O No! Bills' Josh Allen Sets Dubious QB Record
No one likes working overtime but Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen's hatred of the concept might be well-justified.
Allen's latest heartbreaking loss at the helm of the Bills' offense likely stands as one of his most bizarre to date: facing a New York Jets team that had lost starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers to a potential season-ending injury, Allen and the Bills dropped a 22-16 overtime decision at MetLife Stadium on Monday night. Allen threw three interceptions in defeat and the Bills (0-1) were held to a single touchdown in a regular season game for the first time since December 2021.
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On top of all that, ESPN Stats & Info noted that Allen holds a dubious, if not relatively buried, mark in NFL passing history: with the loss, Allen now holds the most imperfect overtime record among quarterbacks in NFL history at 0-5, breaking away from David Carr for the record no passer would like to obtain. Among that tally is a Divisional defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs during the 2021-22 postseason and last season's improbable home loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
Indeed, an extra period has often been the harbinger of doom for the Bills. Since the Allen era began in 2018, they're one of only six teams without an overtime win in that span, though none among the other five (Carolina, Chicago, Denver, Detroit, Washington) has played more than three such games. The loss to the Jets was the first time they had gone to overtime with a division opponent since a Christmas Eve loss to Miami in 2016.
To his credit, Allen was in no mood to make excuses in defeat, fully accepting the blame for the Bills' opening week loss. In addition to his three interceptions, all to Jordan Whitehead, Allen also lost a fumble that set up a short go-ahead field goal that gave the Jets their first lead in the fourth quarter.
"Same (stuff), same place, different day," Allen said. "It (stinks) when you feel like you're the reason, and I am the reason why we lost tonight."
Allen and the Bills certainly hope it won't take an extra period but they'll at least look to get back on the right track next Sunday when they open the 2023 Highmark Stadium slate against the Las Vegas Raiders (1 p.m. ET, CBS).
