Josh Allen attempts a pass in a preseason game against the the Cleveland Browns on Aug. 17. Allen passed for 60 yards and one touchdown in a 19-17 win for the Bills. (Courtesy of Creative Commons).
The Buffalo Bills have found their franchise quarterback and it is their number seven overall pick from the 2018 National Football League draft, Josh Allen. When Allen was drafted, he faced a great deal of skepticism from the Buffalo fanbase.
Many felt Allen would be a bust, that he was not accurate enough and that the Bills should have selected a different prospect. As the Bills’s 2018 season has progressed, Allen has proved many of these skeptics wrong.
Allen’s stats do not jump out as impressive initially. He has thrown for 1,223 yards, five touchdowns and seven interceptions. He has also rushed for 389 yards and four touchdowns. Other than his running statistics, his numbers are below average and may even make some think he is simply not that good. Those who have watched Allen in person know that this is anything but true.
Allen passes the eye test with flying colors. He runs around behind the line of scrimmage making incredible plays despite a weak offensive line. He has run all over opposing defenses, converting first downs that no other quarterback could. Lastly, he plays with a competitive fire that the fans have taken notice of.
He is a visibly great leader and his teammates and fans have begun to rally behind him. Allen has turned doubters into believers and both the national media and his opponents have started to take notice.
Allen had his most impressive game to date despite a 21-17 loss to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday Dec. 2. He threw for 231 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions and ran for 135 yards. He kept Buffalo in the game until the final seconds and if not for a pass dropped by tight end Charles Clay in the end zone the Bills would have won.
On Allen’s performance, Miami Dolphins safety Reshad Jones said, “[Allen’s got] a little Ben Roethlisberger [to him]. He has a similar game, a big guy. He can run. Probably one of the strongest arms in the NFL. I think that guy is going to be good.”
For his Sunday performance Allen was selected for the Pro Football Focus Team of the week with a grade of 90.8 and was nominated for the Pepsi Rookie of the Week for week 13 of the NFL season.
Buffalo currently has a 4-8 record and the odds of the team making the playoffs are slim to none. Despite this, fans still have a reason to watch and be excited about games for the rest of the season.
Allen has given the Buffalo fanbase a reason to believe in the future of this team. He needs to continue to improve week to week, but his athletic ability will help him make big plays and keep the Bills in games.
Allen is a perfect fit as the franchise quarterback for Buffalo because he seems to embody the city. He works hard, leads his teammates and is never afraid to put his competitive side on display on the field.
Allen has already made it clear he appreciates Buffalo.
“Listen, I love Buffalo. I already do,” Allen said, according to BillsWire. “I’m so thankful and so blessed to be able to be here. It’s my type of town, my type of city. I’m just thankful to play with these guys, my teammates, my coaches.”
Allen has given Buffalo every reason to love him from his play to his attitude. If everything continues to progress in the right direction, Allen will be at the helm in Buffalo for years to come and will be the quarterback Bills fans have been waiting on for years.