Week 1 of the 2023 NFL season is in the books, and you know what that means: It’s time for several premature overreactions.
On Monday night, Buffalo Bills’ quarterback Josh Allen endured widespread criticism for a disappointing performance against the New York Jets. Allen threw three interceptions and was sacked five time, and the Jets went on to win in overtime on a 65-yard punt return touchdown from Xavier Gipson.
Allen’s sloppy outing had plenty of fans and pundits suggesting that the superstar signal-caller simply isn’t the same player without old offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, now the head coach of the New York Giants:
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It’s certainly premature to suggest that Allen has regressed without Daboll. In their last season together in 2021, Allen had a 63.3 completion percentage for 4,407 yards, 36 touchdowns, 15 interceptions, 763 rushing yards and six touchdowns.
Allen’s numbers were awfully similar in 2022 under new OC Ken Dorsey: A 63.3 completion percentage (the same number as 2021), 4,283 passing yards, 35 touchdowns, 14 interceptions, 762 rushing yards and seven rushing cores.
Incredibly, the 2021 and 2022 Bills clubs both averaged 28.4 points per game, too.
And again, it was a Week 1 road game against one of the league’s elite defenses. You certainly aren’t hearing fans calling out Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Jalen Hurts or Lamar Jackson much despite lackluster Week 1 outings of their own.
Allen and the Bills will try to silence the critics and bounce back this Sunday when they host the 1-0 Las Vegas Raiders.
