Bills QB Josh Allen Deserves NFL MVP Award - Deal With It
The object of the game is to score touchdowns and no NFL player has done that better than Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen over the past four seasons.
In 2023, specifically, Allen leads the NFL in total touchdowns (40). He has thrown 27 touchdown passes while his 13 rushing touchdowns are threatening O.J. Simpson’s single-season franchise record. It’s the fourth consecutive season that Allen has accounted for at least 40 total TDs, the only player in NFL history to achieve the feat.
Now, let's address this silly narrative that Allen is a "turnover machine" and his league-leading 15 interceptions have put his team at a noticeable disadvantage. A number of the all-time greatest quarterbacks, many who have won Super Bowls, reside amongst the 20 most-intercepted players in NFL history.
Remember, Brett Favre? The three-time NFL MVP has accounted for the most interceptions (336) all time. Favre was picked off no fewer than 13 times in any of his three MVP seasons.
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Johnny Unitas (253), Dan Marino (252) and Peyton Manning (251) rank seventh, eighth and ninth on the NFL's all-time quarterback interceptions list.
Dan Fouts? Drew Brees? Warren Moon? Yep, they're all in the Top 20, too.
If Allen's "interception problem" puts him in a class with Marino, Elway and Manning, then that's just fine with me.
At some point over the last 20 years, analysts began equating a quarterback's lack of interceptions for good performance. It's simply a flawed conclusion, especially considering a number of these game managers don't possess the ability to take chances down field. Which two-possession sequence would you prefer? One touchdown and one interception OR a perfect completion percentage on back-to-back three-and-outs?
Most importantly, not all interceptions are equal. None of his 15 picks have come during a late-game, two-minute drive and not one has been returned for a touchdown.
In fact, Allen has not thrown a Pick Six since the 2019 regular season opener when Cole Beasley failed to secure a catch with the Bills backed up in their own end. Jets' linebacker CJ Mosley snagged the ball and walked into the end zone.
A few of Allen's interceptions actually served as third-down punts with the quarterback taking deep shots down field while the team was behind the sticks. One of Jordan Whitehead’s three picks in the season opener immediately comes to mind.
Then, there’s the fact that Allen has not put the ball in harm’s way while operating in the red zone. He has thrown 18 touchdown passes inside of the opponent’s 20-yard line while not being intercepted in that area of the field this season.
With a dual-threat unicorn running the offense, the Bills rank No. 1 overall amongst NFL leaders in red zone touchdown percentage (67.27).
Allen doesn’t have enough wins, you say? Sure, a 9-6 record isn’t as stellar as expected, but look a little closer. Three of the Bills' six losses aren't nearly as damning to Allen's case as one may think.
One can actually use each of the following three setbacks as a means of bolstering the argument for Allen. In one-score losses to Denver, New England and Philadelphia, the Bills' quarterback successfully engineered go-ahead scoring drives late in regulation, only to watch the defense squander the lead in the final seconds. Not to mention, Allen's offense averaged 27.0 points per outing over that three-game sample.
Then, there’s the fact that Allen has pulled the Bills’ offense out of a mid-season quagmire that led to Ken Dorsey’s dismissal. The quarterback has responded well to the change in play caller, having little difficulty while executing Joe Brady’s scheme. Allen deserves credit for weathering the storm and righting the ship, putting Buffalo back on the road to the postseason.
"He's the reason why our offense has any bit of success," said veteran center Mitch Morse. "On that merit alone, he's got my vote. When the pressure is on and his number is called, he needs to bail us out of a peculiar situation, he seems to do it more often than not. We're very fortunate to have him."
Those who have watched Allen closely throughout the season have seen how much he means to his teammates, the team and the organization as a whole. It is, after all, the Most VALUABLE Player award, and you’d be hard pressed to find a player who means more to his team than Allen.
