Getty Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen
During his third year in the NFL, Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen has done enough damage to opposing defenses, with both his arm and his legs, that his opponents are starting to recognize the type of talent he really is.
Over the past few weeks, opposing defenses have dolled out praise in loads and bunches for the young quarterback. It’s almost become commonplace for the defensive coordinator and a few defensive players to talk about how good Allen has become.
As they prepare to take on the former Wyoming signal-caller who has thrown for 3,403 yards and 26 touchdowns this season, the Pittsburgh Steelers are no different.
Earlier this week, Steelers defensive lineman Casey Heyward compared Allen to a young Ben Roethlisberger and defensive coordinator Keith Butler praised Allen’s ability to run the ball like Roethlisberger did back in the day.
“Sometimes he runs to escape,” Butler told Joe Rutter of the Tribune-Review. “Sometimes he has called plays for him in terms of draws and stuff like that. Sometimes he runs sweeps. We have to be ready for him doing that at all times. He is an effective runner for them.”
Through 12 games this season, Allen has rushed for 322 yards and six touchdowns on 87 carries but has averaged a career-low 3.7 yards per attempt. Early on in his career, Allen was known for his mobility by running to gain yards as he rushed for 631 yards and eight touchdowns as a rookie. As he has improved the past two years, Allen has suppressed his desire to run the ball and has started using his scrambling ability to extend plays and find receivers downfield.
Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll hasn’t completely taken the designed runs out of the playbook though as they still rely on Allen to gain yards on runs every once in a while.
Allen has also improved his passing game over the past two and a half years as his completion percentage has climbed 17 points since his rookie season. The 6-foot-5, 240-pound quarterback has become more comfortable in Daboll’s offense as well which has allowed him to command more of the offense.
“Everything starts with him and runs through him,” cornerback Cam Sutton said in a video conference call. “He’s done a great job of taking that step this year. He’s making all the checks and calls at the line. They’ve given him a lot more freedom, moving guys around and putting him in good situations to stay on schedule and make plays out there on the field. It’s a testament to him.”
The Steelers will get the full view of the Josh Allen experience on Sunday when the two meet up in Buffalo at Bills Stadium on Sunday Night Football.
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A Balanced Offense Has Earned the Respect of Mike Tomlin
Opposing defenses never know what Bills offense they are going to get on any given week. They could get the rushing offense that carried the ball 38 times against the New England Patriots or they could get the offense that threw the ball 49 times against the Arizona Cardinals in a Week 10 loss.
It’s hit or miss with Daboll and the Bills as he tries to keep defensive coordinators guessing with a balanced attack on both the ground and through the air. That type of approach has obtained the respect of Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin.
“They have really good balance,” Tomlin said during a video conference call this week. “They do a good job of mixing the run and the pass, changing the launch points and doing things that good offenses do, but it all stems from the talents and the exploits of Josh Allen.”
Not only has Allen improved but the entire offense has as well. In his first year in Buffalo, Stefon Diggs is one of the top receivers in the NFL with 1,037 yards and four touchdowns on a league-leading 90 receptions. Cole Beasley has also played a big role for the Bills with 797 yards and four touchdowns.
Then, if you add rookie wide receiver Gabe Davis, who has a team-high six touchdowns, along with running backs Zack Moss and Devin Singletary the Bills have themselves weapons all over the field.
Pittsburgh and Buffalo in Another Primetime Battle
A season ago, the Bills and the Steelers met in Pittsburgh on Sunday Night Football and the Bills came away with a 17-10 victory after forcing four interceptions.
This year’s matchup will be a little different as Roethlisberger is back into the fold under center after recovering from elbow surgery and he’s put together one of his best seasons in recent memory with 3,105 passing yards and 27 touchdowns while averaging 258.8 passing yards per game.
Despite the changes, the Bills are ready to prove themselves once again on a national stage.
“It’s definitely gonna be a task for us and something we look forward to,” Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs said in a video conference call. “It’s another challenge and something that we thrive on just trying to control what we can control and anticipating that they’re gonna throw their best shot at us.”
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