The 30 biggest NFL storylines of the 2020 season

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - JANUARY 11: Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens gestures during the first half against the Tennessee Titans in the AFC Divisional Playoff game at M&T Bank Stadium on January 11, 2020 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

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HOUSTON, TEXAS – JANUARY 04: Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills gives Justin Reid #20 of the Houston Texans a stiff arm during the AFC Wild Card Playoff game at NRG Stadium on January 04, 2020, in Houston, Houston won 22-19 in overtime. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images) /

10. Will Josh Allen’s accuracy improve?

Allen has been an apt leader for the Buffalo Bills in his first two seasons. The Bills have boasted the league’s fourth-best defense since 2018 in points allowed, and Allen has done enough to ride that momentum.

But he’s been a terribly inaccurate passer. His development in this metric is what will forecast his longterm prognosis as an NFL starter. The only two quarterbacks in the entire NFL during the last decade to start at least 25 games and have a worse completion percentage are Blaine Gabbert and Terrelle Pryor. News flash: Neither of those men panned out as quarterbacks.

With the addition of Stefon Diggs, Allen must improve his accuracy, or he will be exposed eventually in a season that his team’s defense is not upper-echelon.

9. What version of Ben Roethlisberger returns to Pittsburgh?

My goodness, this one is momentous. Roethlisberger returns to the Steelers in 2020 after missing much of the 2019 season due to an elbow injury. There is a strong possibility that he is just fine and finishes out his career at a level he and the Steelers have grown accustomed to.

Yet, if returns and is visibly diminished from a production standpoint, the Steelers will contemplate an era soon that does not involve Roethlisberger. This is earthshaking because Roethlisberger has been the face of the franchise since 2004.

What will they do if he is ineffective? Sign a 2021 free agent like Jameis Winston? Or start over in the draft?

Pittsburgh’s immediate and farsighted future depends on the version of Roethlisberger that saddles up for 2020.

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