NFL Opinion: Allen Must Take Championship Step This Winter -

After yet another division crown, Josh Allen will enter the postseason with the weight of the world on his shoulders.

When the Bills drafted Josh Allen seventh overall in 2018, audible chuckles cascaded around him. Who drafts a quarterback that barely completed fifty-six percent of his passes? Additionally, the 44:21 touchdown to interception ratio screams project. Yet, the Bills, unfazed deemed Allen the franchise. Since he’s repaid their faith with four straight playoff appearances. For all of this success, the specter of postseason struggles weighs heavily. Josh Allen needs to lead the Bills to a Super Bowl appearance this year.

Training Wheels Off

For the Buffalo Bills, a team that waited through countless losing seasons, waiting for their cornerstone quarterback must feel like an eternity. As a result, the honeymoon period still exists. Granted, one of the better fanbases in the NFL earned the type of grace that four consecutive Super Bowl losses afford. However, Allen needs to break the mold of a phenomenal regular-season quarterback that cannot get his team over the hump. Five years and seventy-five starts in the regular season mean Allen is not a kid any longer. Instead, he is a grizzled veteran, that earned the praise and now needs the honest critique that accompanies talent. This postseason could start cementing the narrative around Josh Allen.

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Expectations Isn’t A Dirty Word

Since the Bills ascended to the AFC East crown, critics began to expect more. First, the Bills enjoyed a playoff win. Then, they stacked two wins in a postseason. Now, simply making the AFC Championship game should not be the next step. In fact, the progression should lead the Bills into the Super Bowl. If you look at the numbers, the facts bear this out. The Bills possess the fourth-highest offense in the NFL. Meanwhile, they also employ the second-stingiest defense, allowing 17.9 points a game. With this in mind, no one can claim that Buffalo is an unbalanced team that relies on one side of the ball to carry it. Under those circumstances, anything short of an appearance in the big game should feel like a disappointment.

In His Defense

While Allen is the quarterback, he more than likely holds his own in the postseason, Completing sixty-five percent of his passes, and sporting a 14:1 touchdown-interception ratio. Additionally, he averages thirty-eight passes per game. The Bills also ran into the buzzsaw known as the Kansas City Chiefs. In two games, Allen and the Bills lost two shootouts. The Chiefs have a way of forcing the action to tilt into what they love doing: scoring in bunches. Allen can’t cover or tackle, so some of the onus falls upon the defense.

Historical Perspective

Look no further than Dan Marino for an unfortunate comparison. Marino, much like Allen, stood 3-3 in his first six playoff games. The only difference, Marino led the Dolphins to a Super Bowl appearance in his second season. Additionally, after the Dolphins made one more appearance in the AFC Championship game, a 29-10 manhandling was at the hands of Buffalo. If that parallel doesn’t suffice, Philip Rivers compiled a 5-7 postseason record, without sniffing a Super Bowl appearance.

Plain Truth

Few players can boast a rise like Josh Allen, a kid from Firebaugh, California with no scholarship offers. He toiled at Reedley College, a junior college known for having form MLB manager Bobby Cox as its most famous alum. Allen made himself who you see today, through hard work, dedication, and a drive to succeed. That should always be commended. However, he needs to bring the Bills franchise back to the Super Bowl. Not just for the team, but for his legacy. Ask any ringless Hall Of Fame and many would tell you that void cannot be filled with stats and awards.