Buffalo Bills fans know all too well their memories of the night Josh Allen was drafted. Many were not excited to see the kid from Wyoming come to play hero ball in Western New York.
Of course, since then, all he’s done is prove himself to be one of the most talented quarterbacks in NFL history. He’s a winner too, reaching two AFC Championships in eight seasons.
But titles beyond MVP and franchise quarterback are eluding Allen as he begins preparations for Year 9 while seeing the New England Patriots where they were in his rookie season at Super Bowl LX. Fans around the league see the trends, falling short in the postseason year after year, his fault or otherwise. Analysts perk up and begin spreading the notion that Allen can’t win the big game.
When Allen came into the league, it was clear he had plenty of physical tools. The kinds that compared to the likes of Ben Roethlisberger and Cam Newton. But would he have the gumption to carve out a career like John Elway or Peyton Manning with championships and accolades adding to his first-round resume?
The John Elway comparison is one that fans would like to cling to, both in his play style and his eventual success in the Super Bowl. But as the years keep passing by, the Dan Marino and Philip Rivers comparisons become harder and harder to ignore.
Josh Allen’s playoff narrative is shifting in an uncomfortable direction for the Bills
To be clear, I’m not personally suggesting that Allen is doomed to a championship-less career like Marino and Rivers ‘suffered’. But even the staunchest Allen supporter in Buffalo can’t ignore what they’re seeing when it comes to the discourse around one of the league’s most talented players.
Cameron Jordan’s take on Allen last week won’t be the last time Allen’s postseason abilities come into question. Sure, some rushed to his defense. But all it takes is another couple of seasons without a Super Bowl appearance, and folks will start to come around to that line of thinking, saying, ‘Eh, maybe he’s got a point.’
Of course, as Bills fans well know, it’s not as though many in the NFL fanbase aren’t somewhat over Allen for similar reasons. Being one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL with his postseason storyline is something the media gravitates toward easily; this article is a case in point. But somewhat understandably, fans of other teams are sick of hearing about if Allen and the Bills can get over the hump.
To the rest of the football world, it’s a dump or get off the pot situation. Everyone can see that Allen has the tools, and they can see where his organization seems to hold him back, too. But 30 teams around the league also hold the Bills and Allen in contempt for not keeping the Patriots out of the Super Bowl picture for longer.
And that only adds to the postseason burden that Allen continues to face as he heads into his age-30 season next year. Buffalo could not get over the hump without New England in their way. Now, regardless of how anyone feels about the Patriots' path to Super Bowl LX, the fact remains that with Mike Vrabel and Drake Maye in place, the Boston franchise should be a contender for years to come.
What’s one more challenge for Superman, right?
In a better world for Bills fans, Allen would already have a ring, and this silly discourse surrounding Allen wouldn’t have to take place. But many great quarterbacks before him have gone through the same thing. Elway and Manning eventually got their rings, Manning in Year 9, Elway in Year 15.
Allen can match Manning’s pace this season. And hey, Manning went to two more Super Bowls after winning his first. Elway waited 15 years, but won two rings before hanging the cleats up. They’re remarkable NFL stories all the same, and Allen’s will be too. But Bills Mafia sure would like to see him begin to write the championship chapters soon.