Bills QB Josh Allen named AFC Offensive Player of the Month

Buffalo Bills v Miami Dolphins
Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images

It’s Allen’s first such honor since 2020

On Thursday, the league announced that Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Month, highlighting his exceptional play in the first quarter of the 2024 season.

Allen was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week after his Week 3 performance against the Jacksonville Jaguars, a game in which he threw for 263 yards and four touchdowns while leading the Bills on touchdown-scoring drives in each of their five first-half possessions.

But, while this is the third time in his career that Allen has been named Offensive Player of the Month, it’s the first since 2020 when he earned the title in both September and again in December.

This year, Allen led all AFC quarterbacks in several categories through the first month of the season. His nine total touchdowns, 116.5 passer rating, and TD-INT ratio of 7-0 — something that has improved drastically in his seventh NFL season — were the most of any AFC quarterback. He also ended September tied in passing touchdowns at seven.

In Week 1, Allen recorded his fourth game with two-plus passing and two-plus rushing touchdowns — a feat that tied Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young for the most all time. After being overshadowed by teammate James Cook’s three-touchdown performance in Week 2, Allen again added to the history books in Week 3.

Against Jacksonville, Allen became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for four-plus touchdowns, have a 75% completion rate with no turnovers, not be sacked once, and lead his team in rushing yards all in a single game.

To add to his month of accolades, Allen added to the Buffalo Bills’ record book. His 101 passing attempts without an interception are the most any Bills quarterback has thrown to start the season since Joe Ferguson did it in 1976.

Allen has done all of this while sitting out much of the fourth quarter through each of the first three games, and while having an uncharacteristically unimpressive game in Week 4 — in which he only threw for 180 yards, added no touchdowns to his total (although he also added no interceptions), and only ran for 21 yards.

In addition to a bad game and taking a break at the end of the other three weeks while Mitch Trubisky protected Buffalo’s leads, Allen has played with an injured non-throwing hand that’s caused him to alter the way he accepted snaps early on in the season, and also hand off the ball in more of a backhanded motion keeping it in his right hand. Allen has also been seen protecting it when he takes off running.

Still, Allen did plenty in September. Enough to be recognized as the conference’s top quarterback and best offensive weapon.

Post a Comment

Previous Post Next Post