Josh Allen made two issues clear when the Bills started their voluntary offseason exercise program earlier this week. He mentioned that his dedication to soccer and the Bills is at an all-time excessive. The Bills quarterback additionally mentioned that he plans to change his taking part in model as he strikes additional into his profession.
Allen’s feedback relating to his dedication could stem from some outdoors criticism following his offseason golf excursions. Allen’s remarks about altering his recreation has to do with the bodily toll it has taken on him. And whereas it has led to each particular person and group success, Allen’s gunslinger mentality has at occasions prevented the Bills from advancing additional within the playoffs.
“I do know this sounds loopy, however I’m getting older,” Allen mentioned, by way of the group’s web site. “It’s like I can not proceed to do that. I do know when I’m utilizing my youth I really feel like I can, however over the course of my profession, I’m going to need to study to adapt and alter. And I’ve all the time had the mindset of I’ve been a soccer participant first and a quarterback second, and in some unspecified time in the future that is going to have to modify. When that time is I do not know, I assume I’ll let my physique inform me.”
As he alluded to, Allen is looking for the steadiness between maximizing his immense expertise whereas additionally studying how greatest to make use of it. There’s no doubting Allen’s means as a quarterback. He’s a two-time Pro Bowler who has a 54-24 regular-season file because the Bills’ beginning quarterback. Along with being a strong-armed passer, Allen is a gifted runner with 38 profession speeding touchdowns and a 5.7-yards-per-carry common.
Allen’s powers, nevertheless, can be his Kryptonite. In 77 video games, Allen has 60 interceptions that embrace 29 picks over the previous two seasons. He threw extra interceptions (4) than landing passes (3) in Buffalo’s two postseason video games this previous January. The Bills barely beat undermanned Miami within the wild card spherical earlier than being blown out by visiting Cincinnati within the divisional spherical.
More than interceptions, Allen has paid the worth for his fearlessness operating the ball. There are definitely occasions to throw warning to the wind (see John Elway’s helicopter run late in Super Bowl XXXII), however most of the time, the smarter name is to play it protected whereas taking part in the lengthy recreation.
Allen is not the one quarterback that has needed to discover ways to harness his recreation. 1 / 4-century in the past, Brett Favre lead the Packers to back-to-back Super Bowls after reeling in his recreation. He by no means absolutely removed his gunslinger mentality (ask Vikings followers concerning the 2009 NFC title recreation), however Favre nonetheless loved a 20-year-career that in 2016 was immortalized in Canton, Ohio.
Allen is hoping to have an identical story throughout his profession. So are Buffalo followers who’re hoping that Allen can ship the franchise’s first Super Bowl berth in 30 years.
“At the top of the day, it is simply being good with the soccer, good with the physique, and understanding situational soccer actually higher,” Allen mentioned. “If there is a third down the place we received to get it, I’m going to do no matter it takes to get it. But if it is a second and 10, I received 9 yards to go, no must put the shoulder down and take a look at it. We can get it on third and 1 with our gamers and trusting the blokes round me. And if not, so be it, we’ll put Von Miller again on the sector and let him go to work too.”
