• Three weeks is nothing, and September results can lie to you.
But seventh-year Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen put together the type of performance Monday night that should get everyone’s MVP attention, and is only a continuation of what he’s been doing all month. Allen went 23-of-30 for 263 yards and four touchdowns in a 47–10 beatdown of the Jacksonville Jaguars—and did it despite throwing the ball just twice in the second half in which Buffalo held a commanding 34–3 lead.
Allen connected with 10 different receivers, including four for touchdowns. The quarterback’s ability to play off-schedule, generate shots off scramble plays and pick up chunks of yardage with his legs played sidecar to the pocket passer in Allen, which might be the scariest part of the whole thing.
Now, to be clear, Allen’s never wanted to make this about the departure of Stefon Diggs. But it’s hard not to look at the 28-year-old and see a guy who is playing point guard at the position in a way he never has before, free of having to feed a true No. 1 receiver. Bills folks see it, too, and it’s given them hope that this is just the beginning for Allen.
For me, it also recalls a conversation he and I had just before the season started. I asked him how he thought opponents would approach him differently without Diggs out there. His answer foreshadowed what we’ve seen the past three weeks.
“What I do think we have is versatility,” Allen said. “I’m not really sure what defenses are gonna key on in our offense. Are they gonna key on the run game? Are they gonna take certain guys in the receiver room to try and lock them up? We’ve got a lot of different things. So starting each progression with a different guy, I think it’s going to be very beneficial for us.”
There’s no question it has been. And with Allen going from the little brother to the big brother in the locker room—with Micah Hyde, Jordan Poyer, Tre’Davious White, Mitch Morse and Diggs himself gone—the timing of his next steps as a leader have married up nicely with these steps he’s taking as a quarterback.
I’d also agree with those Buffalo people. I think we’re just on the front end of it.
