Josh Allen 'Didn't Do Enough'? Lakers' LeBron Comparisons in Bills ESPN Debate

Josh Allen 'Didn't Do Enough'? Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James Comparisons in Buffalo Bills ESPN Debate

ESPN pundits are tying themselves into pretzel-like knots trying to evaluate exactly what it is Josh Allen "is'' as he and the Buffalo Bills once again fell short of their Super Bowl aspirations.

The new "go-to''? Josh Allen is LeBron James. Or not.

Confused? Join the club.

Josh Allen LeBron James 100823

After the Kansas City Chiefs ousted his Bills in a 27-24 playoff thriller, ESPN staged a heated debate - featuring two NFL players turned analysts - about the Bills quarterback on "Get Up.''

Dan Orlovsky noted that Allen is the only player to ever account for 50 touchdowns in a season (playoffs included) while failing to make the title game. Orlovsky is obviously and justifiably a fan of the MVP candidate Allen.

Ryan Clark, however, wanted to tap the brakes as he called Allen "amazing" and ultimately talented" before adding his "but.''

"He's still not great," Clark said. "He's still not the winner that we always try to make him be. We keep making excuses for him like he was LeBron."

We're not clear on Clark's point here, so we're guessing that what he means is that LeBron was able to compete for titles before having a great supporting cast. Clark illustrated that point by claimed analysts don't let Patrick Mahomes or Lamar Jackson off the hook when they have supposedly poor supporting casts.

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We're not sure that is universally true, of course. Jackson has certainly not been above criticism. And Mahomes? Given that his playoff record is 13-3 and that he's been to six straight AFC title games, it's a challenge to rip to shreds his body of work.

But Clark - with a remark that in a vacuum sounds outrageous - insists that Allen simply should've done more on Sunday.

Said Clark: "Josh Allen had a chance. It's fine to come in here and say, 'He played great, but he didn't do enough.' Because that's the truth. He didn't do enough."


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Mike Fisher
MIKE FISHER

Mike Fisher - as a newspaper beat writer and columnist and on radio and TV, where he is an Emmy winner - has covered the NFL since 1983. He is the author of two best-selling books on the NFL.