Several radio shows and one YouTube program this week asked me a variation of the same question: Is Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen the runaway MVP favorite with four games remaining?
Of course he is. It is on the cusp of being a runaway.
Don鈥檛 ever forget Allen鈥檚 historic performance in last week鈥檚 44-42 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Put it in your mental time capsule.
This was a week for some to re-litigate what happened out west (I鈥檒l do the same in Sunday鈥檚 Buffalo News), but a deep dive into Pro Football Reference produced all kinds of cool statistics about Allen鈥檚 production.
Allen became the 鈥
- First quarterback since Cleveland鈥檚 Otto Graham in the 1956 NFL championship game to pass and rush for three touchdowns apiece. That will be the item that should lead a Case For Josh As MVP discussion.
- Fourth quarterback in history to pass for at least 342 yards and rush for 82 yards, joining Russell Wilson (Seattle, 2020), Lamar Jackson (Baltimore, 2020) and Justin Herbert (Los Angeles Chargers, 2021).
- Second quarterback to reach 300 passing yards, 50 rushing yards and multiple passing and rushing touchdowns in the same game twice in a regular season.
- Fourth quarterback to throw for 300 yards and rush for three touchdowns. The first was the Bills鈥 Jack Kemp in 1963.
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Bonus: Allen鈥檚 three rushing touchdowns totaled 3 yards. That has happened just 12 times since 2000.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen escapes a tackle by Rams linebacker Christian Rozeboom during Sunday's game.
鈥淗e can beat you from the pocket; he can beat you with his mind; he can beat you with his arm; he can beat you with his legs,鈥 Rams head coach Sean McVay marveled. 鈥淗e鈥檚 one of the best players in this league.鈥
And the 2024 NFL MVP.
Quick kicks
1. Nearing rare company. If the Bills reach 30 points on Sunday, they will become the fifth team to score at least 30 in eight consecutive games within a single season.
The first four teams to accomplish that and how they fared in the postseason: 2000 St. Louis (lost in wild-card round), 2007 New England (lost in Super Bowl), 2010 New England (lost in divisional round) and 2013 Denver (lost in Super Bowl).
2. Punt team miscommunication. Bills fullback Reggie Gilliam confirmed that he and running back Ray Davis were the two players not on the field for last week鈥檚 final play, when the Rams punted to run out the clock and the Bills had nine men on the field.
What happened?
鈥淲e were on the sideline ready to go out for the punt return and (the Rams) had their offense on the field and called a timeout, and I was thinking, 鈥楾hey鈥檙e going for it or they鈥檙e going for the foul-ball-type situation (to throw and run out the clock) or they鈥檒l punt it and we鈥檒l be in 鈥楧-safe鈥 (defense stays on the field).鈥
鈥淒uring the timeout, I鈥檓 talking with the offense because we might get the ball back. I don鈥檛 even hear 鈥榩unt return,鈥 and when I look out to the field, I see the punter and I鈥檓 like, 鈥極K, we鈥檙e going D-safe.鈥 But then I saw (tight end) Zach Davidson out there and said, 鈥(Bleep), I鈥檓 supposed to be out there.鈥 (Special teams coordinator Matthew) Smiley said after the game that he decided to send punt return out at the last second.鈥
3. No more call-ups. The Bills have used the maximum three practice squad call-ups for Davidson. For him to appear in another game this year, he must be signed to the active roster.
Davidson, who had not appeared in a regular-season game before filling in for Dalton Kincaid (left knee), played 42 snaps and had one catch for 5 yards.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a great experience just to be involved instead of giving the (scout-team) look in practice. You鈥檙e seeing the look (from the scout team),鈥 Davidson said.
Davidson was in the Bills鈥 backfield on Allen鈥檚 failed first-and-goal sneak from the 1-yard line last week that forced a timeout and essentially ended their comeback hopes. At the snap, it appeared he got caught up in traffic.
鈥淢y responsibility was to help Josh try and get into the end zone; I was lined up correct,鈥 Davidson said. 鈥淚 should have been a half-step closer to (Allen). I could have made more of an impact on that play.鈥
4. About Belichick. Why all the negativity about six-time Super Bowl-winning coach Bill Belichick joining North Carolina for his first college job? Obviously, the NFL job well had dried up and he wanted to keep coaching. Good for him. It will be fascinating regardless of whether Belichick builds a winner. It will be critical for him to avoid getting the band back together with his old NFL assistant coaches and instead hire position coaches who have major recruiting chops.
5. Extra points. Two suggestions to help the Bills鈥 run defense 鈥 get tackle Austin Johnson more playing time than his current 19-snap average. I booked him for three run 鈥渟tuffs鈥 (gain or 1 of fewer yards) against the Rams. And I would designate 325-pound tackle Eli Ankou as a practice squad call-up. 鈥 A reminder that linebacker Matt Milano is basically in training camp mode 鈥 he has five missed tackles in his two games. 鈥 The Bills鈥 defense allowed a season-high five 10-play drives (12, 10, 12, 11 and 11) and four possessions of at least five minutes (6:34, 7:47, 5:29 and 6:55) to the Rams. 鈥 Safety Taylor Rapp (neck) appeared to be dinged while making two tackles in a span of three plays during last week鈥檚 first half. 鈥 Left tackle Dion Dawkins entered Week 15 with 13 enforced penalties, second-most in the NFL behind only Houston left tackle Laremy Tunsil (15). 鈥 Defensive end Von Miller on the Lions鈥 Penei Sewell: 鈥淗e鈥檚 the best right tackle in the league, him and (Philadelphia鈥檚) Lane Johnson. Good in the run, good in the pass, athletic.鈥
