I am a New York Jets fan, which has been mostly brutal, with now what, 15 straight seasons without a playoff appearance? Thank god I am a Yankees fan. However, that all could have been different had the Jets selected a different quarterback in the 2018 draft. After watching Josh Allen’s college tape at Wyoming, I was convinced he was the best QB in the draft and I wanted the Jets to take him. I watched Sam Darnold at USC, he was very turnover prone and I really wanted no part of him. Of course, the Jets selected Darnold, shifting the future success of these two AFC East organizations for the next decade plus, with the Bills taking Allen.
Allen has been my favorite QB and player to watch since he came into the league. This feeling was definitely catapulted by the mass doubt Allen received as a prospect and QB. He can’t throw, he’s inaccurate, he will be a complete bust, etc, etc. Even after his first two seasons it continued. All the data and stats were brought out to continue to doubt and ridicule Allen. Allen was never a QB you could put into a box with stats alone. He was the brunt of jokes amongst the masses on Twitter and many in the legacy sports media. Stefon Diggs was brought over and many said Diggs would suffer because of how brutal Allen was as a passer. We see how that worked out.
The truth is, as a prospect, Allen was one of the most unique players I have ever seen play the position. The combination of arm talent, athleticism, running ability, strength and instincts was something I really had not seen before. It was extremely unique. The Bills obviously felt the same way and traded up to draft him. It was a monumental decision that changed the fate of the Buffalo Bills.
In his third season Allen took a huge leap, but yet the doubters remained, and they remained the year after that and the year after that. He was still doubted coming into this season, with many of the pundits saying the Bills time was up, Diggs, Gabe Davis, Micah Hyde, Jordan Poyer were gone. It was the Dolphins time, Aaron Rodgers was better. It became the popular and “safe” opinion. After Allen had just 8 turnovers this season, they can’t even use that “he turns the ball over too much” argument against him any longer. Why all the doubt on Allen? Perhaps it was because the same doubters were the loudest from the start that he would be bust and never be good. To see him playing at this level was something they could never conceive, so they stayed in denial, living with cognitive dissonance. The more Allen succeeded the more it annoyed them.
Now Allen is back in the AFC Championship game for the 2nd time in his career, against his familiar foe in the Kansas City Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes. Despite having a record of 4-1 against Mahomes in the regular season, Allen and the Bills are 0-3 in the playoffs against KC. Many use this against Allen saying he can’t win the big game, he can’t beat Mahomes. For people who have watched these games closely, they know it’s not because of Allen, but mostly because of Kansas City simply being the better team.
In their first matchup in 2020, Allen had over 350 total yards and two touchdowns, but they lost 38-24. Tyreek Hill had a 172 yards receiving and Travis Kelce had 118. Their defense could not stop them. The following year, In 2021 AFC divisional game that the Bills lost in overtime 42-36, Allen had a monstrous game, accounting for nearly 400 total yards and four touchdowns with no turnovers. Allen drove his team down the field twice late in the 4th quarter to take the lead with touchdown throws, only to have the Chiefs come right back with Tyreek Hill breaking a huge TD and then getting into FG position with just 13 seconds left to the tie the game and put it into overtime. Tyreek Hill had 150 yards and Kelce had 98. Buffalo would not see the ball again as KC drove right down the field and scored a TD on the first drive of overtime. Then finally, last season, with the Bills at home, they lost 27-24. Allen again had a good performance with nearly 300 total yards and three touchdowns, 0 turnovers. Tyler Bass missed a 44 yard field goal to tie the game, missing wide right, with shades of Scott Norwood in Super Bowl 25 against the Giants. This is to take nothing away from Kansas City, Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes. It really seems like Allen brings the best out of Mahomes and it really speaks to his own greatness that he can elevate his game to another level when playing an opponent like Allen. Mahomes has been terrific in his own right in these matchups, however, Allen arguably has outplayed him in two of these three games. The point is, to blame Allen, to say he can’t win the big game or to discount him based on these losses is wrong. It’s not telling the entire story.
Now, as we sit here on the eve of the fourth matchup in five years between these two teams in the playoffs, I truly believe it is the Bills and Josh Allen’s moment for redemption. The 13 second game, the missed FG last year, the Damar Hamlin situation in 2022, the Bills losing four straight Super Bowls in the 90’s. If this isn’t the Bills time, then when? No team has ever won three straight Super Bowls and I don’t think Kansas City is going to be the first. The Bills are going to block that path. This situation reminds me of the Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan against the Detroit Pistons. Jordan could not overcome the Pistons early in his career losing to them three straight times in the playoffs, but finally he broke through, sweeping the Pistons in his fourth try and winning his first championship at the age of 27 years old. Allen is 28 years old and also on his fourth try to take the Chiefs down. You could argue Mahomes is the Jordan, but after last season, I felt that Allen had surpassed Mahomes play on the field. That showed again this year. Mahomes of course has the rings, but I think Allen is the better QB.
Regardless, even if the Bills and Allen lose this game, he is still one of the greatest QB’s to ever play, and probably has already sealed his spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. I think Allen is probably the best QB I have ever seen play. If the Bills somehow don’t ever win a Super Bowl with Allen, they may never win one. However, if the Bills do win this year, they will likely be the favorites to repeat again next season and Allen will have or at least hopefully finally shut up all his doubters and cemented himself as one of the greatest QB’s to have ever played the game.
Here are some All-time records that Allen currently holds.
262 Total Touchdowns in his first seven seasons, NFL record.
76 wins in his first seven seasons, NFL record.
30,595 total yards in his first seven seasons, NFL record.
Five consecutive seasons with 40+ total touchdowns, NFL record.
He’s got the yards, touchdowns and wins, the only thing left is to be crowned a champion. After tomorrow I believe the Bills will be on that path to get the first Super Bowl title in their history. If I am wrong, Josh Allen will be back again next year, once again showing the world why he is one of the best players of all-time. The ring would just be the one thing that would erase his doubters forever. For their sake, let’s hope so.
Fantasy Savvy 