The 2018 first-round pick has had himself a first half in Houston, and he’s proving he was worthy of being selected that high.
Inaccurate, too erratic, a perennial bust in the making. Those were the words that engulfed Buffalo Bills qunslinger Josh Allen after the team drafted him with the seventh-overall pick in the 2018 draft.
Well, keep the receipts and freeze those takes on ice. Allen is proving those skeptics wrong as he has had a huge first half on the road against the Houston Texans to kick off the NFL playoffs.
Allen and the Bills started the game with a six play, 75-yard scoring drive. Allen ripped off a 42-yard run and capped off the drive with a receiving touchdown thrown to him by wide receiver Josh Brown. He later led the Bills onto two more scoring drives, currently leading 13-0 at halftime.
#GoBills take an early 7-0 lead. @JoshAllenQB
📺: #BUFvsHOU on ESPN/ABC
📱: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app
Watch free on mobile: https://t.co/g2IubuwcCg pic.twitter.com/Tl7nuuegXO— NFL (@NFL) January 4, 2020
While everyone has their eyes on that viral play, Allen has done more than provide us with a Nick Fole’s-like highlight. He has made mostly smart decisions, which was another cause for concern for many scouts and pundits when he was coming out of college.
Allen has flashed his athleticism and major-arm talent. He has extended plays and hit receivers while being flushed out of the pocket multiple times, and his ability to tuck the ball and run on his own has been a major factor to the team’s early success.
The second-year pro was 13-for-20 in the first half with one receiving touchdown and 183 total yards. He is also out-dueling a superstar in the making in Deshaun Watson.
Doesn’t sound like the bust that everyone made him out to be, right?
Allen has been spectacular. But, credit the coaching staff as well. They have kept Allen out of many tight spots, and they have designed an offense where the ball comes out quickly.
Of course, there is still an entire half to play and anything can happen. However, Allen has done his part to silence many critics in the first half. He has been mistake free and full of big plays so far. Now, he will look to hush even more “haters” in the second half.