Orchard Park, N.Y. (WGR 550) - Thank you very much, Joshua Patrick Allen.
The Buffalo Bills' Most Valuable Player had an MVP-type of performance while beating the Miami Dolphins on Saturday amidst a big game atmosphere at Highmark Stadium.
Allen put the Bills in front in the first half, and later rallied them from behind in the decisive fourth quarter. It was vintage Allen, as he used his arm and legs to make a series of clutch plays.
In addition, Allen helped the Bills clinch a fourth-straight playoff berth, take firm control of the AFC East, and remain atop the overall AFC standings with three games left in the regular season.
Allen finished his eighth win in 10 career starts against Miami with 304 yards passing and four touchdowns. Those were the most passing touchdowns for Allen since Week 6 against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium.
The 26-year-old added another 77 yards on the ground, which was more than Devin Singletary and James Cook combined (76).
Allen's highlights from Saturday night included a play we saw him make earlier this season, but I'll bet for a moment you were yelling at him.
The Bills were in position for a chip shot field goal to go up 17-13 at the half, but with eight seconds left, they made the right choice and tried to take a shot at the end zone. Allen was flushed out of the pocket and was being chased by pass rusher Bradley Chubb as he headed towards the Miami sideline.
I know I was screaming at the television for him to throw the ball so if it was incomplete, the Bills would still have time for the field goal attempt. But Allen waited for someone to get open, and by the time the ball was in the air, time had run out in the first half.
Fortunately, Allen found Cook for the all-important extra four points on the scoreboard.
Allen had 217 yards passing and three touchdowns by halftime.
Then the offense went into a deep freeze. The Bills' first five drives of the second half produced four punts and a lost fumble by Allen on a strip sack. Buffalo had a total of 60 yards on those five possessions, and Allen was just 4-of-6 for 46 yards.
However, MVP players come up big when their team needs them the most, and Allen came up huge. Miami took a 29-21 lead with 11:56 left, and that's when Allen and Co. went to work.
First came a seven-play, 75-yard touchdown drive where the big play came from Allen's legs. On a designed quarterback draw, Allen saw a huge hole up the middle and beat a defensive back to the outside. The 44-yard gain put the Bills at the Dolphins' 13-yard line.
Allen cashed in with a touchdown pass to tight end Dawson Knox, and then the Bills' Superman leaped over a pile of bodies to convert the two-point try that tied the game at 29-29.
After a stop by the Bills defense, the offense got the ball back at their own seven-yard line with 5:56 left in regulation. Allen then oversaw a methodical 15-play, 65-yard drive that used up the remaining time on the clock.
Allen completed his first four passes on that drive for 40 yards, which included a 15-yard toss to Gabe Davis on 2nd-and-20, as well as a pair of 3rd-and-3 conversions to Stefon Diggs and Isaiah McKenzie.
McKenzie would figure in on the biggest play of the drive, but Allen made the play happen.
Facing a 3rd-and-6 at the Dolphins' 34-yard line and facing multiple pass rushers charging at him, Allen threw a ball up for McKenzie to either win a 1-on-1 battle or, at least, draw a penalty. McKenzie was interfered with, and the 21-yard spot foul essentially locked up a fifth-straight victory.
In the current win streak for Buffalo, Allen has thrown for 10 touchdowns and has been picked off just once. In the three previous games against the Green Bay Packers, New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings, Allen had just three touchdowns and threw six interceptions.
Allen is the first Bills quarterback since Jim Kelly to lead the team to four-straight postseason berths. He can also join Kelly by winning a third-straight division title with just one more victory on Saturday against the Chicago Bears.
