He’s going to take hits, and he’s going to be sore after games. It’s the nature of the position, and it’s compounded by his whatever-it-takes play style.
The Buffalo Bills aren’t changing that, but it’s unquestionably important for the team to limit the contact that franchise quarterback Josh Allen absorbs, especially when he carries the football. The Bills’ latest win only reinforces that idea.
In addition to being sacked four times and hit on a total of seven dropbacks in Week3, Allen gained 22 hard yards on the ground over eight rushes against the Los Angeles Chargers. On a fourth-quarter QB keeper in the eventual 24-16 victory, the record-setting dual threat, who has more rushing TDs than any quarterback in NFL annals, took a clear hit to the outside of his left knee.
Allen’s availability and effectiveness were not affected by the lower body blow, but he was seen limping after the game ended.
“When I say he’s banged up, everybody’s banged up the day after the game. That’s like not, hey, this guy can’t walk … I think it’s just part of the NFL,” said Bills’ first-year head coach Joe Brady, who has been on staff since 2022.
As it turned out, Allen was simply “hurt, not injured” as we explained earlier this week through our reporting on Dr. David Chao’s expert analysis. Still, the minor scare was enough to remind Brady how important Allen’s availability is.
“We know how good we are when he’s out there with us and leading us. There’s never a moment that we’re out of a football game, and so I have to continue to do a better job of protecting him both in the run and the pass,” said Brady.
For his career, Allen, who is in his ninth season, averages 6.9 rushes per game.
While a healthy number of those carries have come out of uncalled scrambles, there are plenty of times when Allen is expected to grind out a first down in short yardage situations.
“I’d love for him to not take some of the hits. He’s a competitor, and I have to take that in consideration with some play calling as well with that,” said Brady.
Against the Chargers, Allen’s number was called in three short yardage situations, and he converted all three. It’s also notable that the Bills used tight end Dawson Knox on an unsuccessful sneak play early in the game.
“Those sneaks aren’t as glamorous as everyone thinks they are. You’re putting yourself up to get some nice little hits on you there,” said Allen.
The 30-year-old quarterback suggested he has to pay more attention to time and place when weighing whether or not to expose himself in an attempt to move the chains.
“I know that to do this is as well as I want to play and to play as long as I want to play, I know that I have to limit those hits,” said Allen. “I haven’t been doing a great job of that early on this season. So just finding ways to, again, take those hits off me and, getting touchdowns to other guys.”
When the Bills host the New England Patriots for a 1 p.m ET kickoff on October 4, we’ll see if Allen has any interest in dialing it down a bit.
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