Just five short years ago, Josh Allen was in the exact same spot a lot of young quarterbacks find themselves in early in their careers. After hearing about his accuracy issues at Wichita State, which helped drop his stock to the middle of the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft, Allen couldn’t shake those issues his rookie year.
He tossed 15 interceptions and completed 52 percent of his passes. While he had his moments, he also had moments of consistent struggle.
‘Would Josh Allen ever figure it out in Buffalo?’ That was the question then.
Five years later, Allen is the best of what has turned out to be a rather mediocre quarterback class in 2018. Dubbed the next great QB class (a-la 1983 or 2004), it has been anything but.
– Baker Mayfield is on his second team and is benched by Carolina.
– Sam Darnold is on his second team after flaming out with the Jets, and has joined Mayfield on the bench in Carolina.
– Josh Rosen is nowhere in the NFL.
– Lamar Jackson, after an MVP year in 2019, has been a steady, consistent presence for the Baltimore Ravens.
Only Josh Allen has been the best of them all. He has thrown for over 4,000 yards and 35+ touchdowns in each of the last two years, and is well on his way to 4,000-plus yards and 35-plus touchdowns again this year. The Bills are 6-1, and are heavy favorites to win Super Bowl XLVII.
When asked about what it was like and what Jets quarterback Zach Wilson is going through, Allen said, “”I think it’s a guy trying to make a play, and I was at that same position,” Allen said. “I threw three picks against the Patriots my second year, and that’s kind of the game where it all clicked for me, after that game. So you can take that for what it is.”
If anyone knows what its like to struggle early in a career the way Wilson is, it’s Allen. Wilson is trying to shake off a reputation in the NFL of being inaccurate and indecisive. In 19 games he tries too hard to make plays with his feet and arm when his first read is covered. In short, he’s trying to do too much.
That indecisiveness was on full display last week against New England, when Wilson threw three interceptions in a 22-17 loss. He has taken heat all week with many questioning whether the Jets got the right guy.
The only way Wilson can change that narrative is to make things simple for himself, and he needs help too.
Allen had Brian Daboll, who is working wonders as Giants head coach, as his offensive coordinator. Wilson has Mike LeFluer. Can LeFluer simplify things? Can he be a QB whisper at this point? Both need to figure it out if things are going to change in the right direction. After 19 starts it’s still early in Wilson’s career. He just needs the kind of support that Allen got.
Now both Wilson and Allen meet for only the second time on Sunday.
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