Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen is one of the most heavily scrutinized players in the NFL. In a recent survey among players, he was even named the most overrated quarterback in the league.
However, Allen and the Bills are off to a 2-0 start this season, and the star quarterback remains unfazed by the label.
On Friday’s episode of “The Facility,” Allen shared that he “loved” being considered overrated by his peers.
“I’m a logical guy, and I understand what the NFL is. There are 32 teams and 31 other fan bases and players who, I hope, despise me and are absolutely sick of me because that means I’m doing the right things on the field for the Buffalo Bills,” Allen said. “I take it as a term of endearment and respect when guys don’t like me or don’t think I’m that great because I can tell you one thing: the guys in this building don’t feel that way.”
In Buffalo’s first two games, Allen has accumulated 371 passing yards, three passing touchdowns, zero interceptions, and a 124.2 passer rating, completing 73.8% of his passes. He has also rushed for 41 yards and two touchdowns.
The Bills secured a 34-28 win at home against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 1, followed by a dominant 31-10 victory on the road against AFC East rivals, the Miami Dolphins.
Meanwhile, No. 1 overall pick and 2022 Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams has struggled with the Chicago Bears. In Week 1, he managed just 93 passing yards, and in Week 2, he threw two interceptions, completing only 56.1% of his passes so far.
Allen offered Williams some advice.
“He’s played in a lot of big-time games, whether it was at Oklahoma or USC. I think he understands the game. Obviously, if the first couple games of your NFL career don’t go your way, that doesn’t define your career. He just needs to keep working hard and playing football the way he knows,” Allen said. “That’s what got him to this point. Just keep playing football. That’s my only advice. He’s a very talented player, and I think he’ll be a really, really, really great player. Just watching him on tape, you can see it.”
Allen can relate to Williams, having thrown 21 interceptions with a 78.2 passer rating and completing only 56.3% of his passes in his first 28 NFL regular-season games from 2018-19. However, in 2020, Allen threw for 4,544 yards and 37 touchdowns, raising his completion percentage to 69.2% while leading Buffalo to their first AFC Championship Game appearance in 27 years.
Allen has been a Pro Bowler in two of the past four seasons, also averaging 601.8 rushing yards and 8.8 touchdowns per season from 2018-23.
However, the Bills have struggled in the playoffs, being eliminated by the Kansas City Chiefs in three of the past four postseasons, losing to the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2022 playoffs, and making just one AFC Championship Game appearance.
Allen’s ultimate goal for the Bills is clear.
“I couldn’t care less about winning the MVP. The only thing I care about is raising the Lombardi Trophy here in Western New York,” Allen said. “We haven’t done it yet. We’ve come close, but we’ve got to find a way to get over that hump. The other accolades come with that. If we’re playing good football and winning, those things will happen. If not, they won’t.”
