“He Got Worn Down Mentally”: NFL Scout Predicts Why Josh Allen is Lagging Behind Patrick Mahomes & Joe Burrow in the ‘Top QB’ Race

Considered to be a direct competitor to Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes, and Bengals QB Joe Burrow, Josh Allen’s failed attempts at taking his team to the Super Bowl have forced fans to question his effectiveness under pressure. However, some NFL scouts think there might be another story behind Josh not being able to showcase his A-game when it matters the most.

Compiled meticulously by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, NFL executives, coaches, and scouts made a list of NFL’s Top 10 Quarterbacks for 2023. In the list, Josh Allen has retained the same place as last year(3rd). Despite having a strong roster last season, Josh Allen lacked several crucial elements that prevented him from reaching the level of greatness exhibited by ‘list topper’ Patrick Mahomes. Moreover, one of the scouts suggested that there might be a lot of variables to Josh Allen’s mediocrity.

Josh Allen’s Likeness: Split Views Among Fans

The Buffalo Bills QB has tried to perform well, game after game, especially with his skills and risk-taking ability. Just as the fans would say, one of the execs spoke about Josh Allen, “If you’re starting a team, I’d consider taking him first. He can put a team on his back.” The statement is much in line with what the scouts think about Josh at the moment. The scouts put forward their argument of what went wrong with Josh.

One of them spoke mentioning Allen, “I think he got worn down mentally and physically at the end of last year. He had a lot on his plate. They didn’t seem as creative without [former offensive coordinator Brian] Daboll. Some games it felt like they were throwing it 40 or so times, and he was running it another 10 times or more. He just needed help.”

The dynamic quarterback had an impressive 35 total touchdowns in 2022. However, amidst the playoffs, Allen’s performance seemed to fluctuate, raising some questions about his consistency. Though Allen displayed resilience under pressure, leading the league with a 91.2 third-down QBR, the Bills ultimately fell short in a disappointing playoff loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. AFC scout while referring to Allen said, “His top 20 plays in a game are as good as Mahomes,” adding, “But then Buffalo will go nearly a half and do next to nothing. That doesn’t happen to Kansas City.”

The list also mentions that Josh Allen is ahead of the rated 4-10 QBs on the list by quite a margin. However, he is far behind the No.1 Patrick Mahomes and No.2 Joe Burrow on the list. Nevertheless, Allen would have ample chances this season to crawl his way up in the list. However, with an opponent like Aaron Rodgers in his conference, things won’t be easy for the star QB.

Aaron Rodgers vs. Josh Allen: The Building Rivalry

Aaron Rodgers recently made his way into AFC East when he was traded from the Green Bay Packers to the New York Jets. With this, Aaron’s Jets are now set to take on Allen’s Bills in at least two regular-season matchups. Hence, it makes sense to take a look at the head to head matchups between the two star QBs.

Josh Allen, since his NFL debut, has faced Aaron Rodgers only twice, with a record of 1-1 against him. The first of them was in Allen’s rookie season, Rodgers with the Packers emerged with a 22-0 win. Second time, the tables turned for Allen as the Buffalo Bills went for a 27-17 victory in 2022.

It will be interesting to see how the two QBs perform in the coming season.