Henry McKenna
NFL reporter
Josh Allen was bleeding from the mouth. This was abundantly clear to his teammates as a result of the Buffalo Bills quarterback was smiling extensively, although maybe not brightly as a result of blood was dripping to his enamel.
It was the fourth quarter towards the Indianapolis Colts in Week 10, and Allen had simply taken a blow to the face after finishing a third-down move. The Bills had been the higher staff, however the rating did not fairly mirror that, not but. In the assembly, Allen known as the following present. And then he gave a easy message.
“Let’s get this shit finished,” Allen stated, licking the blood from his lips.
The Bills scored a landing a number of gamers later and put the sport away.
This was what Spencer Brown thought-about Allen’s MVP second.
In talking with 9 totally different Bills gamers, every of them had a special 2024 MVP second. In reality, security Damar Hamlin did not hassle to level to any single second.
“Every f—day. Every Sunday. Every f—Sunday. Like, there isn’t any particular time. It’s each f—Sunday he goes on the market and will get in line and proves it. Enough roll the tape ahead,” Hamlin informed FOX Sports.
Running again Ty Johnson, nonetheless, selected the plain selection: Allen’s fourth-down, game-winning landing towards the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 11.
Bills gamers are, in fact, biased. If we talked to 9 totally different Ravens gamers, they’d have assured us that Lamar Jackson had numerous MVP moments, too. Because he did it. No matter who wins the award, they’ll deserve it.
It’s a matter of style.
Jackson was electrifying in main an atypical offense, wherein he threw for 4,172 yards, 41 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. He additionally ran for 915 yards and 4 touchdowns. These numbers alone make a superb case.
Hamlin’s message resonates with some MVP voters: Turn on the tape. Because Allen’s stats pale as compared (3,731 passing yards, 28 passing TDs, 6 INTs; 531 speeding yards, 12 speeding TDs). But his document exhibits a participant who, definitely, could be very priceless, much more than Jackson. Allen is elevating his offensive teammates in a means that Jackson did not.
“When the season began, everybody checked out our complete staff and our group,” Brown stated. “They stated we would not make the playoffs. We would have the worst document we have had in 5 years. We could be final in our division, as a result of everybody left.”
This ability group pales compared to what the Bills had final yr. This is a giant a part of the case for Allen as MVP.
Receivers Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis left this offseason, and so they had been the No. 1 wideouts. 1 and no. 2 of the staff. This pushed Khalil Shakir, a slot receiver, into the first possibility position. And it is not like that was the plan. Buffalo most likely needed Dalton Kincaid, receiver Keon Coleman, or receiver Amari Cooper to tackle that alpha position. None of them did.
However, Allen made the very best of what he had. The payments bought this offensive identification as “everybody eats,” which is wholesome. But this does not work for everybody. The Chiefs have carried out that identification – and it actually solely works due to Patrick Mahomes. New England tried that identification and it solely labored with Tom Brady. The Patriots turned a multitude after Brady left, for a lot of causes, one in every of which is that New England by no means discovered elite playmakers to help their post-Brady QBs. Nobody ate.
The soiled little secret of “everybody eats” is that it’s a must to have a chef who can deal with the difficulties of feeding everybody. That chef is Allen.
“If you place the movie on, you possibly can inform he is the very best participant within the NFL proper now,” backup QB Mitchell Trubisky stated. “As you become older on this league, you determine how one can play nicely, after which how one can play very well and win…. He simply looks like he is in whole management.”
Allen is a grasp of creativity, with a novel capability to patiently handle his progressions within the pocket, whereas additionally realizing that he must make one thing occur when that development lets him down. How many instances have we seen Allen roll to the suitable, movement for the receiver to go in a sure course, after which the QB hit the man with a dart?
(Very.)
Allen is not simply changing these explosive performs. He’s additionally avoiding the turnovers that plagued him final yr. He recorded simply six interceptions this yr, regardless of throwing 18 in 2023.
Allen is so adept at changing unlikely third downs that he has grow to be one thing of a joke for security Cole Bishop, who’s on the punt protection staff.
“(We) get able to exit. And then he does one thing cool. (It occurs) lots. He’ll be third-and-15 and he does one thing cool. And we sit again down,” Vescovo stated. “So that was a extremely cool factor.”
These kinds of exhibits require an unexpressed connection: anticipation and rapport. And Bills gamers had been fast to speak about Allen’s worth because the centerpiece of the locker room, not simply the offense. It is Allen who organizes golf conferences throughout the season and throughout the low season. Allen hosts giant competitions of “Settlers of Catan”, a extremely annoying and intensely aggressive board recreation. Host cornhole video games within the quarterback room to unwind after annoying days. Allen is the glue man.
Allen is the Bills’ MVP. But they assume it is greater than that.
“He’s the very best participant within the league,” Hamlin stated.
Before becoming a member of FOX Sports as an NFL reporter and columnist, Henry McKenna spent seven years masking the Patriots for USA TODAY Sports Media Group and Boston Globe Media. Follow him on Twitter at @henrycmckenna.
(Want nice tales delivered proper to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, observe leagues, groups and gamers to obtain a personalised publication each day.)
Get extra from the National Football League Follow your favorites to get data on video games, information and extra
