Bills QB Josh Allen's Rushing Score Had Teammates in Awe: 'I've Been Spoiled!'

Josh Allen's game-breaking ability to throw and run has made the Buffalo Bills a perennial contender. How did tackle Spencer Brown react to Allen's 52-yard rushing touchdown?

The Buffalo Bills’ season began with an emphasis on Josh Allen taking fewer hits, presumably by sliding earlier and staying in the pocket more. It quickly became clear that when you have a 6-5, 240-pound quarterback that can run, at some point he’s going to need to.

Buffalo benefited from its fears being realized throughout the season, as Allen returned to his runaway-train ways. He was right to do so.

During Monday’s Wild Card Round matchup with the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers, Allen once again made an impact with his legs – propelling himself into the highlight reel and the Bills into the Divisional Round.

© Eric Hartline, USA TODAY

Halfway through the second quarter, in a 14-0 game, Allen scrambled for what appeared to be an easy first down. He simply kept on going. His stutter step/fake slide froze a Steelers defender, he shed a tackle, and he raced into the end zone for a 52-yard score, sending Highmark Stadium into a frenzy. The Bills would win 31-17.

Offensive tackle Spencer Brown was grateful for his quarterback after the game.

“I’m glad he started running because I was getting beat around the edge so I was all for it,” Brown said. “Didn’t expect that but I’ll take it for sure.”

Allen’s frame and athleticism help render him elite in multiple ways, one of which is his ability to avoid sacks. From breaking tackles to racing a pass rusher to the line of scrimmage, Allen makes his linemen right. Sometimes, that means turning a broken play into six points without the ball ever leaving his hands.

“It definitely makes our job easier on the O-line that’s for sure,” Brown said. “I mean he’s bailed us out numerous times – me numerous times – so whenever he wants to take off, feel free.”

Bills receiver Khaili Shakir was in awe as well but has gotten used to seeing it at this point through his first two NFL seasons.

"That guy can make anything happen at any given time," he said. "When you've got a guy like that on your team, especially leading the team at quarterback... good luck."

While Allen has certainly helped his offensive line, Brown and the other starters up front – Dion Dawkins, Connor McGovern, Mitch Morse, and O’Cyrus Torrence – deserve a ton of credit for Buffalo’s success. This is easily the best (and most consistently healthy) offensive line of the Allen era, and it's paying dividends. Allen turned in a near-MVP season and the offense has retained the ability to stay balanced as it attempts to run the gauntlet of the AFC playoffs.

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With one game down and a matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs on deck, all that’s left to do is prepare and hope Allen once again puts them over the top.

“I don’t lose appreciation, that’s awesome, I love when he does that. But it's awesome, I love when he does that,” Brown said.

“It feels like I’ve been spoiled. Since I’ve been in the league, I’ve been with Josh every single year I’ve been here, but his ability to make plays and do stuff like that … I don’t want to say I’m desensitized to it … So it’s good to have him on our team that’s for sure.”

For all the defensive injuries that continue to pile up, the offense has picked up the tab and its reinforcements have stepped up. With a titan of a quarterback, Buffalo just has to do enough around him to stay alive.