BY: MATTHEW SHALLOE
We are officially a little over a week removed from what was probably the toughest loss to swallow in my life as a Bills fan. Getting that close to the Super Bowl and coming up just short is never easy, but like I wrote about before, this season was a major success in many ways. The biggest way? Josh freakin’ Allen.
I’ve been a fan of Josh since I heard his name read with the 7th overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. All those videos of fans screaming “NO!!!” or “Why didn’t we take Josh Rosen?” you won’t find me in any of those. Since day one, I’ve fought for this guy and have participated in countless arguments on social media, with friends, even with family about this guy. He’s been the guy for this team. Now I’m just glad all my fellow Bills fans are finally with me.
What Josh Allen did this season was simply incredible. He took incredible steps from where he was a season ago, and that may even be an understatement. The improvement in accuracy is simply incredible, and in my opinion, really the only thing I had worries about coming into the season. You can cross that one off as Allen finished fourth in the NFL with a completion percentage of 69.2 percent.
So, because of the incredible season that Allen had for the Bills, and the way that some Bills fans may still be let down and disappointed with the way the season finished, I thought it might be a good idea to shed some light on Josh Allen, by comparing his third season as a starting quarterback in the NFL to the third season of some of the best quarterbacks we have seen over the past 20 years. These comparisons will be strictly Allen’s ability as a passer, not even taking in incredible running ability into account. In my personal opinion, all of the quarterbacks to be compared to Allen in this article are Hall of Famers, and of the six I will be comparing, five of them have at least one Super Bowl ring to their name. Let’s get into it, shall we?
BUF JOSH ALLEN (AGE 24) 69.2 PERCENT COMPLETION, 4,544 YARDS, 37 TD, 10 INT, 13-3 RECORD
PIT BEN ROETHLISBERGER (AGE 24) 59.7 PERCENT COMPLETION, 3,513 YARDS, 18 TD, 23 INT, 7-8 RECORD
I thought longtime Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger was a good place to start. Allen received comparisons to Big Ben right away in the NFL due to his size and the mobility that Roethlisberger also possessed early in his career. Ben is one of the best QBs of my generation and will put on that gold jacket when it’s finally time for him to hang it up. I would say things have turned out pretty well in Ben’s career, but in terms of that third season in the NFL, Allen is just in a whole different world statistically.
2006 SD PHILLIP RIVERS (AGE 25) 61.7 PERCENT COMPLETION, 3,388 YARDS, 22 TD, 9 INT, 14-2 RECORD
2006 was Rivers’ third season in the league, his first season as the Chargers’ starting quarterback. Rivers appeared in just four games over his first two seasons, sitting behind Drew Brees, but when he was finally ready to take over in year three, he impressed. However, as good as the numbers are, it is still Josh Allen getting the edge in this one as well. Phillip Rivers, though he was never able to hoist the Lombardi Trophy, had a fantastic career and should be a Hall of Famer, in my opinion. Another great Quarterback that Josh Allen seems to be ahead of that this point in his young career.
2004 SD DREW BREES (AGE 25) 65.5 PERCENT COMPLETION, 3,159 YARDS, 27 TD, 7 INT, 11-4 RECORD
Before becoming a star-studded quarterback for the New Orleans Saints, Brees showed a lot of talent and promise at the helm for San Diego. Drafted with the 32nd pick in the second round by the Chargers, Brees enjoyed a nice third season in the NFL. But he still had a completion percentage that was 3.7 percent lower in comparison to Allen’s year three completion percentage. But the Chargers weren’t sold on Brees and drafted and drafted NC State quarterback Phillip Rivers first overall in the 2004 NFL draft. A torn labrum would force him out of San Diego. He signed a six-year, $60 million deal with the New Orleans Saints and the rest is history.
Brees is one of the best QBs of All-Time, has a Super Bowl ring, and will be a first-ballot Hall of Famer, and will always be known for his incredible accuracy. Not a bad comparison for the young 24-year-old Quarterback in Buffalo.
2009 GB AARON RODGERS (AGE 26) 63.6 PERCENT COMPLETION, 4,038 YARDS, 28 TD, 13 INT 6-10 RECORD
Now for the sake of this comparison, I used Aaron Rodgers’s fourth season in the NFL, his first as a starter after having the luxury of sitting behind and learning from the great Brett Favre for his first 3 seasons and not starting a game. Rodgers put up great numbers but didn’t have the success in the win column that Allen did. He won his MVPs, most likely another this weekend, won his super bowl, and will be in the Hall of Fame. Yet, Josh Allen’s career is off to a better start. Great place to be.
2000 IND PEYTON MANNING (AGE 24) 62.5 PERCENT COMPLETION, 4,413 YARDS, 33 TD, 15 INT, 10-6 RECORD
One of the best to ever do it. The long-time Colt and then captured another Super Bowl ring in his final season as a member of the Broncos. A Hall of Fame inductee this summer, a two-time Super Bowl Champion, an MVP, yet Josh Allen got off to the better start in their careers. The Bills are in good hands, and I can only hope that Allen continues to put up the numbers that resemble the ones of the second-best Quarterback I’ve ever seen play the game.
2002 NE TOM BRADY (AGE 26) 60.2 PERCENT COMPLETION, 3630 YARDS, 23 TD, 12 INT, 14-2 RECORD
Now unlike all other Quarterbacks on this list, Allen included, Brady didn’t come into the NFL with the same expectations. He was a 6th Round Pick, he wasn’t supposed to be the guy. But, to put it lightly, he was, in fact, the guy, and somehow, still is. His 3rd season in the NFL, 2nd as a starting QB, was pretty solid statistically, but not as good as Josh Allen’s, though he did lead the Patriots to an impressive 14-2. Brady is simply by far and away the best I’ve ever seen do it at the position, and at this point, I can only sit back and admire what he is doing at the age of 43. I think all Bills fans are with me when we say we would LOVE to see Josh Allen turn to the next Tom Brady.
So, to conclude, not only was Josh Allen one of the youngest on this list in his 3rd season, but he was the best on the list as well. Now the NFL may be a much heavier passing league than it was when these greats were in their 3rd NFL season, and the Bills may have been a hefty passing team in 2020, but the numbers are there, nonetheless. The Buffalo Bills franchise is clearly in good hands, and there are so many reasons for optimism for Josh Allen’s career. He took one of the biggest steps forward that we have seen out of a Quarterback in recent memory, and there is no reason to believe he won’t do it again. The Bills will be good for a long time, and it starts with No. 17.
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