Rising quarterback Josh Allen says Stephon Diggs the Bills' real MVP

Is Josh Allen the new front-runner for league MVP?

Could be.

But first, let's decide whether he or a certain former Vikings receiver is the front-runner for team MVP in Buffalo.

A win over the Cardinals on Sunday would give Buffalo its first 8-2 start since 1993, the last of the four straight seasons the Bills reached the Super Bowl.

To reach 7-2 last week, all Allen did was: outplay MVP favorite Russell Wilson; beat Seattle 44-34; become the first quarterback of the Super Bowl era to post more than one game with at least 400 yards passing, three touchdowns, no interceptions and a 130.0-plus passer rating; and do it all the day after his grandmother died.

"Josh was emotional," Bills coach Sean McDermott said. "It was a big, big win and a great, great thing for him to play like he played. Just a mentally tough man."

Allen likes to deflect attention from himself to other players — such as former Vikings receiver Stefon Diggs, who leads the NFL in receptions (63) and receiving yards (813).

In Allen's book, Diggs is the MVP of the Bills' breakout season to date.

"[Diggs] also brings the things that don't show on the stat sheet, like the energy that he brings, and the knowledge that he has for the game," Allen told reporters this week. "How he rallies and bonds with the guys in the locker room and the stuff that shows up off the stat sheet and, I think, that's what is really cool about him.

"He is a very team-first guy, contrary to popular belief, and all he says to me is just keep making the right decisions and he's not trying to get me to force him the ball. That said, he does have the most targets in the league and he's got the most receptions and yards now.

"But he's never once given me any reason to believe he's nothing but a team guy. He's team-first, he loves ball, he's very competitive, and we get along extremely well. He's a great fit in our receiving group, in our locker room for that matter and we're lucky to have him."

MARK CRAIG