Buffalo Bills: Top 5 Josh Allen games to date

Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen has come a long way since being drafted 7th overall in the 2018 draft.

When the Buffalo Bills selected Josh Allen, he was labeled a “project” quarterback and many had their doubts for a player out of the University of Wyoming, a program that hadn’t had a first-round pick since 1976 when Lawrence Gaines and Aaron Kyle were selected.

Allen had his struggles early on, accounting for 22 interceptions and 21 fumbles in his first two seasons. However, when it mattered most, Josh Allen rose to the occasion in year 3 and took the Buffalo Bills to heights they hadn’t seen since before Allen was even born. Whether it’s Stefon Diggs and his arrival in western New York, or the actual clicking of Josh Allen’s skills, Buffalo Bills fans will take it.

As the team prepares for a Super Bowl run with an extra game added for the first time, let’s take a look back at what the top five performances for Josh Allen have been. If Allen does win a Super Bowl for the Bills, maybe that can start the Hall of Fame discussion. Until (and if) that happens, all Bills fans can do is remain positive that their Super Bowl window is open.

The 5th-best game for Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen: 2018 @ Miami

In the battle of the quarterbacks who wore #17, Allen faced off against Ryan Tannehill. It was a competitive game, but the Buffalo Bills ultimately lost 21-17. This is Josh Allen’s 5th-best game as it was the game he posted a career-high in rushing yards, totaling nine carries for 135 yards, averaging 15.0 yards per rush.

Allen would also score two times through the air, giving the Buffalo Bills the lead at the 12:00 minute mark of the fourth quarter on a touchdown to WR Zay Jones. The Dolphins would answer back with a touchdown drive of their own for the go-ahead score. A Buffalo Bills comeback drive would basically be halted by a Dion Dawkins false start in which after that penalty, Josh Allen threw three straight incompletions to end the game.

The two interceptions Allen threw in this game didn’t really affect, as one was the final play before halftime, and after he threw his second pick, the Dolphins were immediately picked off on the next play by safety Micah Hyde.

The 4th-best game for Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen: 2018 vs. Miami

Just a few weeks after his 5th-best game, Josh Allen had another stellar performance against the Miami Dolphins. The Buffalo Bills got their revenge on the Dolphins by blowing their doors off, 42-17  in what would also be longtime defensive tackle Kyle Williams’ last game at home.

For Allen, it would be his best overall rushing performance in terms of yards and touchdowns. Allen ran nine times for 95 yards and two touchdowns while going 17/26/224/3/1. If there was anyone who had Allen in their fantasy playoffs for that week, they sure were smiling as you can’t ask for more than that to help win at that point of the season.

What also highlighted the game was sending off Williams with his first career catch, in which he took for 9 yards. For a defensive lineman, that’s a career highlight right there.

What a beautiful sight to see from the big man.

The 3rd-best game for Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen: 2020 vs Seattle

Josh Allen took the field against Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks for the first time in his career. Allen went in with the mentality to “out-cook” Wilson in 44-34 barnburner in which Allen completed 81.58% of his passes (31 of 38) for 415 yards and three touchdowns.

The Buffalo Bills had a 24-10 halftime lead, and despite the final score, this game wasn’t that close. The Bills added 17 of their 44 points in the fourth quarter, and they needed every score to outduel the high-flying Seahawks. Wilson also threw two costly interceptions in this game, and a strip-sack by A.J. Klein was also a key momentum swing that favored the Bills.

Allen’s second-best completion percentage of his career would come against another NFC West foe later in 2020 when the Bills played the San Francisco 49ers in Arizona. Allen posted an 80% completion percentage in that game, just missing tying his best.

The 2nd-best game for Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen: 2020 @ Miami

We’re seeing a recurring theme on this list, aren’t we? Allen just has a big day when he plays Miami the past few seasons. Allen would have his best passing performance of his career, turning out a 24/35 day with 415 yards passing and four touchdowns.

Despite Allen’s career day, the Bills only won by three points, in which a Tyler Bass field goal in the 2nd quarter ended up being the difference. Not to mention a weather delay after the second half started may also have influenced the close game.

Allen has actually thrown for 415 yards twice in his career, the other one being in the aforementioned Seahawks matchup. The other 4-passing touchdown games all came from the 2020 season as well.  Stefon Diggs grabbed 8 receptions for 153 yards in the win which was foreshadowing for the rest of the season as Diggs would lead the NFL in receptions and receiving yards.

Josh Allen’s best game of his career: 2020 @ Patriots

Now, this isn’t Allen’s most statistically impressive game, but the meaning of this win over the Patriots means a whole lot more than numbers. The 38-9 win over Bill Belichick was so great for several reasons. Allen tied his career-best in touchdown passes in a game with four. The Patriots had been eliminated from playoff contention the week before, finally giving some reality to a franchise that had made it 11 consecutive years.

The icing on top of the cake was the meltdown that Belichick had on the sideline after the Bills converted a fake punt early in the game. In what was reminiscent of Kent Mansley in The Iron Giant, Belichick can be seen smashing a phone after talking to someone up in the box.

Bills fans sure are hoping they can see more of this after years of torment from the Patriots. For Allen, with only three years under his belt, this list will surely be re-done, but as of right now these are his best outings.