ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — The “M-V-P!” chants inside Highmark Stadium started with 3:25 nonetheless left within the first quarter.
Although excitedly untimely, Buffalo Payments followers weren’t unsuitable.
They merely couldn’t know Josh Allen was merely starting his onslaught Monday evening. By halftime, he’d already had one of many best statistical video games of his profession. However what was really outstanding was how Allen went about his nasty enterprise in a 47-10 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
We spent months analyzing and guessing and kvetching about how Allen would carry out with out Stefon Diggs and Gabriel Davis anymore. Diggs and his brother, Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs, insinuated on social media it was the receiver who made the quarterback, not vice versa.
So whom would Allen throw to?
Whomever he rattling effectively pleases, apparently.
GO DEEPER
Josh Allen, Payments dominate Jags in 47-10 throttling: Takeaways
On the intermission, he’d accomplished passes to 9 teammates whereas guiding Buffalo to touchdowns on every of its 5 possessions. He was 22-of-28 for 247 yards and touchdowns to 4 gamers: tight finish Dalton Kincaid, rookie receiver Keon Coleman, receiver Khalil Shakir and tailback Ty Johnson. Oh, Allen additionally led each groups with 22 speeding yards, 3 greater than Jacksonville’s whole roster, whereas defending his injured left hand.
And there have been 30 extra minutes left within the sport.
“M-V-P!” certainly.
Proper round then, a minted MVP tweeted this:
I actually like watching Josh Allen play soccer! 🏈
— LeBron James (@KingJames) September 24, 2024
Payments edge rusher A.J. Epenesa is aware of how LeBron feels, no less than on this subject.
“As a defensive participant, I get to look at him lots, up shut and private,” Epenesa stated. “I’ve seen him do some loopy issues and it’s simply … . He’s one among one. I don’t even need to say ‘It’s miraculous’ as a result of he simply does his job to the perfect of his capacity, and he does it so effectively and is such a terrific chief for us.
“Josh defines what a Invoice is.”
When Johnson snagged Allen’s 16-yard lob ultimately zone 19 seconds earlier than halftime, he grew to become the sixth Invoice with no less than one landing reception this 12 months. No different membership has as many TD catchers.
Winking locker room sources confirmed it was no coincidence that, two offensive performs into the third quarter, Allen made positive to get the lone first-half straggler, Mack Hollins, a reception. It was the tenth time in membership historical past no less than 10 gamers caught a cross.
After which there have been 25 extra minutes left within the sport.
“It’s paying dividends of what we’ve labored on by means of the whole offseason and thru coaching camp of the ‘everyone eats’ mentality,” Allen stated. “It could possibly be your play this play. You by no means know when it’s going to occur. That’s the great thing about it, when guys purchase into this and actually perceive, like, ‘I’ll not get the ball 4 or 5 instances thrown to me a sport, however the one or two instances I do, I’m going to have alternatives to be ultimately zone.’”
To wit, Coleman didn’t play the whole first quarter as a result of he was punished for a tardiness challenge. However on his third snap, he caught his first NFL landing with 6:19 remaining within the second quarter.
Rookie Keon Coleman scored his first NFL landing within the Payments’ win in opposition to the Jaguars. (Gregory Fisher / Imagn Photos)
“It’s a enjoyable and great factor,” Allen stated, “once you’ve bought a bunch of men that don’t care concerning the stats. They don’t care concerning the touchdowns.”
Davis, in the meantime, didn’t make Payments followers miss him Monday evening. He caught two passes for 18 yards, each within the third quarter. Diggs has performed decently for the Houston Texans, catching 20 passes for 164 yards and two touchdowns. However he’s operating the shortest routes of his profession and he’s 4.0 yards beneath his profession common per reception. The Payments go to Houston in two weeks as a part of a grueling upcoming schedule. Extra on that beneath.
Shakir has emerged as Allen’s safety blanket. They remained excellent, with Allen finishing all six of his makes an attempt despatched Shakir’s approach for 72 yards and the second-quarter landing. Shakir this 12 months has 16 catches on 16 targets for 168 yards and two touchdowns.
You having enjoyable but, #BillsMafia?
📺: @ESPNNFL pic.twitter.com/v5FY4RWvFY
— Buffalo Payments (@BuffaloBills) September 24, 2024
“I can say this again and again: He’s a freakin’ soccer participant, emphasis on ‘soccer’” Allen stated. “He loves the sport. He does issues the fitting approach. He’s so selfless in his method all through the week. He may get two passes in observe, and he simply retains discovering methods to be in the fitting spot on the proper time.”
The Payments scored 34 factors by means of two quarters for the fifth time in membership historical past, together with playoffs, a feat unaccomplished since 1992. The regular-season file for largest halftime blowout was 48-10 over the Miami Dolphins in 1966. The Payments led the Los Angeles Raiders 41-3 within the 1990 postseason.
Allen handed for less than 16 yards within the second half (the Hollins completion) however nonetheless posted the fattest Week 3 fantasy soccer whole amongst all quarterbacks and was second solely to San Francisco 49ers receiver Jauan Jennings in non-PPR leagues. Allen additionally was the sport’s main rusher with 44 yards on the time Mitchell Trubisky relieved him with 9:58 remaining.
The Payments are 3-0, however the schedule will get arduous from right here. Buckle up.
Their subsequent three video games — 4 of their subsequent 5 video games and 5 of their subsequent six video games — are on the street, beginning Sunday evening with the Baltimore Ravens.
Allen, unsolicited, made an MVP Award reference himself. He is aware of the measuring stick.
“We bought a brief week, and we’re going right into a hostile setting with the Ravens and two-time MVP Lamar Jackson,” Allen stated. “We’re going to show this actual fast and begin specializing in them actual fast.”
Then the Payments go to the Texans and New York Jets earlier than they return to Highmark Stadium. Their bye is in Week 12, sandwiched between a pair of residence video games in opposition to final season’s Tremendous Bowl groups, the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs and 49ers.
“You don’t win a Tremendous Bowl or get within the playoffs with solely three video games,” Allen stated. “I believe this workforce understands that. We’ll watch this movie and put this behind us as rapidly as we will.”
The Ravens protection, then again, might be watching Allen’s footage on a loop all week.
They’ll see what LeBron did, however to them, it gained’t be almost as amusing.
(High photograph: Bryan M. Bennett / Getty Photos)