Can Bills QB Josh Allen Raise his Game Even More in 2022?
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What likely hurt Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen more than the devastating overtime playoff loss at Kansas City last Sunday night was something that was going to sting even if they had gone all the way: The inevitable finality of a great thing.
Allen and his teammates cleaned out their lockers Monday knowing the special team that was assembled this season won't be coming back intact.
"Unfortunately, it's probably the last time that every every guy in this building is going to be here," he said. "So it's a tough day. We understand that."
Added left tackle Dion Dawkins: "I would say one of the saddest things about ending a football season not on our terms is the locker room will never look the same. You know, it'll never be the same one year to the next. So, with that being said, it's just sad that our brotherhood is going to be broken apart, and some guys will be here and some guys won't.
"And when you have that much love for one another, it could definitely bring you to some sad points."
What could be sadder for the Bills is that even if Allen continues for the next decade on what appears now to be a lightning-fast track to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, they may never get more out of him in the playoffs than they did this year.
Allen was as close to perfect as can be in his most recent two postseason games, completing 48 of 62 attempts for 637 yards and nine TD passes while adding 134 rushing yards on 17 carries.
So brilliant was his performance that he earned the highest postseason grade (95.8) ever awarded to a quarterback by Pro Football Focus, which was founded in 2006.
Now that offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, one of the coaches most responsible for Allen's evolution as an elite player, is headed to the New York Giants to be their new head coach, the question is whether Allen can build on what he did this season and improve or at least remain at the same level. Or will he regress?
Without calling his name, Allen also made it clear on Monday that he is in favor of quarterbacks coach Ken Dorsey being the next man up to replace Daboll.
If Dorsey is rewarded with his wish by coach Sean McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane, who each promised to involve Allen in the decision, he will be in an enviable position because Allen is "the most physically gifted athlete to ever play the position," according to Jordan Palmer, the renowned quarterback guru and Allen's offseason mentor.
Palmer, who will be given a free pass by the Bills Mafia for overlooking Michael Vick because Allen's already a better finished product, elaborated on his bold claim while appearing on One Bills Live, pointing out how his running ability added to his arm talent makes him such a unique talent.
"He's not breaking big runs because everyone fell and he's fast," Palmer said. "He's creating these runs, right? He's cutting back, he's setting up blocks, he's a runner. And then we see the throws that he makes we see just physically where he is, close to 250 [pounds], 245 whatever he is, and 6-foot-5, and then then with the arm. So I do believe we've never seen an athlete like this at his position.
"People want to say Cam Newton. No, Cam Newton never at any point threw it and had that type of control on the ball, Cam Newton was not as good a runner, in my opinion, and was never as fast as Josh is right now at top-end speed. So I really do think that he's the best athlete that ever played the position. He's developed a lot the last few years — Ken Dorsey, Brian Daboll, all these people, playing a huge role in his development."
Palmer pointed to the three areas in which Allen has evolved to make him such an elite player: Touch on the football, grasp of the system and control of his emotions.
That third element, according to Palmer, was the last to develop and is what makes him complete.
"What we've seen is the evolution of him and how well he controls his emotions in the game," Palmer said. "That last game vs. Kansas City is the example. Never at any point did his face change. Never at any point did he freak out. He was just in complete control of his emotions, which allowed him to be in control of his decision-making. I think he played really eight quarters of perfect football [in the playoffs], and that allowed him to control the ball and just be deadly accurate. So that's been the lynchpin for him."
So where does Allen go from here?
"I don't know," Palmer admitted. "I don't think he's ever entered into a season in complete control of the ball and complete control of his decision-making and, more importantly, in complete control of his emotions, no matter how big the moment is.
"With those reps and that experience, I don't know, I think we see him in the Super Bowl next year."
An encouraging portrait, to be sure.
But so much of that will depend on what kind of coaching staff will be in place for Allen as well.
Nick Fierro is the publisher of Bills Central. Check out the latest Bills news at www.si.com/nfl/bills and follow Fierro on Twitter at @NickFierro. Email to Nicky300@aol.com.
