Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR 550) - Josh Allen is why the Buffalo Bills lost to the New York Jets on Monday night. Plain and simple.
The 27-year-old is still one of the best quarterbacks in the National Football League. He still makes the Bills a legitimate Super Bowl contender this season.
However, Allen made some awful decisions in this game, decisions you don't expect a franchise quarterback in his sixth NFL season to make.
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The night didn't start out that way, though.
The Bills passing game plan was clear from the beginning: Have Allen get the ball out quickly in an attempt to negate the Jets' fierce pass rush, and go with high-percentage short passes.
In the first quarter, Allen was clean, going 8-of-9 for 54 yards and didn't turn the ball over. After that, Allen got greedy and it ended up costing the Bills in a second-straight road loss to the Zach Wilson-led Jets at MetLife Stadium.
Yes, that is part of the frustration for Bills fans with Allen in this game.
Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers played a total of four snaps before suffering an Achilles injury, which meant Wilson had to take over. You knew the Jets probably weren't going to do too much on offense, so it was up to the Bills not to give the game away to the Jets.
When all was said and done, though, Allen wrapped up a victory for their division rivals.
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The first two of his three interceptions should never have happened.
The first came in the second quarter with the Bills leading 3-0. Facing a 3rd-and-8 from his own 31-yard line, Allen sprinted out to his left to get away from the Jets pass rush and into open field. It sure looked like he had room to run for a first down, but instead heaved the ball down field and into double coverage. His pass sailed way beyond Deonte Harty and into the hands of Jets safety Jordan Whitehead.
Despite that, the Bills still led at halftime, 13-3, A 10-point lead and the Jets were being piloted by Wilson. All the Bills had to do was be smart. One more touchdown would likely have sealed the win, or perhaps a couple of field goals.
However, Allen and the offense went interception, punt, interception and fumble before forcing overtime with a field goal drive at the end of the fourth quarter.
Allen's second pick came in the third quarter with the Bills up 13-6. Buffalo had a good drive going, as the team moved from their own 25-yard line to the Jets' 38-yard line.
After a first down sack, Allen had 2nd-and-13 at the Jets' 41-yard line when he opted for the home run swing again. His deep middle pass intended for Stefon Diggs in the end zone was, again, picked off by Whitehead, as Allen threw into double coverage.
The Bills were just about in Tyler Bass' field goal range, and on a night when points were very hard to come by, a field goal would have been a big help.
The final interception wasn't a home run swing by Allen. It was a nice play by Whitehead, who closed quickly on a short throw for Gabe Davis.
Allen's turnover list would be completed with a fumble on the very first snap after the Jets offense put together their only touchdown drive of the game to tie the score at 13-13. It gave New York a drive start at the Bills' 27-yard line, and even Wilson couldn't screw that up.
The Jets went super conservative and ended up with a field goal.
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As far as Allen goes, we have seen this before. He tried to do too much, and make big plays rather than play smart.
Smart can sometimes mean safe, boring football, and for a guy like Allen, that must be hard to deal with at times. Great quarterbacks want to make the big plays that give their team a victory, but sometimes, especially against a top level defense like the Jets, safer is the way to go.
Even on some of his scramble runs, Allen was playing recklessly. He didn't slide or go out of bounds, but instead took hits in an effort for extra yards when they just weren't there for the taking.
Having said all of that, I wouldn't be too concerned about Allen at this point. I think most of what happened was due to the opponent.
This is now three-straight games where the Jets defense has dominated its matchup with Allen and company. In those three contests, the Bills have scored 20, 17 and 16 points.
In 12-plus quarters against New York over those games, the Allen-led offense had produced just five touchdowns to go along with six turnovers. Allen has just two passing touchdowns, while been picked off five times and sacked 13 times.
You probably need some good thoughts on this Football Tuesday, so I will leave you with this: The Bills play the Las Vegas Raiders and Washington Commanders over the next two weeks, both of which should be wins.
Miami comes to town in Week 4, so the Bills would still be in position where a win over the Dolphins would likely have them in first place in the AFC East after the first month of the season.
I'm just trying to help get you through the day!
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