Buffalo Bills: When will Josh Allen face Josh Allen?
By Avery Duncan
In 2018, the Buffalo Bills selected QB Josh Allen with No. 7 pick. In 2019, the Jacksonville Jaguars picked EDGE Josh Allen with the same pick. So when will they face each other?
The NFL Draft has very few constants. But in the past two years, we’ve seen one; two players named Josh Allen selected at No. 7 overall. In last year’s draft, the Buffalo Bills selected the quarterback Josh Allen. In this year’s, the Jacksonville Jaguars selected the edge rushing variant of Josh Allen.
The coincidence of two No. 7 overall selections with the same name two years in a row leads up to one question. That question; when will they face each other?
Based on the NFL schedule making rules, the two appear to be set for a 2021 matchup. The NFL’s official website explains why;
"Four games against teams from a division within its conference — two games at home and two on the road."
Every year, an entire division faces all four teams of an opposing division in the same conference. Meaning, the Bills will face all AFC foes over the course of three seasons. In 2018, their inner-conference divisional matchup was the Jaguars’ AFC South, in 2019 it’s the North. In 2020, it’s the West; which sets up an East-South matchup for 2021.
However, a Josh Allen vs. Josh Allen matchup could come much sooner. The two could meet in the playoffs next season. Or both the Bills and Jaguars could finish with the same divisional ranking.
The NFL schedule making process also includes two out of the division, inner conference matchups for every team. The way the foes are selected is simple; if they aren’t facing each other’s division for the year and they finish with the same divisional ranking the season before, a matchup is set.
For example, if both the Bills and Jaguars finish first in their respective divisions in 2019, a matchup is set for next year, as they aren’t slated to face divisions.
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In conclusion, the earliest a matchup could happen is in January of 2020, in the playoffs. The second would be if the two finish with the same division ranking next year — 2020. If neither happens, a definitive date is 2021. Hopefully, both Josh Allen’s will be on their respective teams and healthy by the time they face each other.