Grading Josh Allen’s Performance from Week 9 against the Jaguars

This is the eighth entry into the 2021 Josh Allen Game Grades series. Each week, Josh Allen’s numbers, decision-making, and overall performance will be reviewed and given a letter grade.

In Week 9, the Buffalo Bills suffered a 9-6 loss at the hands of the Jacksonville Jaguars. A loss that has a legitimate case for being the worst in the Sean McDermott era.

Josh Allen and the Buffalo offense were missing in action on Sunday. Allen’s stat line on the day was not good. He completed 31 of 47 passes for 264 yards, two interceptions, and a fumble lost.

Allen’s efficiency dropped off slightly in Week 9. He averaged 5.6 yards per attempt, down from his 5.9 in Week 8. Allen also finished with a 62.7 passer rating on the day, which was far and away his worst single-game passer rating in 2021.

One thing that was clear is that Allen really needs to start getting the ball to Stefon Diggs more often. They connected six times for 85 yards against the Jaguars. The Buffalo offense is at its best when Allen and Diggs are in rhythm, this was the case in 2020 and needs to be reemphasized for the remainder of the season.

Dawson Knox’s absence has also had a bigger impact than most thought it would, given that in the two games he’s missed, the Bills offense has not been the lethal unit many know it to be. Knox is a valuable red zone target for Allen, and if he and Knox can rekindle the momentum they generated before Knox’s injury, the Buffalo offense will right the ship.

Josh Allen’s decision-making was quite bad against the Jaguars and was reminiscent of his rookie season. His two interceptions were both really bad decisions, and examples of why Allen should not try and play hero ball. He was trying to do too much and it backfired big time. Allen also lost a fumble and should have lost a second, but it was inside the two minute warning and the officials did not review it. It does not help that Allen was running for his life all afternoon, but he still needs to be better than he was in Week 9.

Josh Allen’s Week 9 Grade: F

Josh Allen receives an F grade for his performance in Week 9. Allen and the Buffalo offense were flat-out horrendous in Jacksonville. Stefon Diggs is the only player on the Bills offense who would not have received an F this week.

Week 9 was a game that Allen and the Buffalo offense have to erase from their memory and refocus their efforts for their Week 10 showdown with the Jets. They need to figure things out offensively, and they need to figure them out fast. The Jets are the third bad team in a row that Allen and the Bills will play, and they must make an emphatic statement to remind the league that they are the class of the AFC.

Previous Weeks’ Grades:

Week 1: C

Week 2: C+

Week 3: A+

Week 4: B

Week 5: A+

Week 6: A-

Week 8: B