There were years when the Green Bay Packers didn’t have a Super Bowl-caliber roster, but that didn’t stop analysts from consistently predicting them as contenders for the big game because they had Aaron Rodgers at quarterback.

Even today, that respect for Rodgers hasn’t waned. He’s now a middle-aged quarterback coming off a serious Achilles injury, playing for a franchise with a 13-year playoff drought, and yet many still voted for the New York Jets to make the postseason.

Considering the way Josh Allen has started the season, including a convincing 31-10 win over the Miami Dolphins on Thursday night, the Buffalo Bills star quarterback is well on his way to earning the respect Rodgers has enjoyed for years.

It’s a little odd that Allen’s previous stellar seasons weren’t enough to convince the masses that the Bills would be just fine without Stefon Diggs, the star receiver who was traded to the Houston Texans in the midseason. There’s a perception that Diggs made Allen a top-five quarterback. Sure, the former All-Pro wideout helped Allen develop, but as he improved his accuracy and played with more composure, it was easy to see that his elite attributes were superior to those of most quarterbacks.

Or maybe it wasn’t easy to say because the Bills didn’t get much hype this offseason as Super Bowl contenders. They were also overlooked in the AFC East, a division the Bills have won four straight seasons due to Rodgers’ return to the Jets. And there was the ESPN player poll that Allen as the most overrated quarterback in the leaguewhich was surprising and now funny, considering the Bills had a 2-0 lead.

Last week, Allen donned his Superman cape and led the Bills to a come-from-behind Week 1 win over the Arizona Cardinals. Allen didn’t have to do much Thursday night after his defense held the Dolphins’ playmakers, including Tyreek Hill, in check. But Allen’s stunning throw who hung on a rope for a 33-yard pass to Ty Johnson at the 1-yard line was another reminder that things are going to be okay for the Bills despite losing a few key veterans.

A clear indicator of a special quarterback is how they elevate the play of others. So far, Allen has done that, even though his former star receiver now plays for the Texans, a team he could face in January. But that’s getting ahead of ourselves. Let’s focus on what we know, which is that the Bills are once again the heavy favorites in the AFC East.

There’s an argument to be made that this is Allen’s best team, which shouldn’t be confused with the best roster. Again, the Bills are missing a star wide receiver, but Allen seems to be at his best when he’s spreading the ball. He went with 10 players in Week 1 and leaned on running back James Cook to beat the Dolphins on Thursday. Cook rushed for 78 rushing yards and scored three touchdowns. Allen went 13 of 19 for 139 yards, one touchdown and didn’t commit a turnover.

Back to the big picture, part of the reason Allen hasn’t gotten Rodgers’ respect may be because he didn’t take the Bills to the Super Bowl or beat the Kansas City Chiefs in the playoffs. It’s understandable that they’d wait to crown the Bills as real contenders. Calling Allen overrated and overlooking the Bills as a playoff team because of a few roster tweaks is where many go wrong.

The Dolphins have also gotten some attention as potential threats to dethrone the Bills, as they have several speedy playmakers. But so far, all that talent hasn’t been enough to defeat the Bills, who are on a five-game winning streak over the Dolphins. It was a tough day for Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who threw three interceptions before early retirement with a concussionHill contributed just three catches for 24 yards.

Tagovailoa has a strong handle on McDaniel’s offense, as evidenced by how confidently he moved the ball to his playmakers in the first half. There were a handful of nifty reverse flips to wide receivers for positive gains and a few no-look shovel passes to running backs and tight ends to move the chains. The rhythm and timing with which Tagovailoa plays around the line of scrimmage is impressive and certainly effective at times.

But Tagovailoa’s extra razzle and dazzle doesn’t strike fear into opposing defenses. That’s what separates Tagovailoa from Allen. When the Bills signal-caller plays his version of point guard, it often leads to touchdowns. Defenders panic when they see Allen running away from the pocket, because he’s either going to bulldoze a defensive back for extra yards on the ground or throw a laser downfield similar to the 33-yard rope he unleashed on Johnson.

Many argue that quarterbacks are overpaid, but Allen is getting a huge contract extension early this season and he is certainly not overrated.