This Bills offensive scheme has propelled Josh Allen into MVP consideration

Josh Allen is reportedly among the NFL’s leading MVP candidates at midseason. Two significant factors have contributed to his campaign.

First, no other quarterback has played better in home games. Buffalo is 3-0 at Highmark Stadium, where the Bills (6-2) host the Dolphins (2-5) on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS). Allen at home leads the league with a 132.8 passer rating and an unblemished touchdown/interception ratio (eight touchdown passes and zero interceptions on 62 attempts). But according to ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky, there’s another reason why the Bills are poised for a Super Bowl run.

“One of the things they do better than anybody,” Orlovsky said Thursday, “is Joe Brady – who’s their play-caller – goes with six offensive linemen on the field. No. 1, it simplifies defenses; they have to put seven ‘bigs’ on the field. You get one-on-one coverage more often than not on the outside. And it does a great job of making sure that Josh’s reads are very clear, with good pockets in protection. These are simple reads for a quarterback: Go route, crossing route, check down.

“Easy, six offensive linemen on the field. They can run the football out of it. And, I think the thing I like the most in their run game, when they put those six offensive linemen in, it gets the run started. They don’t have negative plays in the run game. It gives everyone on the offense a chance to lean on defensive linemen.”

Orlovsky said the numbers support his thesis. When six offensive linemen are on the field for NFL teams, Buffalo ranks first in rushing attempts (54), yards per carry (5.2) and yards per offensive play (6.8).

And shifting to Buffalo’s defense, things just got worse for the rest of the AFC East, a division the Bills are on track to clinch by Thanksgiving. Buffalo on Wednesday welcomed back Von Miller, the NFL’s active career sacks leader. Miller’s suspension for violation of the NFL’s Personal Conduct Policy – four games without pay — ended on Monday.

“I’m in a great spot,” Miller said after practice Wednesday, courtesy of Alaina Getzenberg. “I’m just happy all of that stuff is behind me.”

So are the Bills. Despite missing the last four games, Miller has three sacks this season, one fewer than team leader A.J. Epenesa (four). The 13^th-year veteran has 126½ career sacks, more than any active player and nine more than No. 2 Cameron Jordan (117½). Sunday is the first day of Miller’s new chapter.

“Got nine games left, and once you have something taken away from you — whether it’s football stuff, NFL stuff, league stuff, like what happened over the last month or whether it’s injury — you just have a new appreciation for the sport.”