ClutchPoints
It’s quite simple, and Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen will need to be Superman for his team to win. Also, health should not be an issue with his foot doing better. Taking those things into consideration, here are bold predictions for the AFC Wild Card game against the Jaguars.
These teams will meet on Sunday at 1 p.m. (ET). The Bills bring a 12-5 record into the game while the Jaguars finished with a mark of 13-4. The Bills are a 1.5-point favorite despite being on the road.
Allen hasn’t reached that level of performance in over a month. But it is exactly what the team needs. The Jaguars are going to score points. The Bills must match them. Allen needs to get close to 300 yards passing. He also needs to get 50-plus yards rushing. This needs to be the Allen Show.
In order to win, Allen will have to overcome his defense, according to ESPN.
“Their defense is not good,” Jeff Saturday said. “I know they can run the ball well. Their receiving corps isn’t elite. You’re asking him to do more with less against (potentially) three of the best defenses (beginning with the Jaguars) in the NFL. It is tough sledding.
“I love the heck out of Josh Allen. Absolute beast. Stud. But you’re asking him to go beat some really good quality teams with a team that’s not as good as what he’s had in the past.”
The Jaguars certainly know what they’re up against, according to Sports Illustrated.
“Because you’re a dual threat,” Jaguars head coach Liam Coen said. “You have to defend the run and the pass every time the ball is snapped.
“Your rush plan has to be extremely dialed in. (And) your spy game has to be dialed in if you’re going to do any of that stuff. Your zone coverage has got to make sure that you’re giving eyes obviously on the quarterback at all times, and, look, when you have to account for the quarterback every play, we have a luxury of that as well, in ways where our quarterback can take off on you, it’s hard to defend every blade of grass.”
The Jaguars have used scout-team QB Carter Bradley to simulate Allen in practice.
“Just making sure that we extend some plays and just giving those guys a look of like, alright, Carter’s got a big arm,” Coen said. “I mean, that ball can go anywhere on the field in some ways. It’s a great representation of there’ll be examples of throwing on time and in rhythm and practice.”
But Allen is still Allen. It’s unlikely that a practice simulation will help the Jaguars slow him down.
It probably won’t come through a good running game. The Jaguars are the NFL’s best against the run, allowing only 85.6 yards...
