Josh Allen just straight-up carried the Buffalo Bills to a wild 37-34 overtime win against the Rams on Monday night, basically masking a defense that’s looking rough, real rough. You watch this dude play and it’s pure improv, just like he joked about his TV commercials, saying he’d “just kind of wing it.” Turns out, his “day job” isn’t much different, and boy, does Buffalo need him to keep winging it.
Allen Is Pulling Off Magic, But For How Long?
Allen’s performance against the Rams was insane, especially with him playing without his receivers DJ Moore and Joshua Palmer, and against a Rams defense that was specifically taking away the deep ball. The man went 12 of 19 for 210 yards with a touchdown and an interception. But that’s not the whole story, not even close. He used his legs, lowering that shoulder, absorbing contact, and finished with 10 carries for a massive 121 yards and another touchdown! Any whispers about him playing hurt after only rushing for 24 yards total in his previous two games? GONE. Poof. He was back to being the human highlight reel. Allen put it simply: “Listen, when it’s there, it’s there. I don’t want to make a living in that. I understand that. But I do know how much of a backbreaker that can be on a defense when you feel like you’re in a pretty good coverage.” His competitive fire and raw athletic ability are the only reasons the Bills have been perennial contenders with seven straight playoff appearances. He’s totally transformed that offense, taking them from 0-30 in games where they allowed 30 or more points before his rookie season, to a respectable 10-11 in those slugfests since.
This Defense Is a Straight-Up Problem
Here’s the gut check for Bills fans, and really, the whole league: how much more can Allen carry? Because right now, he’s basically lugging the entire team on his back to compensate for some serious flaws. James Cook’s ball-security issues are still a headache, with four fumbles this season and two lost. But the bigger, uglier truth? That “new-look” defense is among the NFL’s worst in almost every category. They’re ranked 30th in the NFL in yards allowed, giving up 1,943. Think that’s bad? They’re 31st in red-zone scoring defense and 31st in fourth-down defense, with opponents converting a mind-boggling 8 of 9 attempts (88.9%). Only Tennessee is worse there. Meanwhile, their offense leads the NFL in yards per play at 6.7 and is tied for first with Detroit with 161 points. It’s a stark contrast and it’s just not sustainable.
Clutch Plays and a Looming Question
Yeah, Allen got *some* help against the Rams. Greg Rousseau came up huge, blocking a field goal attempt in overtime that would’ve won the game for LA. Cook himself had a strong game running, with 111 yards and two touchdowns. But when the game was on the line, who stepped up? Allen, of course. He ripped off back-to-back runs for 19 and 13 yards to put Tyler Bass in position for the game-winning 45-yard field goal. Buffalo is now 4-1, shaking off that loss to New England. Allen’s career record is a ridiculous 92-40, tying him with Peyton Manning and only trailing Russell Wilson (98) and Patrick Mahomes (95) for wins through a player’s first nine seasons. But here’s the kicker: Mahomes, Wilson, and Manning all have Super Bowl rings. Allen doesn’t. He even admitted after the win that the Bills “have plenty to clean up” if they expect to return to SoFi Stadium for the Super Bowl in February. The question isn’t if Allen can keep being great; it’s if his defense can ever get out of its own way. Ty Johnson, who missed the first two games with a hamstring injury, has been a decent ‘stock up’ at running back, providing some capable play, but that won’t fix what’s happening on the other side of the ball. Can this team truly contend for a Super Bowl with such a glaring weakness? Every game from here on out is going to be a test of how much Allen can paper over those cracks.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply