(Photo: The New York Times)
The Buffalo Bills have owned the AFC East each year since 2020 and have made the playoffs along with two trips to the AFC title game. Everything appears to pan out for them in the regular season, but come playoff time, they can’t seem to get over the hump in the conference, and they always seem to run into Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. In four of the last five seasons, the Bills’ season has ended against the Chiefs. What truly got the ball rolling for them to get back to being successful was drafting a franchise Quarterback and they did just that when selected Josh Allen in the 2018 NFL Draft with the seventh overall pick in the first round. I remember his breakout season in 2020 and he’s continued to be available for his team week in and out. He will remain a Buffalo Bill for the next six seasons as he’s agreed to a contract extension. A six-year deal worth $330 million and $250 million guaranteed which is a record deal in league history.
Josh has been one of the five best Quarterbacks in the league in the last few years. When you first notice him, you take away how big of a guy he is and you get that Ben Roethlisberger feel once again and that’s exactly who I’ve compared him too. Josh is a more athletic version of Ben and has a much stronger arm. He’s a true athlete with the ability to make a throw with the moving pocket and fits the football into the tightest of windows. Josh is quick enough to evade pressure in the pocket and can move in or out the pocket to keep that play extended. He plays with that backyard mentality and always appears to be having fun which is always important. When he’s on his game, it’s a defense’s worst nightmare and I say that because you have to cover every single inch of the field. When given all the protection in the world, Josh can stand tall in the pocket and pick your defense apart. For years, I’ve always stated that he is at his best when he is on the move and rolling out of the pocket and when you see that happening, something bad is about to happen to the defense and he’s going to either make that pass on the run or, he’s taking the ball himself with his legs. He’s been blessed with true mobility and a cannon of an arm. Josh can truly do it all: He can throw the ball accurately and when he throws it, it’s the flick of the wrist, runs well and he’s big enough to truck a defender along with the ability to read a defense and take what they give him. He’s truly the jack of all trades. My most memorable play of his came in the Wild Card round against the Denver Broncos. It’s 4th and 1, the Bills are in the shotgun formation and at first, I saw Josh wanted to run for the first down. The run wasn’t there however and he fired a pass to Ty Johnson in the end zone for a touchdown. On that play alone, you saw the mobility, field vision and arm strength all on display.
I remember prior to last season, many projected the Bills to finish in third place in the AFC East after losing both Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis last off season. When I told people I still had the Bills winning the division in 2024, of course, the response I got was “he lost his top two receivers”. My response to that, “That can work in his favor!” He wins his first MVP award and had the Bills a game away from the Super Bowl. He’s the catalyst to this Buffalo offense and the Bills don’t sniff the playoffs last season without number 17 under center. It’s called the Most VALUABLE Player award and nobody was more valuable to his football team in ’24 than Josh Allen was. He’s earned every penny of this extension.
