Getty Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills celebrates a rushing touchdown by Zack Moss #20 against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium on September 19, 2021 in Miami Gardens, Florida.
The Buffalo Bills didn’t just bounce back to snag a win in Week 2 following a disappointing loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, they absolutely routed the Miami Dolphins with a monster 35-0 victory.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen set the tone early in the first quarter, throwing a touchdown pass to wide receiver Stefon Diggs, a play for which NFL Network’s Brian Baldinger called “unbelievable” and “one of the greatest plays he’s ever had.”
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What’s crazy about the 5-yard throw which extended the Bills’ lead 14-0, and marked Diggs’ first touchdown of the 2021 NFL season, was that it was not the play head Sean McDermott wanted him to execute.
While Allen scrambled to the right to find an open player, Diggs actually wiped out in the endzone, falling onto his stomach as if on a waterslide. In the span of seconds, Diggs got back up and ran back toward the middle of the field while Allen fired the ball across his body and right into Diggs’ chest.
Allen’s ability to stay cool, calm, and collected while creating space to make a scoring play out of nothing — it’s exactly why Buffalo secured him a $258 million contract extension.
GettyJosh Allen #17 and Stefon Diggs #14 of the Buffalo Bills celebrate during the fourth quarter against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium on September 19, 2021 in Miami Gardens, Florida.
During the postgame conference, Allen said that first-quarter play was an “atta boy,” per 13WHAM’s Dan Fetes. “Meaning, this is NOT what a coach would want him to do, but at the end of it he says, ‘atta boy.'”
Allen finished Sunday’s game completing 17 of 33 passes for 179 yards and two touchdowns.
Allen Is Embracing New Plays to Keep Buffalo in the Win Column
Here is an 8-yard touchdown pass from Josh Allen. #BullsOnParade
The franchise star didn’t look quite comfortable in the pocket during the Bills’ 23-16 loss to the Steelers in Week 1, nor did the offensive line. However, both made serious strides to improves before taking on the AFC East rival on Sunday.
“We changed stuff yesterday in our run game, put in new plays, and our guys rolled with it and figured out a way to go out there and apply it,” Allen said.
“Being an O-lineman is not easy by any means. There are so many different bullets flying at you. They get the blame sometimes when they really shouldn’t. People don’t know our blocking schemes or our run schemes and where our fits are supposed to be and stuff like that. So again, those are my guys.”
Left tackle Dion Dawkins lauded Allen for his quick-thinking plays. “We have a great quarterback and great guys on the offense that make it easier for us,” Dawkins said, per Bills Wire. “I think the quarterbacks are the most smartest guys in the building. When they can just put little hints like ‘All right guys, this is what we’re doing,’ that’s cool. And that’s exactly what Josh did to keep us all with that right foot forward. So, hats off to Josh.”
Bills Take on the Washington Football Team in Week 3
GettyShaun Dion Hamilton #51 of the Washington Football Team looks to tackle Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills as he throws a pass on November 3, 2019 in Orchard Park, New York.
The Bills will look to keep the momentum going when they return to Orchard Park to take on the Washington Football Team in Week 3. While Buffalo is predicted to win, they have an 8.5 point favorite in the game, it may turn out to be closer matchup than expected.
While Washington continues to lean on backup Taylor Heinicke to lead the offensive while former Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick is out injured, the Bills are still looking for Allen to return to his 2020 form.
CBS Sports analyst Chris Trapasso tweeted after the Bills win against the Dolphins, “Josh Allen has not started the season sharply. I don’t think he’s been horrible. Big-time throws sprinkled in with a fair amount of indecision/touch issues. He’s improvised well. Telling for Bills that their QB can be a little off, and they can dominate on the road.”
Allen agrees there are still things the team needs to work on. “To feel how we feel after a win like that knowing we could play better, that’s a good problem to have,” Allen said, per WROC-TV’s Thad Brown.
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