After Injuries to 5 QBs, Bills’ Josh Allen Follows Mark Sanchez’s Method for the Dolphins’ Game

It was literally a rough week for starting QBs, as Joe Burrow, Brock Purdy, Jayden Daniels, Justin Fields, and J.J. McCarthy were all hit with injuries. Sadly, Burrow took the hardest hit of them all, as he prepares for surgery on Friday that could sideline him for at least three months.

In the middle of these setbacks, Josh Allen found himself in the spotlight for a different reason. The Bills’ QB was forced to play two games in just five days, first on Sunday and then again on Thursday night. During the matchup with the Jets, Allen ran off the field after a nose injury that left him bleeding. The incident raised eyebrows about whether Allen could be fit for the Dolphins’ clash.

“We can breathe. So, it is all good,” Allen said after the game. The Bills quarterback, who was also last year’s MVP, gave everything he had against the Dolphins. Fully aware of how damaging an injury could be to his team’s playoff chances, he chose to play on week 3 while wearing a visor to protect his nose.

 

This wasn’t the first time Allen tried out a visor. He has worn one before in practice and even used a clear visor back at Wyoming. “Your voice kind of echoes off of it too,” Allen explained after the Tuesday practice. “So, it’s just, it’s a little bit weirder.”

Notably, Allen isn’t the first quarterback to turn to a visor for protection. Back in 2011, Mark Sanchez used a visor after suffering a minor nose break against the Raiders. The incident occured in the third quarter of a 34-24 loss for the Jets on September 25.

Sanchez was hit in the face during a sack by the Raiders’ Kamerion Wimbley. Later on, he had his nose reset on the sideline. And, he continued to play the remainder of the game with the visor on.

Statistically, Allen has started the season in a promising note. Through two games, he has completed 47 of 71 passes for 542 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions, good for a 98.4 passer rating. He has also rushed 20 times for 89 yards and two scores.

Across the field, Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa too has his own history with injuries. He has suffered four documented concussions, including two during the 2022 season that forced the NFL to change its concussion protocols. Even after another concussion in Week 2 of 2024, Tua has vowed to keep playing, though concerns about his long-term health remain unanswered.

At a time when quarterback injuries are mounting and player safety is under the microscope, Allen’s choice to add an extra layer of protection feels like a step in the right direction.