Jump to content

Allen needs to mentally overpower Mahomes


Recommended Posts

These kinds of takes are so intellectually lazy.  It's almost insulting. 

 

It's so off the mark to suggest that the reason the Bills have lost to the Chiefs has anything to do with Allen's play. Would we have won if Allen was perfect in those games? Yes, but that's an absolutely unrealistic standard to hold any player to.  Other players need to step up and do their 1/11th.  The dropped passes, getting beaten on blocks, allowing the Chiefs to get 8+ YPP... All of these are much more correctable and realistic changes that can be made before we sink to "well Allen has to do even more". 

 

We had no business even being competitive in that game with the way the defense played.

 

Allen has never been the problem in the playoffs. Stop ignoring the offense and stacking it with 2nd rate talent. Stop playing elite offenses with the same tired, basic, defense.  You start shifting those things and watch the success go even higher. 

 

  • Agree 1
  • Awesome! (+1) 1
  • Thank you (+1) 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Can you imagine the mountain of hot takes that would have ensued if Allen had air-balled an interception like Mahomes did in the Super Bowl? 

 

These guys are held to different standards. Allen has outplayed Mahomes the last 5 times they played. Switch the defenses and Allen has the trophies and Mahomes doesn't.

 

Brady had the best defenses. Mahomes has the best defenses. Allen has a tissue paper defense and receivers with slippery hands. 

  • Like (+1) 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, Thrivefourfive said:

In whatever place these freakozoid athletes get to mentally, Allen has no choice but to get there with them. Jordan has it, Tiger has it, Nicklaus had it, Brady and Montana had it. I’m sure Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio had it. Recently, all three Tennis greats have it. 
 

It’s all upstairs. There are ways we can tell that a great one has the instinct for winning championships. It’s how they talk, what they say, what they believe is happening, and how they lead the situation to reach the top — total belief in yourself to be the reason your team wins championships. 
 

Athletes are insanely confident individuals. Even proven competent pros think they’re the very best at what they do, when they’re clearly not, usually because of physical limitations. 
 

Allen has the physical talent to be in the historical sports best-of-the-best group, so he’ll have to find that mental place that gets him there. His, focus, concentration, and determination needs improvement. 

 

Yes, yes - if Allen had better mental power, he would have forced Diggs to catch this touchdown pass like a Jedi.

 

 

Diggs drop.jpg

  • Haha (+1) 1
  • Thank you (+1) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Josh Allen will never play a down against Pat Mahomes. If Josh needs to mentally overpower anyone, it’s Spagnola and Co. on the Chiefs defense, who were the real MVPs on that team this season. 

  • Like (+1) 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, mjt328 said:

Josh Allen has played GREAT in his postseason career.  272 yards per game.  64.6 completion percentage.  100 passer rating.  21 touchdowns and only 4 turnovers. 

Generally agree with your comments re: Mahomes and SB performance.

 

But, just to be fully accurate, JA has 26 total TDs and 4 TOs in 10 post-season games (not incl reception TD). As we all know, rushing is a big part of his game.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, julian said:

Basketball, golf and tennis you can make the mental toughness argument to a degree, but in football it’s not a thing because the game requires so many other moving parts besides your QBs mentality to win games.

 

 Football is the ultimate team sport.

Agree Julian but in football, if you got a mentally strong coach and QB, then you gotta chance (eg- Brady/Belichick, Montana/Walsh, Bradshaw/Knoll, Starr/Lombardi, McMahon/Ditka, Eli/Coughlin).  Most SB winners have this determination with the two main guys.  They weren’t trying to win most congeniality.  Eli Manning is maybe closest to Josh in temperament, but he had those steely eyes.  Now that Josh is becoming one of the older ones on the team, he has to bring some assertive leadership.

  • Like (+1) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Ga boy said:

Agree Julian but in football, if you got a mentally strong coach and QB, then you gotta chance (eg- Brady/Belichick, Montana/Walsh, Bradshaw/Knoll, Starr/Lombardi, McMahon/Ditka, Eli/Coughlin).  Most SB winners have this determination with the two main guys.  They weren’t trying to win most congeniality.  Eli Manning is maybe closest to Josh in temperament, but he had those steely eyes.  Now that Josh is becoming one of the older ones on the team, he has to bring some assertive leadership.

You lost me at McMahon/Ditka….also, this idea that Josh isn’t assertive is not in any way factually correct. Just because he doesn’t lose his #### on his teammates on the sidelines doesn’t mean he isn’t assertive. That’s not his leadership style. Yelling at your teammates doesn’t make you a good leader, people have to get that thinking out of their heads 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

Allen does have to improve in game management and situational awareness. Thats what Mahomes has over Allen. I think if Allen ever learns to play situational football he’d be unstoppable. 

 

I agree with this.  I love Allen.  He's the most physically talented QB in the game and he's mentally tough.  He has carried the Bills to a lot of success and willed some victories.  I'm glad he's the Bills' QB and I wouldn't want anyone else.  That said, he still could improve his situational awareness.  On the last drive against KC, the ball should not have been thrown into the end zone when it was.  Even if successful, it would have left too much time on the clock for the Chiefs to come back and score.  The correct play was to get the first down and milk the clock down before throwing it in the end zone.  Diggs was wide open underneath (as we all know) and that's where the ball should have gone.  It's possible that the play call was the problem - I don't know - but the guys going deep (like Shakir) opened up Diggs underneath which would have netted a first down and the opportunity to manage the clock before going to the end zone.

 

At this stage of their careers, I believe that Mahomes is better at this aspect of the game.  A perfect example is the last drive in regulation in the Super Bowl, when the Chiefs drove down the field and kicked the game tying FG with 8 seconds left.  They tried to get a TD to win it, were not able to, but when they kicked the FG, there was no time left on the clock for the 49ers to drive down to win.  They gave themselves the best chance to win in that situation.  The Bills final drive against the Chiefs should have been managed in this manner.

 

So I think that Allen has room to improve in this area, but it has nothing to do with Mahomes.  Allen and Mahomes are not on the field at the same time.  Allen has outplayed Mahomes numerous times when their teams have played each other.  When the game is on the line, however, Mahomes makes the right plays at the right time, and manages the situation perfectly to give his team the best chance to win.  Allen is not quite there yet.  

Edited by msw2112
  • Agree 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, Ya Digg? said:

You lost me at McMahon/Ditka….also, this idea that Josh isn’t assertive is not in any way factually correct. Just because he doesn’t lose his #### on his teammates on the sidelines doesn’t mean he isn’t assertive. That’s not his leadership style. Yelling at your teammates doesn’t make you a good leader, people have to get that thinking out of their heads 

I’m not talking about yelling on sidelines.  Several of those SB QBs were not yellers, but they set the tone for their teams, along with their coaches.  Jim Kelly did some yelling on sidelines but his leadership was strongest during the week.  Again, the coach and QB have to set the standard.  It doesn’t happen on every team, but you don’t get the Lombardi with leaders who don’t engage.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, John from Riverside said:

Statistically, Josh Allen outplayed Mahomes on that day but we still lost

 

Why?

 

Because the bills will be ready to win a Super Bowl whenever the players around Josh Allen make plays when it matters

 

It really is a simple as that

Til there is more playmakers on both sides of the ball, they aren't winning anything except regular season games. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, Thrivefourfive said:

In whatever place these freakozoid athletes get to mentally, Allen has no choice but to get there with them. Jordan has it, Tiger has it, Nicklaus had it, Brady and Montana had it. I’m sure Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio had it. Recently, all three Tennis greats have it. 
 

It’s all upstairs. There are ways we can tell that a great one has the instinct for winning championships. It’s how they talk, what they say, what they believe is happening, and how they lead the situation to reach the top — total belief in yourself to be the reason your team wins championships. 
 

Athletes are insanely confident individuals. Even proven competent pros think they’re the very best at what they do, when they’re clearly not, usually because of physical limitations. 
 

Allen has the physical talent to be in the historical sports best-of-the-best group, so he’ll have to find that mental place that gets him there. His, focus, concentration, and determination needs improvement. 

 

The OP in his own way makes a good point.

 

The great ones have that special sort of pettiness and anger to them to help fuel themselves and their teammates in the big games.  I have seen Mahomes, Brady, Manning and Jordan all go over to their teammates and completely unloaded on them.  Whether you agree with it or not, that is what they do.  Josh, even though he is ultra competitive he is also Mr. Nice guy with his own teammates.  

 

I think he needs to not so much change who he is, but if a player does something wrong and it's a big game, then he needs to let them know.  Put some fire behind it, show that Killer instinct.

 

This isn't an overreaction, I've had this view of Josh for a couple years now and I think that is the last piece that Josh is missing.  Sometimes, you have to put Mr. Nice guy to the side and hold your teammates accountable, even if that means getting into heated sideline moments.

  • Eyeroll 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mahomes is a really good quarterback. No doubts there. But I'm kind of tired of the undeserved ball washing like he's the reason for their win on Sunday. People talking about him like he's the chosen one. But I can't remember the last time he made a play or throw that made me say, "wow, only two or three qbs in the NFL could've done that.

 

He plays efficiently. He's accurate. But Reid could've won that superbowl with 10 other QBs behind center. Mahomes was throwing to wide open receivers. Or maybe I'm just a bit of a hater. But Josh Allen is the more impressive QB in my opinion.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Allen needs the D to show up against Mahomes. No sacks and no INTs in 3 playoff games against Chiefs, basically Allen gotta play perfect football and have everyone on the O play perfect football for Bills to beat the Chiefs in playoffs. Glad we are investing so much in McDs D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, Thrivefourfive said:

In whatever place these freakozoid athletes get to mentally, Allen has no choice but to get there with them. Jordan has it, Tiger has it, Nicklaus had it, Brady and Montana had it. I’m sure Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio had it. Recently, all three Tennis greats have it. 
 

It’s all upstairs. There are ways we can tell that a great one has the instinct for winning championships. It’s how they talk, what they say, what they believe is happening, and how they lead the situation to reach the top — total belief in yourself to be the reason your team wins championships. 
 

Athletes are insanely confident individuals. Even proven competent pros think they’re the very best at what they do, when they’re clearly not, usually because of physical limitations. 
 

Allen has the physical talent to be in the historical sports best-of-the-best group, so he’ll have to find that mental place that gets him there. His, focus, concentration, and determination needs improvement. 

 

The only way you are going to beat the Chiefs and Mahomes in a postseason game is either in a blowout like the TB/Brady superbowl (not realistically ever happening again) or you ensure you  have the ball in your hand on the final drive of the game when trailing or tied like Mahomes did the other night against the 49ers. This is also how Brady and the Pats did in 2018 and Bengals in 2021 before the playoff OT rule changes handing them their only other playoff losses during this run.

 

Of course many will already point out that Allen has done this once (13 seconds), and should have done it again this year in the playoffs going for it on 4th down instead of attempting a FG that would have just tied the game but there's really no need to overthink this. But again it magnifies the need for a coaching change if anything.

  • Like (+1) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Josh doesn’t have one guy who steps ups and makes plays when the game is on the line and a play has to be made, especially on defense. 

 

Big time players make big time plays in big time games, and we don’t have any besides Josh.

 

One guy, as good as he is, can only take you so far.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This topic is OLD. A NEW topic should be started unless there is a very specific reason to revive this one.

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...