Jaguars shock listless Bills with domination of defense on Allen
Jacksonville linebacker Josh Allen wanted his namesake’s jersey — badly.
He figured the white, No. 17 top with blue numbers and red trim worn by Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen would look good on a wall somewhere in his home, especially if it still has all those grass stains.
“I’m gonna get it, though,” Allen said confidently.
It could end up being a collectable, at least for the Jaguars.
Jacksonville had the better Allen on this Sunday, with the third-year pro intercepting a pass, making a sack and recovering a fumble in a 9-6 upset of the Bills that will go down as one of the best defensive efforts in franchise history.
Allen and fellow pass rushers Dawuane Smoot and Taven Bryan harassed Buffalo’s Allen all day and caused three second-half turnovers that propelled Jacksonville (2-6) to its second win in three games. “That’s what we’re supposed to do,” Jacksonville’s Allen said.
The Bills (5-3) lost for the second time in seven games, this one much more stunning than losing on the final play at Tennessee three weeks ago.
Allen completed 31of-47 passes for 264 yards, with the two picks and a fumble. He also fumbled again late, but officials ruled his progress was stopped.
“We played like [crap] and it starts with me,” Allen said. “This loss stings, but we will be better because of it.”
The Bills finished with 301 yards, but had 12 penalties for 118 yards and had to settle for a field goal after getting to the Jaguars 6-yard line on their opening possession.
“I was just looking on their sideline and one thing I know is I was like, ‘They don’t have the same energy as us,’ ” Jaguars cornerback Shaquill Griffin said. “If you feel like one team deserved this win, it’s us, but you’ve got to believe that.
“That’s one thing I kept preaching at everybody else. Look on the sidelines, watching them walking around, it’s like they don’t care. They don’t deserve this. Let’s show them why. So now we’ve got to continue that momentum.”
The game’s most decisive moments came on Buffalo’s final two drives: Allen fumbled on a thirdand-2 play at the Jaguars’ 37 with a little more than 5 minutes remaining. Allen fumbled after getting pressured by Smoot. The other Allen recovered.
Buffalo got the ball back in the waning minutes and advanced to the Jaguars 39. But Smoot sacked Allen on third down. It was Jacksonville’s fourth sack of the day.
Allen’s sack made NFL history. It was the first time a player sacked a quarterback with the same name since the league started counting sacks in 1982.