Josh Allen is looking a lot more like the 2019 version

[Estro]

1 hour ago, Process said:

He's been really, really, REALLY bad. Completely different player than last year. 

 

Hopefully he snaps out of it. We have 0 chance against KC with this version of Allen. 

100% agree.

 

He never hut his back foot and just let it go today. The few times he did he was way off the mark. He was overthrowing early and then it looked like he adjusted by trying to feather everything and left way too many balls short.  There are some early warning signs, let's hope he snaps out of it.

[Rubes]

Really strange that the prevailing opinion is that the offense still is searching for its groove, yet we just scored 5 TDs and completely blew out a division opponent on the road.

[Eastport bills]

Going back to last years playoffs to make a mindless point with statistics no less. I'm surprised your not referencing the Houston playoff loss. If he doesn't beat KC you'll probably call for Trubisky. The playcalling was better. The Bills ran the ball with better O-line play and our defense was opportunistic. Josh used his legs, made some great plays(Diggs td) and the game was never in doubt. You don't need style points. He's gonna build momentum and be the guy they paid 1/4 billion for. Thanks for your continued confidence. 

[bigK14094]

2 hours ago, dorquemada said:

He was throwing off his back foot all day. He knows better.  

Yes, I noticed that also.  Dorsey needs to get to him and fix that.

[HappyDays]

There is definitely some truth to the fact that the pass protection is making Josh uncomfortable. Even on the underthrown pass to Diggs right at the end of the 1st half, there is pressure in Allen's face when he unloads the ball (I just rewatched this play). He has no chance to step into it and has to lob it off his back foot. Not saying that is always the case on some of these inaccurate throws but I think the constant pressure in the pocket is affecting his ability to keep his mechanics under control. So like I said I would like Allen to leave the pocket more. That is where he is at his best. He threw 2 TD dimes from outside the pocket today.

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

You know what. his mechanics seem like they are worse.. flip side? He wants it. 

[Nelius]

19 minutes ago, Real McNasty said:

Yup, if it isn't 300+ yds and 3-4tds it's failure.  These are the same people back in the day that would be saying to bench Kelly for Reich.

I get that he has looked better and made some really bad throws today, but all of the talk about how “he better earn that money” and “no excuses” after a 35-0 blowout is weird. Isn’t that more so putting up than shutting up?

 

If Josh wins a ring but does it with a pedestrian 3500 passing yards and 84 rating, is there going to be disappointment?

Edited September 20, 2021 by Nelius

[UKBillFan]

37 minutes ago, Big Turk said:

He will be fine. Enjoy the closer games because by the mid point of the season with the way the D is playing we might be winning by double digits every week easily...kinda like last year toward the end. 

35-0 is a closer game? If so, this season will be fun.

[Marvlevydraftdaygenius]

It is the way Defenses are going to play him this year.  No Smoke no speed over the top and Dabol must be more balanced this year.

[Scott7975]

53 minutes ago, Giuseppe Tognarelli said:

Dude, there is only one playoff team in each conference that is not a Wild Card team.

 

Playing a wildcard team doesn't make you a wildcard team.  Division winners are all not wildcard teams because they are in regardless of record.

[Sharky7337]

1 hour ago, PowderRiver said:

What’s amazing to me is how we win 35-0 and played two top defenses and all we can do is focus on is Josh last years Josh or 2019 Josh.

 

Josh Allen is Josh Allen. He’s going to put up some big numbers in games this year too. It’s not a this or that thing to focus on.

 

God you guys are spoiled now.

Sorry don't ever tell us - who all stuck with this team through 4 super bowl losses, the drought, getting our teeth kicked in year after year by Brady, that any of us are spoiled. 

 

We filled stands for garbage and hope.

 

It's ok to discuss when players don't play well.

Edited September 20, 2021 by Sharky7337

[QCity]

1 minute ago, Nelius said:

 

 

If Josh wins a ring but does it a pedestrian 3500 passing yards and 84 rating, is there going to be disappointment?

 

No, of course not. We aren't winning any rings with QB play like the last 2 weeks. This narrative that the fans "only want stats" is completely misguided. We want elite QB play, and what we saw today was....eye opening to say the least.

[JerseyBills]

2 hours ago, Locomark said:

Actually I liked many of his decisions today. He threw the ball away like 5-6 times instead of taking dumb sacks like he used to. They still aren’t in sync yet, but it’s not unusual for offenses to not put up big numbers early in a season. Let’s see what happens the next 2 weeks where there is a big chance to put up back to back 300 yd games. Beasley isn’t getting as wide open as he was last year either. Teams have figured out how to bracket his option routes. 

I think that's more cause the D than Beasley.  He looks fine. Need a guy like Knox to get open underneath more. 

Beasley was a 1st down machine last year. We'll see 

With all the depth we got at WR, I think Dabol n Allen will figure it out and make defenses pay if they're going to key in on Beasley/ Diggs 

 

But ya, Josh could have had 3-4 picks. He's def not grooving like he was last year.  We'll see what happens. I'm confident in him and our coaches. 

 

 

[Logic]

It's weird how people aren't allowed to point out that our quarterback has been playing subpar football -- worse than last year, no doubt -- without people defensively jumping down their throat.

Sure, the Bills still won today. Sure, his line isn't doing him any favors. Sure, he'll likely have better games this season. But it's okay to admit that Josh hasn't played very good football the last two weeks, and that if he doesn't improve -- REGARDLESS of what the o-line is doing -- it will be pretty worrisome.

It doesn't make someone less of a Bills fan, it doesn't make them unappreciative of a win, and it doesn't make them a pessimist to call a spade a spade: Through two weeks, regardless of what other circumstances or excuses you want to throw out there, Josh HAS looked closer to the 2019 version than the 2020 version. It's not just stat sheet stuff. He's missing throws that he was NOT missing last year. He's getting away from some of those great mechanics improvements he made last year at inopportune times.

Normalize being honest when the quarterback isn't playing well. 

[billybrew1]

19 minutes ago, billybrew1 said:

Yes, it must be defenses are taking away what Josh excels at and I would say that he excels at deep medium passes that are fired in there. 

Most great QBs go thru rough times where things are taken away and the QB must grow. Hopefully Josh can adjust, grow and hopefully start hittting arcing over the shoulder passes.... I think if he can do this, our offense will start making big plays in bunches, and defenses back off of taking away what Allen does (or did) best.

Right know, or, after two weeks, Josh has been pretty poor so it is up to everyone else to get us past Washington and Houston. We absolutely need the good Allen to beat the chefs....

 

BTW, I would not count his last two playoff games as Josh Allen bad games. His receivers were all beat up and most were just decoys out there. That wasn't Josh's fault. Josh's poorer play started this year and probably has to do with signing that contract and defenses catching up to him.

 

Josh has two weeks to get back to Josh Allen 2020.

Oopsie....l.

 

three(3) weeks.

[transplantbillsfan]

1 hour ago, Bangarang said:

This team is going nowhere if this is what our offense is going to look like. 
 

 

35-0 against a team most consider a playoff team...

 

C'mon man...

[Real McClappy]

9 minutes ago, Nelius said:

I get that he has looked better and made some really bad throws today, but all of the talk about how “he better earn that money” and “no excuses” after a 35-0 blowout is weird. Isn’t that more so putting up than shutting up?

 

If Josh wins a ring but does it a pedestrian 3500 passing yards and 84 rating, is there going to be disappointment?

Not from I.  I'm sure there will be lots of moaning and groaning though with your scenario.

 

I will take a huge division win like today anytime without crazy QB stats. Josh on the post game sideline interview even said his numbers weren't sexy but they didn't have to be with how the D and run game was playing today. 

 

 

Edited September 20, 2021 by Real McNasty

[John from Riverside]

I honestly expect a lot of posts like this every time there’s a below average game for Alan that’s what comes with the big money extension people think they are entitled to things

[Nelius]

5 minutes ago, QCity said:

 

No, of course not. We aren't winning any rings with QB play like the last 2 weeks. This narrative that the fans "only want stats" is completely misguided. We want elite QB play, and what we saw today was....eye opening to say the least.

How about flashes of elite play (Diggs TD pass) while shutting out a division opponent in only week 2? Maybe things will get better?
 

I’m not opposed to criticism so much as the “put up or shut up” comment...after today, which I just found funny.

Edited September 20, 2021 by Nelius

[todd]

The offense just put up 35 points. I’ll take that. I think it is hard to criticize too hard based on that, but definitely need to keep an eye on if he’s regressed. 

[Sharky7337]

4 minutes ago, transplantbillsfan said:

 

35-0 against a team most consider a playoff team...

 

C'mon man...

We had two turn overs in our favor with 0 points to show for it. That won't cut it in KC

Edited September 20, 2021 by Sharky7337

[goldenboy81]

He's had all that MVP talk and the spotlight has been on him going back to last year.

This is all new for us and him

it took 2 games to get rolling and move past it. Allen is gonna ball out from here

 

[AlCowlingsTaxiService]

1 hour ago, Real McNasty said:

35-0

Did you actually watch the game or do you just regurgitate scores?

[Sharky7337]

17 minutes ago, Estro said:

100% agree.

 

He never hut his back foot and just let it go today. The few times he did he was way off the mark. He was overthrowing early and then it looked like he adjusted by trying to feather everything and left way too many balls short.  There are some early warning signs, let's hope he snaps out of it.

I'm hoping it's the o-line play getting in his head 

Edited September 20, 2021 by Sharky7337

[Scott7975]

26 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

He looks like someone that has been over coached to stay in the pocket and throw touch passes. Josh Allen last year was stiff arming LBs and throwing finger-breaking rifles. Daboll needs to go to him and say forget everything I taught you this offseason, just go out there and have fun again. The TD drive right out of the half was exactly like that. He was running out of the pocket and throwing darts. He should have hit McKenzie for a big completion but threw a lollipop pass, maybe to make it an easier catch? Next time rocket it in there. Josh just needs to be Josh again. I think within the next 2 weeks we will see it.

 

Thats how I feel too.  It seems like he is trying too hard to throw touch passes and hasn't found that balance yet.

[Motorin']

25 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

He looks like someone that has been over coached to stay in the pocket and throw touch passes. Josh Allen last year was stiff arming LBs and throwing finger-breaking rifles. Daboll needs to go to him and say forget everything I taught you this offseason, just go out there and have fun again. The TD drive right out of the half was exactly like that. He was running out of the pocket and throwing darts. He should have hit McKenzie for a big completion but threw a lollipop pass, maybe to make it an easier catch? Next time rocket it in there. Josh just needs to be Josh again. I think within the next 2 weeks we will see it.

 

Impossible! Josh has never gotten better during a season! 

 

But seriously, I think you're right about him trying to hard to put touch on passes when he needs a bullet. 

 

He'll find the happy medium. 

[Nelius]

1 minute ago, AlCowlingsTaxiService said:

Did you actually watch the game or do you just regurgitate scores?

I mean...35-0

 

Has that even happened before? People are dismissing this like we regularly shut teams out...

[Real McClappy]

1 minute ago, AlCowlingsTaxiService said:

Did you actually watch the game or do you just regurgitate scores?

35-0

[Bangarang]

6 minutes ago, transplantbillsfan said:

 

35-0 against a team most consider a playoff team...

 

C'mon man...

So you think the way our offense is playing is good enough to take us far in the playoffs? 
 

C’mon man…

[Real McClappy]

Just now, Bangarang said:

So you think the way our offense is playing is good enough to take us far in the playoffs? 
 

C’mon man…

Yes, score on 75% on your 2nd half drives and I 100% do.

[ganesh]

12 minutes ago, Marvlevydraftdaygenius said:

It is the way Defenses are going to play him this year.  No Smoke no speed over the top and Dabol must be more balanced this year.

I am surprised they are not sending McKenzie down the sideline more often

[AlCowlingsTaxiService]

1 minute ago, Real McNasty said:

35-0

Exactly. Not worthy of an actual discussion.. yawn. 

[Vertig0]

3 minutes ago, Logic said:

It's weird how people aren't allowed to point out that our quarterback has been playing subpar football -- worse than last year, no doubt -- without people defensively jumping down their throat.

Sure, the Bills still won today. Sure, his line isn't doing him any favors. Sure, he'll likely have better games this season. But it's okay to admit that Josh hasn't played very good football the last two weeks, and that if he doesn't improve -- REGARDLESS of what the o-line is doing -- it will be pretty worrisome.

It doesn't make someone less of a Bills fan, it doesn't make them unappreciative of a win, and it doesn't make them a pessimist to call a spade a spade: Through two weeks, regardless of what other circumstances or excuses you want to throw out there, Josh HAS looked closer to the 2019 version than the 2020 version. It's not just stat sheet stuff. He's missing throws that he was NOT missing last year. He's getting away from some of those great mechanics improvements he made last year at inopportune times.

Normalize being honest when the quarterback isn't playing well. 

 

Great post. 

 

While I happen to be on the "he'll be fine" end of the argument, especially due to poor offensive line play and play calling, I'll 100% admit that he needs to be better to get us where we ultimately want to be. Any given Sunday, sure; but throughout 17 weeks, we WILL need 2020 Allen to steal us a game every now and then. 

 

I just have issue with doom and gloomers posting the same stuff in 30 different threads: KC this, Mahomes that, "that's why you don't give a contract after 1 year", Dolphins are awful, worst 35-0 win ever, etc. Over and over and over and over. 

 

Criticism is certainly warranted and I love critical discussions, but repeated doom and gloom and trolling makes me angry. 

[Mikie2times]

14 minutes ago, Logic said:

It's weird how people aren't allowed to point out that our quarterback has been playing subpar football -- worse than last year, no doubt -- without people defensively jumping down their throat.

Sure, the Bills still won today. Sure, his line isn't doing him any favors. Sure, he'll likely have better games this season. But it's okay to admit that Josh hasn't played very good football the last two weeks, and that if he doesn't improve -- REGARDLESS of what the o-line is doing -- it will be pretty worrisome.

It doesn't make someone less of a Bills fan, it doesn't make them unappreciative of a win, and it doesn't make them a pessimist to call a spade a spade: Through two weeks, regardless of what other circumstances or excuses you want to throw out there, Josh HAS looked closer to the 2019 version than the 2020 version. It's not just stat sheet stuff. He's missing throws that he was NOT missing last year. He's getting away from some of those great mechanics improvements he made last year at inopportune times.

Normalize being honest when the quarterback isn't playing well. 

Thank you, for the love of god. 

[ganesh]

3 minutes ago, Vertig0 said:

 

Great post. 

 

While I happen to be on the "he'll be fine" end of the argument, especially due to poor offensive line play and play calling, I'll 100% admit that he needs to be better to get us where we ultimately want to be. Any given Sunday, sure; but throughout 17 weeks, we WILL need 2020 Allen to steal us a game every now and then. 

 

I just have issue with doom and gloomers posting the same stuff in 30 different threads: KC this, Mahomes that, "that's why you don't give a contract after 1 year", Dolphins are awful, worst 35-0 win ever, etc. Over and over and over and over. 

 

Criticism is certainly warranted and I love critical discussions, but repeated doom and gloom and trolling makes me angry. 

Agreed.  It also would be good to see how he really played today.   Unlike the season opener,  Josh in general was NOT off target today.  He had a lot more pressure on his face on the incompletions.   Does he need to calm himself and stand in the pocket and watch for the play to develop -  absolutely.   However, to say that he sucked kind of makes this once again a Allen-crusade. 

[JohnNord]

Not making excuses for Josh.  He was paid to be a top 5 QB and he needs to play like it.  BUT…I went back and watched the game.  There were really three big throws that he missed.  One was to Singletary down the sideline, the other was the INT where his accuracy was just off enough to allow Howard to make a great play, and the other was the deep shot to Diggs which probably is a TD if he doesn’t under throw. 
 

Even with these issues, he still led the Bills down the field 5 times resulting in scores.  If you want to take the Singletary TD run out, it’s 4 scores.  
 

Overall it was a pedestrian day but it’s one of those games where the team didn’t need him to ball out.  There will be those games and he needs to show it

 

[Logic]

2 minutes ago, Vertig0 said:

 

Great post. 

 

While I happen to be on the "he'll be fine" end of the argument, especially due to poor offensive line play and play calling, I'll 100% admit that he needs to be better to get us where we ultimately want to be. Any given Sunday, sure; but throughout 17 weeks, we WILL need 2020 Allen to steal us a game every now and then. 

 

I just have issue with doom and gloomers posting the same stuff in 30 different threads: KC this, Mahomes that, "that's why you don't give a contract after 1 year", Dolphins are awful, worst 35-0 win ever, etc. Over and over and over and over. 

 

Criticism is certainly warranted and I love critical discussions, but repeated doom and gloom and trolling makes me angry. 

Thanks.

There's a definite difference between over-reacting with stuff like "we'll never beat the Chiefs" or "contract was a mistake!" and simply pointing out that he's looked a bit off through two games.

I watched the first game from the stands and the second from my couch, and it's seemed very clear to me that he hasn't had the same sharpness and accuracy that he displayed last season. I'd count roughly 8-10 plays so far where he just flat out missed a receiver that he wouldn't have missed last year. Yes, the line has failed him at times and yes, the playcalling has been puzzlingly bad at times. There have also been OTHER times, however, where Josh has a good playcall, has time, gets the open look he wants...and just misses his guy. 

It doesn't mean I think he can't overcome it and return to the same level of play as last season. It doesn't mean I'm off the Josh Allen bandwagon or that I think the Bills are doomed. It simply means that the reality that I'm seeing in person and on my TV is that Josh isn't throwing with the same accuracy and rhythm that he displayed last season. I still believe in him, I'm still optimistic....I'm just not gonna cover my eyes and say "la la la, there are no problems, Bills won!". Allen needs to improve. 

[Scott7975]

7 minutes ago, Bangarang said:

So you think the way our offense is playing is good enough to take us far in the playoffs? 
 

C’mon man…

 

Allen needs to improve most certainly but... they did score 35 points.  That would win a lot of games with the way this D is playing, so yes.

[Augie]

1 hour ago, Vertig0 said:

 

Don't take my response personally. It wasn't really directed at you as OP, but more at some of the responses here and in other threads that were repeating the same doom over and over. 

 

I do appreciate the research, etc of your post and it certainly warrants discussion, but I will respectfully disagree regarding Mahomes. By everyone's definition, if Josh was bad the last 4 games, including last season, and our defense is THAT much better as to force a shut out, and multiple sacks with heavy additions to the DL, we're actually closer to bearing the Chiefs now than we were then. Again, hope the offense works it all out and then all of the stars are in alignment for a Chiefs ass kicking but... 

 

Same Josh. Better D = Better odds. 

 

Call me crazy, but I kinda like that we can be clearly out of synch and still put up 35 points on a division opponent while shutting them out. Try to imagine this year’s D with last year’s offense. That is still quite possible. We could be VERY dangerous late in the year when trophies are being handed out. 

[billybrew1]

31 minutes ago, ganesh said:

Agreed.. People are over-reacting.   Miami has a great front seven and possibly the best back-four in the league.   Josh played a game management and focused on turning the ball over.   Also, I think Sanders is past his prime.  It might be ok for Beane to get Brown back on this team.

Allen has missed Sanders wide-open twice now.... Sanders looks good to me.....

 

And that catch he made was better than he is getting credit for. Josh almost overthrew him (again).

 

I love Josh but he is not playing well now and it's not Sanders fault. The OL played good today too do you can't blame the OL again. Call a spade a spade, Josh has a ways to go to get back to last year's form.