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Alaina Getzenberg, ESPNDec 15, 2024, 11:13 PM ET
- Alaina Getzenberg is a staff writer who covers the Buffalo Bills and the NFL. She joined ESPN in 2021. Alaina was previously a beat reporter for the Charlotte Observer and has also worked for CBS Sports and the Dallas Morning News. She is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley. You can follow her via Twitter @agetzenberg.
DETROIT — Before joining the Buffalo Bills this offseason, Mack Hollins saw what Josh Allen is capable of on a football field by watching games on TV and playing on teams against him.
Early into his time with the Bills, there was some surprise. That quickly dissipated.
“[Initially it] was like, ‘Oh, he really does this in real life,'” Hollins said. “… But he consistently does it. So, it’s not a surprise. It’s not luck, it’s not a fluke. It’s just who he is.”
Allen is playing as well as he ever has, according to coach Sean McDermott, and he’s setting countless records to prove it. Allen completed 23 of 34 passes (67.6%) for 362 yards and two passing touchdowns in the 48-42 win over the Detroit Lions on Sunday. He had 11 carries for 68 yards and two rushing touchdowns.
The Bills improved to 11-3 with the victory and keep a bid for the No. 1 seed alive. Buffalo is also the first team in NFL history to snap multiple nine-game single-season win streaks after beating the Lions on Sunday and the Kansas City Chiefs last month.
In Sunday’s win, Allen reached the most consecutive seasons with 35 combined passing and rushing touchdowns in NFL history, passing Brett Favre’s four-season stretch during which he won three MVP awards.
“It’s the best I’ve seen him play and not surprised,” McDermott said. “When he sets a goal for himself, for a team, I mean, he’s hard to stop. So, people have tried, they’ll keep trying, that’s what we do in this league, and I mean, just incredible, incredible performance week after week, and what more can you say?
“… Every week we’re watching an incredible player play incredibly consistent week after week, and I’ll let you guys fill in the rest of the sentence.”
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Allen’s MVP odds improved to -900, per ESPN BET, after the game. He started the game at -400. The biggest blemish on Allen’s day was a trip to the X-ray room after the game with head athletic trainer Nate Breske to look at his shoulder after he “took a funky fall.” But he said everything checked out and it was more “precaution” and for “peace of mind.”
The day for the Bills’ offense featured just one punt, with the only drives that didn’t end in points coming with the punt, a missed 24-yard field goal by kicker Tyler Bass and the end of half and end of game.
The unit got off to a hot start with three straight touchdown drives to start the game, followed by three more in the second half that were scored on drives of five plays or fewer. It was the team’s eighth straight game with 30-plus points, tying an NFL record (2000 Rams, 2007 Patriots, 2010 Patriots and 2013 Broncos).
Supporting Allen is an offensive line that has gone four games without allowing a sack and opened holes for a running game Sunday that had 197 yards against the Lions, including 6- and 41-yard touchdown runs by James Cook. The rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns are the most allowed by the Lions this season.
“I mean, he’s incredible, right? … But I want to give credit to everyone on that side of the ball,” McDermott said. “It’s not just Josh; he’s not able to do that if the offensive line isn’t doing their job, and sounds like coachspeak, but it’s accurate.”
Allen found success against the Lions’ blitz (39% of dropbacks); he went 9-of-13 for 124 yards with two touchdowns and a scramble on those plays. Allen also took advantage of his ability to throw outside the pocket, with 171 passing yards on such throws, the most in a game by a quarterback since Week 14 in 2021 (Russell Wilson).
The seventh-year quarterback’s recent run of form includes his six-touchdown performance vs. the Rams last week. That game combined with the win over Detroit gives Allen the most fantasy points over a two-game span by any quarterback since the 1970 merger (93.16). He is the first quarterback in that span with back-to-back 40-point games, per ESPN Research.
“This dude’s incredible,” tight end Dawson Knox said. “It’s hard to describe what he does on a consistent basis every single Sunday. I’ve talked about it before, but sometimes you just turn into a fan. I mean, he threw a chest pass touchdown to Dalton [Kincaid] got called back, but he’s lifting the ball to guys, making plays with his feet. I’m yelling in my head [for him] to slide, but he’s running guys over. It’s so much fun to play with that dude. It’s really a privilege, and I hope I get to play with him as long as I possibly can.”
