GOOD ‘GUY’
Josh Allen didn’t take offense to Pat Shurmur’s comments. Instead, he let his play inflict damage.
On Wednesday, the Giants’ coach said in evaluating Allen prior to the 2018 draft, the team thought he was “a guy that had a chance to be a starter in the NFL.” The Bills posted the comment on televisions around their training complex, and Allen went out and showed Shurmur and the Giants’ decision-makers what they missed out on.
“Everybody has their own opinion and I know he didn’t mean anything [by it],” the second-year signal-caller said after leading the Bills to their second win at MetLife Stadium in a week, running for a touchdown and throwing for another in a 28-14 win over the Giants. “All I want to do is focus on what the Bills are doing.”
The two talked pregame, but Allen said the comment wasn’t even discussed. It was more about catching up after the two had spent time together before the 2018 draft.
“It doesn’t bother me. I don’t really care about what was said,” said Allen, whom the Bills took seventh in the 2018 draft, five picks after the Giants chose Saquon Barkley. “I know he’s a good guy and he respects me as a football player, and I respect him as a coach.”
It was a far better performance than a week ago, when Allen committed four turnovers in a one-point win over the Jets. He was dynamic in the first half, completing 15-of-20 passes for 210 yards in shredding the Big Blue defense. He was more of a game manager after the break, as the Bills mostly sat on a two-touchdown lead.
But when needed, after the Giants crept within a touchdown early in the fourth quarter, he led Buffalo on a 13-play, 75-yard drive to put the game away. Allen frequently kept plays alive, using his legs to escape pressure and finding receivers on the run. Most importantly, he didn’t commit a turnover.
“There was a big emphasis on it,” he said as the Bills improved to 2-0 for the f irst time since 2014. “It’s something I have to continue to work on.”
Leading up to the 2018 draft, there was talk the Jets may draft Allen, though they instead chose Sam Darnold. Allen laughed when asked if he had proven something to the two New York teams and their fans.
“I am in New York,” he said with a smile. “One New York team.”