Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen got off to a torrid start to the season with nine touchdowns in the first two games, but has hit a slump in the last two.
Though the Bills managed a win when Allen committed three turnovers against the Los Angeles Chargers, they weren’t able to overcome his late-game interception in a loss to the New England Patriots.
After the game, Allen was hit with a warning from a legendary NFL receiver.
Josh Allen Needs to “Put His Cape Away”
In an appearance on ESPN, longtime NFL pass-catcher Steve Smith Sr. warned that the Bills will face long-term peril of Allen doesn’t get away from playing hero ball.
Allen’s late interception came when he heaved the ball deep and into triple coverage after narrowly avoiding a sack.
“It’s really tough to watch,” Smith said, adding that Allen needs to “put his cape away.”
“You can’t allow Josh Allen to continue to be Superman and not expect mistakes to happen,” Smith said.
Smith added that the Bills need to return to what made their offense so dynamic through the first two weeks, which includes a bigger role for the backfield.
“Got to get back to getting the ball to James Cook, getting some explosive plays,” Smith said. “Less Superman, more Clark.
Josh Allen Took Blame for Patriots Loss
Allen was quick to point the finger at himself after Sunday’s loss, saying he had a chance to throw away the ball after avoiding the sack on second down.
“Should throw that one out of bounds, live to fight another day,” Allen said.
But not many are losing faith in Allen. As The Athletic noted, he is still the frontrunner for the league MVP award this year.
“Josh Allen has been the steady favorite since the campaign kicked off, sitting between +230 and +270 at major sportsbooks, roughly a 27 to 30 percent implied probability,” the report noted.
The report added that Allen has been a two-way threat this season.
“His passing stats don’t jump off the page the way you’d expect an MVP front-runner’s would — he’s close to the middle of the pack in passer rating (100.1), touchdowns (six) and yards (1,039),” the report noted. “But Allen has also added another seven touchdowns on the ground, tied with Ravens running back Derrick Henry for the league lead in rushing scores, and helms the league’s top-scoring offense (31.8 PPG) for the AFC’s top contender on the Super Bowl oddsboard.”
Bills QB Josh Allen Faces Warning From Legendary NFL Player