many things, and we wanted to build those key relationships,” he said recently. “There were already good people in the building. We had to make sure we retained those people and then added to those people. I’m a big believer if you win off the field that it makes it easier to win on the field so we went head first into accomplishing that as well.”

That involved a significant turnover of the roster – some through management’s choices, some through players leaving in free agency.

As the Bills head to the playoffs for the third time in four years, defensive end Jerry Hughes and long snapper Reid Ferguson are the only players who remain from before McDermott and General Manager Brandon Beane arrived.

Beane’s belief in building through the draft is evident in the 53-man roster and players on injured reserve. Of those who joined the Bills after the new regime arrived, 21 players are Bills’ draft picks and five others were added as undrafted free agents out of college.

McDermott and Beane have stressed the importance of stability, with Beane noting that was a topic that was part of his interview with co-owners Terry and Kim Pegula.

McDermott is the longest-tenured Bills coach since Dick Jauron coached 57 games from 2006-09. Before that, you have to go back to Hall of Famer Marv Levy.

“You have to lay out a plan,” Beane said after receiving a multi-year contract extension last month. “That’s not to say you lay out a three-year plan and you’re going to do every single thing and not change. You’re going to have to make some hard decisions, and quite frankly, unpopular decisions. You have to make them, you have to live with them and get everybody on board.

“If they don’t get on board, it doesn’t make them bad people. It makes them bad fits. We’ve had to do that some along the way. … If you think it’s the right thing, you have to stick with it long term. If you’re going to do it and do it right, you have to be willing to go through bumpy times and take some criticism.”

Or as McDermott puts it, “For any leader, the hardest part of the job is making what are perceived to be unpopular decisions and how lonely leadership at times is. … I always come back to if I’m prayed up and I’ve got the right mindset and that every decision that I make is in the best interest of our time, that when I get up to bat, I’m hopefully going to get a hit more than I strike out.

“It’s like running a business. I don’t own the business, but Terry and Kim have entrusted me with a huge responsibility to handle their investment the right way. I take a lot of pride in that and I take a lot of ownership in that. In those moments when you’ve made a big decision or things haven’t gone your way and the crowd has gone home and you look back and say, ‘Where did I go wrong? And what do I need to do to get things right?’ ”

Based on their success, McDermott and Beane have done plenty right.

Here is a look at how the current Bills’ roster was rebuilt in the last four seasons:

2013

Trade

DE Jerry Hughes (Colts)

2016

Undrafted free agency

LS Reid Ferguson (LSU)

2017

Free agency

S Micah Hyde (Packers)

S Jordan Poyer (Browns)

S Dean Marlowe (practice squad signee, Panthers)

Draft

CB Tre’Davious White (first round, LSU)

LT Dion Dawkins (second round, Temple)

LB Matt Milano (fifth round, Boston College)

2018

Free agency

DE Trent Murphy (Washington)

DT Star Lotuleilei (Panthers, opted out for 2020)

QB Matt Barkley (Cardinals)

Draft

QB Josh Allen (first round, Wyoming)

LB Tremaine Edmunds (first round, Virginia Tech)

DT Harrison Phillips (third round, Stanford)

DB Taron Johnson (fourth round, Weber State)

DB Siran Neal (fifth round, Jacksonville State)

Undrafted free agency

CB Levi Wallace (Alabama)

Waivers

P Corey Bojorquez (Patriots)

OL Ike Boettger (Chiefs)

WR Isaiah McKenzie (Broncos)

2019

Free agency

WR Cole Beasley (Cowboys)

WR John Brown (Ravens)

G/C Jon Feliciano (Raiders)

TE Tyler Kroft (Bengals)

C Mitch Morse (Chiefs)

OT Ty Nsekhe (Washington)

WR/KR Andre Roberts (Jets)

TE Lee Smith (Raiders)

RB T.J. Yeldon (Jaguars)

Trade

OL Ryan Bates (Eagles)

Draft

DT Ed Oliver (first round, Houston)

OL Cody Ford (second round, Oklahoma)

RB Devin Singletary (third round, Florida Atlantic)

TE Dawson Knox (third round, Ole Miss)

S Jaquan Johnson (sixth round, Miami)

DL Daryl Johnson Jr. (seventh round, North Carolina A&T)

TE Tommy Sweeney (seventh round, Boston College)

Undrafted free agency

LB Tyrel Dodson (Texas A&M)

CB Cam Lewis (Buffalo)

LB Del’Shawn Phillips (Illinois)

2020

Trade

WR Stefon Diggs (Vikings)

Free agency

DE Mario Addison (Panthers)

DT Vernon Butler (Panthers)

DE Quinton Jefferson (Seahawks)

RB Taiwan Jones (Texans)

LB A.J. Klein (Saints)

LB Tyler Matakevitch (Steelers)

CB Josh Norman (Washington)

LB Andre Smith (practice squad signee, Panthers)

OT Daryl Williams (Panthers)

OL Brian Winters (Jets)

DT Justin Zimmer (practice squad signee, Browns)

Draft

DE A.J. Epenesa (second round, Iowa)

RB Zack Moss (third round, Utah)

WR Gabriel Davis (fourth round, Central Florida)

QB Jake Fromm (fifth round, Georgia)

WR Isaiah Hodgins (sixth round, Oregon State)

K Tyler Bass (sixth round, Georgia Southern)

Undrafted free agency

TE Reggie Gilliam (Toledo)

This is a tricky one. The red-hot Buffalo Bills (8-1 in their last nine games, with the only loss at Arizona on the Hail Murray) and the equally hot Miami Dolphins (9-2 in their last 11) are jostling for playoff positioning.

A win here and the Bills lock up the No. 2 seed in the AFC. Miami needs a win to make the playoffs. Should it lose, it would need a loss by Baltimore, Cleveland or Indianapolis.

Coach Sean McDermott said the Bills have a plan for how to handle playing time and whether to rest some starters, but he said the specifics will "remain internal." Meanwhile, Brian Flores will start Tua Tagovailoa and will be without “relief pitcher,” Ryan Fitzpatrick, who tested positive for Covid-19.

It's been quite a turnaround season for the Dolphins, who started last year 0-7 under new coach Flores. They are 15-9 and 16-7-1 against the spread since, and the Dolphins are 4-1 against the spread going into games versus foes with a winning record this season. In fact, they are 3-2 straight up and 4-1 against the spread as the road team in games versus opponents with a winning record under Flores.

The biggest hurdle for the Fish is their ragged record in Buffalo, where they’ve dropped seven of their last eight visits, while going 2-6 against the spread. Until more is known closer to game time, we’ll lean to the hungrier underdog and take the points. 

Prediction: Bills over Dolphins by 3. 

Marc Lawrence previews the NFL from a Vegas perspective. You can follow him online at Playbook.com or @MarcLawrence.

Here are The News' selections for Week 17 from Jay Skurski, Mark Gaughan and Jason Wolf. Points spreads and records provided by our new partner at tallysight.com.