Anyone who watched the thrilling matchup between the Buffalo Bills and the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, Dec. 8, would agree on two key points: Bills head coach Sean McDermott’s poor clock management significantly impacted the game, and quarterback Josh Allen is the one person who cannot be blamed for the loss. Allen made history by becoming the first NFL player to record 3 passing touchdowns and 3 rushing touchdowns in the same game.
Trey Wingo, formerly of ESPN, highlighted this on X, stating, “Josh Allen threw for 342 yards and 3 TDs and also ran for 3 TDs… the 1st player ever to throw for 3 and run for 3. Yet this game goes down as a ‘loss’ for him. Yet another example of why wins and losses are NOT a QB stat.”
Buffalo trailed by 17 points in the second half, but Allen nearly led a comeback, despite the defense allowing 44 points. However, with just over a minute left and the Bills down by 9, a pass interference call on the Rams placed the ball at the one-yard line. With all three timeouts remaining, McDermott opted for a QB sneak, a play that had worked earlier in the game. This time, Allen failed to score. Instead of spiking the ball or having a second play ready, the Bills burned a timeout. Allen eventually scored on the next play, cutting the deficit to 3, but the damage was done. The Bills’ onside kick failed, and they couldn’t stop the clock enough to force a Rams punt.
After the game, Allen showed leadership, avoiding blame on his coach or defense. Instead, he said, “It was a total team loss, three phases. We feel like we didn’t play up to our standard. It starts with me.” While it’s unlikely Allen truly believes he’s at fault, his accountability fosters team unity and shields the locker room from outside distractions that could lead to bigger issues, like coaching changes.
The Bills face an even tougher challenge next Sunday as they head to Detroit to take on the 12-1 Lions.
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