Getty Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen runs the ball against the Denver Broncos on Saturday.
In his this third-year in the NFL, Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen has set plenty of new records and after his performance on Saturday, he stands alone in the NFL record books.
Allen completed 70 percent of his passes on Saturday for 359 yards and two touchdowns, but it wasn’t his arm that gave him his own place in record books, it was his legs. With his two rushing touchdowns on Saturday, Allen became the first quarterback in NFL history to rush for seven or more touchdowns in three straight seasons.
First QB in @NFL history to tally three straight seasons with 7+ rushing touchdowns. 🙌 #BillsMafia
Some of the top rushing quarterbacks in the game, Michael Vick and Cam Newton have come close in the past. Newton ran for 14 touchdowns as a rookie and eight in his second year but came up short of the mark in his third season with just six. He rushed for 10 during his MVP season in 2015 and has rushed for 11 this season. Vick had standout years in 2002 (8) and 2010 (9) but was never able to connect a few seasons together.
As a rookie, Allen rushed for eight touchdowns and topped that total last season with nine. He scored his seventh and eighth rushing touchdowns on Saturday with runs of 24 yards and one yard in the 48-19 victory.
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Josh Allen is Improving as a Passer
Opposing coaches have talked about Allen’s ability to kill defenses with his legs all season long. He has the numbers to support that notion, but Allen has been killing defenses with his arm too.
He took a big step forward this offseason and has shored up his passing abilities. His completion percentage is up 16 points compared to his rookie season and he’s passed for 4,000 yards and 30 touchdowns. In two more games last season, Allen passed for 911 yards and 10 touchdowns less.
Each year, Allen has taken a step forward with his arm and that is something that Bills head coach Sean McDermott has loved to see.
“He just continues to get better and I think that’s the best thing about it,” McDermott said in Saturday’s post-game video conference call. “He’s so humble, he’s a great teammate and I’m extremely proud of him, I really am. I don’t take it for granted. Quarterbacks that can play at that level are hard to find.”
With Allen’s performance on Saturday, he also became the second quarterback in Bills history to throw for 4,000 yards in a single-season, joining Drew Bledsoe. Allen is also 359 yards short of breaking Bledsoe’s single-season passing yards record, and three touchdowns short of passing Jim Kelly’s passing touchdowns record.
Other Quarterbacks Who Can Join Allen
Teams are starting to rely on dual-threat quarterbacks and several signal-callers around the league have started to threaten defenses with both their arms and their legs. Allen is just one of many.
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and Arizona Cardinals’ Kyler Murray could be the next ones to join Allen. Murray has only been in the league for two seasons and only tallied four rushing touchdowns in his first season. But, he’s already up to 11 this season and is seen as one of the most mobile quarterbacks in the NFL.
Jackson tore the season up last year, throwing for 3,127 yards and a league-high 36 touchdowns, but he also rushed for 1,206 yards and seven touchdowns. If Jackson had started for all 16 games of his rookie season, he might be in the same club as Allen already, but his time was limited and he only rushed for five touchdowns. He’s rushed for 828 yards and seven touchdowns this season.
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Josh Allen Makes NFL History in Win Over Broncos