All you need to know about the dramatic improvement shown by Bills quarterback Josh Allen, in his third season, is how opposing defenses obsess over dealing with his skills.
Allen, whose main flaw was accuracy when Buffalo drafted him No. 7 overall in 2017, has morphed into one of the NFL’s most on-target passers. At nearly 69 percent completions, he ranks fifth among league QBs who have played over half the season. Allen is also sixth in passing yardage (3,641), touchdown passes (28) and passer rating (103.3).
This year, he was tabbed AFC Offensive Player of the Month for September and has been selected conference Offensive Player of Week three times, the most in Bills’ history over a single season.
Last week, Allen broke one of the franchise’s most revered records, accounting for a 35th touchdown, breaking Hall of Famer Jim Kelly’s record of 34 set in 1991. In addition to his 28 TD passes, the former Wyoming star has rushed for six scores and has a touchdown reception … with three games still to be played.
THE NEXT test comes Saturday afternoon when Buffalo (10-3) faces the Broncos (5-8) in Denver.
And the home team is already concerned about dealing with Allen’s evolved playing skills.
Broncos coach Vic Fangio admitted, “He’s having a hell of a season. He’s a big, strong guy (6-foot-5, 237 pounds) who can run. He’s tough to tackle in the pocket and he’s tough to tackle when he breaks out of the pocket. They have some designed runs for him … he’s seeing the field very well and throwing it very well.
“The guy has really emerged as one of the top quarterbacks in the league. I remember when people were saying there weren’t enough good quarterbacks for the league (but) it seems like we’re playing a good one every week, so I think that’s disappeared.”
In assessing Allen’s skills in scoring territory, Fangio noted, “They do a good job schematically in the red zone (inside the 20-yard line). They take advantage of his abilities to run … they’ll run plays where he’s actually running the ball. His scrambling has a big effect for their success in the red zone. People fear his running, scrambling and quarterback runs and sometimes that causes teams to be in favorable coverages for the offense when they do decide to throw it. A big part of (the Bills’ success) is a balanced ability to do everything that he does.”
DENVER quarterback Drew Lock, a second pick from the University of Missouri last year, has developed a friendship with the Bills’ QB.
“I feel like it’s patience with him,” he said of Allen. “Obviously, he struggled a little bit when he got into the league as far as completion percentage, but he figured it out. He learned, kept growing, kept realizing what looks he wanted for certain plays, and now he has the experience.
“He’s played in it, he’s struggled in it, and when you struggle in it you end up learning, you end up thriving. That’s why he’s playing extremely good ball right now. It’s football that I want to end up eventually getting to and playing like.”
Lock added, “It’s all about making progress, keep making small steps forward. He’s progressing. It’s fun to watch him because I know him and he’s a great guy. He’s a competitor in everything he does, not only football. So, I think that’s another thing that really helps him out. He wants to win extremely bad.
I loved being around him and I’m happy for his success, but hopefully we can stop it here (Saturday).”
BRONCOS SAFETY Justin Simmons admitted of Allen, “He brings a lot of challenges. Looking at last year’s game against the Bills (20-3 Buffalo win in Orchard Park) and at the most recent game against the Steelers, it’s crazy to see how much more they’ve improved, especially on the offensive side of the ball.
“It seems like Josh is a little bit more composed and comfortable in stepping up in the pocket, making accurate throws all across the field. Everyone knows he has the arm to do it, not to mention the additional weapon they got with (Stefon) Diggs, he’s an elite receiver.”
And that concerns Denver’s secondary.
As cornerback Michael Ojemudia noted of Buffalo’s QB, “It’s definitely a challenge because you know that he has a rocket of an arm. But at the same time you’ve got to be aggressive for the shorter things because those can turn into big plays. You’re definitely going to have to be tight on your man, deep or short. Protecting the bomb is going to be a focus.”
(Chuck Pollock, a Times Herald senior sports columnist, can be reached at cpollock@oleantimesherald.com)
