Josh Allen has cemented his place as one of the premier passers in the NFL and in 2024, the Bills’ gunslinger is lighting up defenses with MVP-level numbers.
Rams head coach Sean McVay knows about the challenges Allen presents all too well as he torched the Rams in 2022, ruining the night they celebrated their victory in Super Bowl LVI. In a 31-10 thrashing of the Rams, Allen completed 26 of 31 passes for 297 yards and four total touchdowns. He also added 56 yards on the ground.
When asked about how the Rams plan to limit Allen this time around, McVay said he wishes he knew the secret to that.
“If I had the answer, then it’d be a lot easier,” he quipped. “I think everybody tries to figure that out week in and week out. They’re a complete offense and they have the ability to do a lot of things. I think he does a great job of getting all his playmakers involved. They’re obviously doing an excellent job of being able to run the football both from the gun and underneath the center. I think he’s playing really well within the structure when the timing and rhythm present itself. He’s getting a lot of guys involved like I mentioned. And then when things go off schedule, that’s when you see what a special player he is. He can beat you with his mind. He can beat you with his arm and he can beat you with his legs. Those are recipes for why he deserves all the accolades, the praise, and the credit that he gets.”
One of the things that makes Allen so difficult to stop is his athleticism and power. His strength makes him incredibly tough to get on the ground, something Aaron Donald talked about during his playing days.
“I think he’s a lot bigger and a harder tackle in person than probably what guys that haven’t played against him realize,” McVay said. “I remember even going up there in 2020 and listening to Aaron talk about how challenging that was and he’s only gotten better. You can really see he understands what’s going on. He has a great rapport with their coaches and the guys that he’s playing with. It’s why they’re one of the best offenses in the league and he is up there for MVP.”
While McVay and his staff attempt to figure out Josh Allen, they must also find ways to shut down their power rushing attack spearheaded by James Cook and rookie Ray Davis. They’ve combined to rush for over 1,000 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2024.
Allen has shown some cracks in his armor. After starting the season with seven straight games without an interception, he’s thrown five in his last five games. While he didn’t throw one last week against San Francisco, it should be noted that the game was played in the wind and snow, forcing Allen to have a season-low 17 passing attempts.
As wild as it may sound, perhaps the best way to stop Josh Allen is to get into a shootout with him. However, that’s a textbook case of playing with fire and it has burned teams in recent weeks. Winning the turnover margin may be the key to victory; Allen threw two interceptions in the 2022 matchup.
