The NFL’s stable of unstable talking heads are full of phraseology this time of the year. You hear lines like the following: “The first week’s a liar”; “This is a game of inches”; “It’s a rebuilding year.”
And while the dust hasn’t quite settled on week two of the 2024 NFL season, I believe we can start to make a few observations about our Buffalo Bills, and their standing in the NFL’s 2024 landscape. Let’s start with week one’s victory over the Cardinals. For this game, I want to focus on what the NFL, the betting industrial complex, and the casual fantasy footballer all gravitate towards: The yards, touchdowns, and (for QB’s, the interceptions) of quarterbacks and top draft pick wide receivers.
In week one, here are the breakdowns:
Arizona:
Kyler Murray - 21 for 31 for 162 yards. 1 TD. 0 INT.
Marvin Harrison, Jr. - 1 reception on 4 targets for 4 yards. 0 TD.
Buffalo:
Josh Allen - 18 for 23 for 232 yards. 2 TD. 0 INT.
Keon Coleman - 4 receptions on 5 targets for 51 yards. 0 TD.
Now, lets’ see how Murray and Harrison did in their week two matchup with the L.A. Rams:
Kyler Murray - 17 for 21 for 266 yards. 3 TD. 0 INT.
Marvin Harrison, Jr. - 4 receptions on 8 targets for 130 yards. 2 TD.
Oh, yeah, and there was the whole 40-burger the Cardinals dumped on the Rams in week two… Nothing to see there.
Now, what’s interesting about this is the fact that Buffalo allowed Murray three more receptions, on 10 (TEN) more passes. Additionally, in week two, on 10 (TEN) FEWER passes, Murray was able to notch three touchdowns, while our “rebuilding” defense, stripped by McBeane’s cap-strapped roster purge; our Hyde-less, Poyer-less, and Tre-less secondary somehow held the top WR taken in this year’s draft, and a clearly still electric Kyler Murray to–at best–pedestrian numbers.
But you know: “Week one’s a liar.”
So, I guess we have to move on to week two. Now, I’ve heard that “Josh Allen is inaccurate,” and “Josh Allen throws too many interceptions.”
Too many, huh?
I’m sorry… I couldn’t hear you? Heads… Talking ones… Where are you? Where are Josh’s interceptions? Where is your narrative?
Maybe we’ll find them in Week Two:
Miami Dolphins:
Tua Tagovailoa - 17 for 25 for 145 yards. 1 TD. 3 INT.
De’Von Achane - 7 receptions on 7 targets for 69 yards. 1 TD.
Buffalo Bills:
Josh Allen - 13 for 19 for 139 yards. 1 TD. 0 INT.
Khalil Shakir - 5 receptions on 5 targets for 54 yards. 0 TD.
So… I’m probably counting wrong… Why don’t you tell me how many interceptions Josh Allen has, after two full games in 2024?
Why not?
Oh… Right… Because it doesn't fit your NARRATIVE...
I mean, I thought that Tua was the accurate one... The internet told me:
Look: Nobody said JA17 lit it up against Miami on Thursday night; however, he didn’t need to.
All our pistachio-growing, movie-star-dating, safety-leaping superman did is out-accurate the most accurate QB in the league. He toned down the deep ball, took what the defense gave him, worked within Brady’s guidelines, and kept the offense on schedule.
Gone is the hero ball of 2019 and 2020. There’s a “Where’s Waldo” book being printed as I type, searching for “Sugar High Josh”, hiding in plain sight.
Oh no! Where is our Buffalo Bills quarterback who completes the talking heads’ narrative? Where is the guy who throws more INT’s in the red zone than Rudy Guliani throws spent tubes of mascara, prior to an interview? Why is Josh not giving away games?
Why are the Bills two-and-oh?
Maybe this is the year Josh flips the script. There’s a lot of season left, but I like seeing how Josh has been playing within himself, staying accurate and efficient, keeping the team on schedule, and playing to win. We’ve already seen him pull out some superman acrobatics, when we needed it, and I’m sure we’ll see more of that, but this near-Zen version of Josh we’re witnessing in 2024 is intriguing. It’s only two games in, and the fantasy numbers may not be what people hope for, but don’t get the Bad Man wrong: This is a ruthless, efficient, and focused form of Josh Allen that Bills fans haven’t quite wrapped their minds around, yet.
The Bills are two and oh. The talking heads are “Oh no!” about their narratives…
I, for one, am HERE for it.
–Tim Avery - 9/15/24
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