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This stat disproves a popular Josh Allen critique

This statistic is a good one to keep in your back pocket when discussing the rushing prowess of Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen.

Kyle Silagyi

Jan 15, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) celebrates a touch down in the first half against the Pittsburgh Steelers in a 2024 AFC wild card game at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 15, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) celebrates a touch down in the first half against the Pittsburgh Steelers in a 2024 AFC wild card game at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports / Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports
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It’s difficult to engage in any meaningful discourse about the contemporary state of the quarterback position in the NFL without discussing Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, as he’s, by every metric, one of the league's most dynamic signal-callers. His cannon of a right arm and elite athleticism make him a player that’s near-impossible to gameplan against and even more difficult to stop—there’s a good reason why he’s earned NFL MVP votes in three out of the last four seasons.

Though it’d be wholly unfair to describe Allen as a ‘one-man offense,’ he is the driver of Buffalo’s offensive attack, himself accounting for 4,830 yards of offense and 44 touchdowns last season. Over 500 of those yards and 15 of those touchdowns came on the ground, something that’s not necessarily new for Allen, as he’s rushed for 3,611 yards and 53 touchdowns throughout his six-year professional career. Those who question Allen’s status among the NFL’s best quarterbacks often discredit his rushing prowess, feeling as though production on the ground is not a useful indicator of success for a position whose primary function is to pass the ball.

This is an easily disprovable argument—the primary objective of an offense is to move the ball and score points, and as the unit's leader, it’s the quarterback’s job to ensure these goals are achieved. Allen does this as well as any signal-caller in the league—exactly how he’s moving the ball and putting it into the endzone aren't necessarily important. Yards and points count just the same regardless of how they’re earned.

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When met with this rebuttal, critics will often suggest that a significant portion of Allen’s rushing production—particularly his touchdowns—comes from the goalline and, thus, isn’t necessarily indicative of impressive rushing ability. A statistic recently shared by football statistician Warren Sharp disproves this notion, as Allen is not even among the league leaders in touchdowns scored from the one-yard line since the 2021 NFL season.

This statistic dispels the belief that Allen is merely capping off drives—and taking potential production away from other players—by simply lying down when Buffalo reaches the goalline. Though the Bills often do utilize Allen’s legs in the red zone (with all 15 of his rushing scores coming in the red zone last season), only five of his touchdowns came from the one-yard line.

The league leader in the statistic since 2021 is (perhaps unsurprisingly) Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, who has been the benefactor of his team’s infamous “Tush Push” over the past several seasons. The signal-caller tied Allen in rushing touchdowns last season with 15; Allen led the league in total scores with 44.

This stat is a good one to keep in your back pocket for whenever a critic slips into your Twitter notifications, as it disproves the unfounded idea that Allen is merely stealing scores from his backfield. We’ll conclude this article with a clip of the quarterback showing just how talented of a rusher he is.

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Kyle Silagyi
KYLE SILAGYI

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