Josh Allen is the undisputed king of the AFC East, but the surprise is who sits just behind him. It is not a rookie sensation or a veteran star from Miami. It is Geno Smith of the New York Jets.
Most fans expected the division to be a two-horse race between Buffalo and Miami. Instead, the early returns show the Jets quarterback carving out a clear second-place spot. According to reports, this ranking is a snapshot of recent play, not a final prediction for the season.
The numbers back up this surprising placement. In his second game, Smith finished 27 of 41 passes for 247 yards and a touchdown. He did not throw a single interception despite a tough overtime loss to Green Bay.
Per Jets Wire, Smith proved he can run Frank Reich’s offense with efficiency. The Jets moved the ball well even when the final score was disappointing. Currently, this consistency places him leading the division.
The Gap Between Allen and Everyone Else
Josh Allen makes the top spot look easy. He led the Bills to a 41-31 win over Detroit with five total touchdowns. Three scores and 248 yards came from his throws, plus two rushing scores and 69 yards.
Allen has now tallied nine total touchdowns through the first two games. The Bills are leaning heavily on his shoulders, and he is answering the call. This kind of production makes it hard to knock him from the number one spot.
The gap between Allen and the rest of the field is wide. Yet, the race for second place is tight and full of drama. Smith is currently the man to beat for that runner-up position.
New England and Miami Lag Behind
Drake Maye of the New England Patriots sits in third place. He did not have a great statistical day in Week 2, but he was better than his Week 1 performance. The Patriots beat Pittsburgh 20-3, mostly because their defense did the heavy lifting.
Maye threw 14 of 22 passes for 208 yards, recording one interception but no touchdowns. Major errors capable of ruining a winnable game were sidestepped by him. Still, a large gap remains between his play and the top two.
Malik Willis of the Miami Dolphins trails the pack. While he is a respected competitor in the NFL, questions linger about a Dolphins playoff push. Two weeks is too short to make sweeping conclusions, but the order is clear.
The Offensive Line Factor
The Jets’ offensive line is a key reason Smith can stay in this race. Pro Football Focus moved New York up one spot to No. 18 heading into Week 3. Although still in the bottom half of the league, the trend moves upward.
Left tackle Olu Fashanu earned an 84.3 pass-blocking grade and a 94.0% pass-block win rate. Through two weeks, right tackle Armand Membou and he allowed just four pressures each. This investment in the trenches is paying dividends for the offense.
The better the line plays, the more freedom Smith has in the system. As the season goes on, this unit could climb even higher in the rankings. For now, the foundation is solid enough to keep the Jets in the hunt.
The AFC East is shaping up to be a battle of attrition. Allen will likely hold the top spot all year, but the fight for second is wide open. If Smith keeps turning production into wins, he could challenge Allen for the crown.
