It feels like we haven’t watched Buffalo Bills football in a long time. Their season ended in a heartbreaking fashion and it’s left Bills fans wondering how Buffalo will ever get over the playoff hump against the Kansas City Chiefs. At the same time, it’s hard to ignore the success that the Bills had mostly due to the performance of the MVP of the league, Josh Allen.
The most beloved athlete in the city of Buffalo really stood out in 2024. There were times where the Bills were Josh Allen-dependent and without him, Buffalo wouldn’t have been as competitive in many games. Say what you want about him not having the best overall stats as compared to someone like Lamar Jackson or Joe Burrow. Allen was the clear-cut most valuable player for the Bills. The Ravens and Bengals had other star players who could be relied on.
While we sit here and wait for the NFL combine and free agency to hit, it’s always fun to take a look back at the season and figure out the highlights, as well as what could have gone differently for the better.
Ranking Josh Allen's best 2024 game performances
5.) Week 1 vs. Arizona Cardinals
For a moment in Week 1, it looked like Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals were on their way to pulling off an upset in Orchard Park. They had a 17-3 at one point in the second quarter and led 17-10 going into halftime. Then Josh Allen put on the Superman cape and played a role in every touchdown the Bills put up in the second half to lead a comeback from behind win against the Cardinals.
Allen was responsible for four touchdowns and finished with a rating for 137.7, per Pro Football Reference. Having four total touchdowns to just five incompletions was the perfect start to Allen’s MVP season.
4.) Week 3 vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Usually when the Bills and the Jaguars face off against each other, Jacksonville always gets the best of Buffalo. Not this time around though. Buffalo welcomed Jacksonville into a Week 3 primetime matchup and delivered a huge beatdown to Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars, winning 47-10.
Allen himself was accounted for four touchdowns through the air as well as 263 passing yards. Finishing with a rating of 142.1, Allen managed to pick up just his second career win against Jacksonville and it helped put the Bills at 3-0 to start off the season.
3.) Week 13 vs. San Francisco 49ers
In a game where the Bills clinched the AFC East in front of Bills Mafia at home, Allen surprisingly didn’t up the highest stats but he managed to still be the star of the game. Despite James Cook rushing for over 100 yards and a score, Allen was able to throw two touchdowns, rush for one, and then “catch his own” pass for a receiving touchdown.
This was truly the first game where the talks of Allen winning the MVP award starting heating up.
2.) Week 15 vs. Detroit Lions
In one of the highest-scoring games of the season, the Bills and Lions traded punches with each other as the game went on but Buffalo managed to survive a last-second comeback by the Lions. Even though Buffalo’s defense started to collapse in the second half, Allen and the offense stood their ground and did just enough to get the win.
Allen threw for 362 yards and recorded 4 total touchdowns against a beaten-up Lions’ defense that had multiple injuries across the board. Nonetheless, Detroit still had a physical defense that could punish an offense. Well, they couldn’t do it to Allen.
1.) Week 14 vs. Los Angeles Rams
That’s right, one of Buffalo’s biggest regular season losses was Allen’s best performance in 2024. Let’s face it, the Rams should have blown the Bills out in Los Angeles but Allen and the Bills never gave up in the second half. The biggest problem is that the Bills only forced the Rams to punt once and their defense gave up 37 points (7 points were allowed off of a blocked punt).
Allen was part of six total touchdowns and accounted for 424 total yards against the Rams. This game is the perfect definition of Buffalo relying on Allen and him doing the best he can to get a late victory for the Bills. He did his part, but the defense couldn’t.