Before the season began, not many expected Josh Allen and Bo Nix to have the standout seasons they’ve had so far. While the Bills QB has stunned the world by putting up career-best numbers despite losing Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis, rookie Bo Nix has helped Denver qualify for the playoffs after two dreadful seasons with Russell Wilson.
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Despite being at different stages of their professional careers, the two QBs have had a similar character arc this season in terms of defying the odds. And as fate would have it, their paths meet at the AFC Wild Card Playoffs match.
Fans are super excited to see how this duet goes, especially the one between the QBs. Thus contributing to the buildup of the game, here is a comprehensive head-to-head statistical comparison of Josh Allen and Bo Nix.
As far as passing TDs go, rookie Bo Nix impressively one-ups Josh Allen with 29 TDs to the Bills quarterback’s 28. But the game flips when one factor in the rushing TDs. Allen’s 12 dazzling rushing TDs have been a major contributor to his NFL MVP favorite tag.
Broncos newbie Bo Nox, meanwhile, has tallied just 4 rushing TDs. That said, Nix’s passing prowess is no joke. Apart from TDs, Bo also boasts more passing yards [3,775] this season than that of Josh [3,731].
As impressive as these stats are, the problem for Bo Nix comes in terms of accuracy. The Broncos rookie is tied at the 99th position in the league for interceptions [12]. This has shot down his QBR to 57.
In comparison, Josh Allen has just 6 INTs, and unsurprisingly, he has the second-best QBR [77.3] in the league. But worry not Denver fans, for there is one key stat that can swing the game in Bo Nix’s favor.
A key reason for Bo’s lower completion rate is his struggles against man-to-man defenses. However, when facing teams that use zone coverage, the rookie boasts a completion rate of 71.9% with 6.9 yards per attempt.
Why is this stat relevant? The Buffalo Bills are a team that heavily employs zone coverage, using it on 71.3% of opponent dropbacks. So, even if Nix seems outclassed by Allen on a head-to-head basis, this key stat could help the OROY contender mask his deficiencies.
That said, the bookmakers don’t give much weight to the slight advantage Nix has against the Bills. Based on Caesars Sportsbook, the Bills are the clear favorites at -8.5 with an O/U of 48. As much of a heartbreaker as these odds are for the ones hoping for a fairytale season for Bo, this, unfortunately, is the reality.
The Bills, under McDermott and Josh Allen, are a much more experienced side. Moreover, the Bills also boast a superior defense than their counterparts. Lastly, seeing the form Josh Allen is in, it’s unlikely to see him have an off day to give the Broncos a fighting chance. So all things considered, this Wildcard clash has to be clinched by the Bills.
