What Bills star Josh Allen said about being only starting QB with zero interceptions

No stranger to busting narratives, Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen has taken care of the football thus far this season.

Kyle Silagyi | Oct 24, 2024

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Few quarterbacks in NFL history have busted narratives with the frequency and efficiency of Buffalo Bills signal-caller Josh Allen. Widely viewed as a walking red flag with significant accuracy issues and an inability to effectively read defenses in the lead-up to the 2018 NFL Draft, Allen has (largely) silenced his doubters over the past seven years, establishing himself as one of the most dynamic players in football as he’s led Buffalo to five consecutive postseason berths.

And though Allen has significantly improved upon many of the weaknesses attributed to him ahead of his draft, there has been a persisting turnover issue. He’s thrown 78 interceptions throughout his professional career, including a career-high 18 in the 2023 campaign. A significant asset and producer on the ground, Allen is oft-in position to fumble the ball, as well, resulting in 63 career fumbles (26 of which have been lost). He entered the 2024 campaign with 102 career turnovers, which, per ESPN, was the most of any player since the start of the 2008 season.

Ever the narrative-buster, Allen has been the NFL’s most efficient quarterback with regard to taking care of the football through the first seven games of the 2024 campaign, as he’s thrown zero interceptions. He’s attempted 189 passes and has yet to turn the ball over through the air; the quarterback with the next highest number of passes sans an interception is Green Bay Packers backup Malik Willis with 34.

The 28-year-old’s start to the season has been stellar, especially considering his past turnover troubles. He commented on the statistical shift during his Wednesday media availability, telling reporters that, while he’s made a concerted effort to be smarter with the football, interceptions tend to come down to chance.

“A lot of pride [in not throwing an interception],” Allen said." I think that’s one of the things I wanted to clean up, really the last couple of years. To now go out there and do it, it’s easier said than done. It takes some luck, you’re going to have balls that shouldn’t be intercepted that are intercepted, and you’re going to have balls that probably should be intercepted that aren’t. Again, I’m just trying to take it one play at a time, make the right decision, and get it to our guys.”

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Allen went on to tell reporters that he’s not necessarily hyper-focused on maintaining a goose egg in the interception column. Though he’s not going to intentionally place the ball in harm’s way, he’s also not going to impede his own ability and pass up on a big-play opportunity just because it’s risky.

“I’m not sitting back there not trying to throw interceptions,” Allen said. “I think that’s, again, when you try not to, that’s when they typically happen. You just have to go out there and play football; trust your eyes, trust your feet, trust your arm. That’s what we’re doing right now.”

Allen will again attempt to take care of the football in his team’s Week 8 clash with the Seattle Seahawks, a club that’s tallied four interceptions through seven games.

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