Josh Allen’s legs provided the margin of victory in the season opener, but the Buffalo Bills quarterback had some regrets about how he did it.
Allen rushed for two touchdowns in the team’s 34-28 win over the Arizona Cardinals on September 28, including what turned out to be the game-winning score in the fourth quarter. Allen was hurt on that play as he went airborne and fell onto his left hand in the endzone, and after the game shared some hesitation about his risk-taking.
Josh Allen Hurt on Touchdown Run
The Bills were leading 24-20 with just under nine minutes remaining in the fourth quarter when Allen scrambled out of the pocket and found an opening up the field, rushing for a six-yard touchdown. Allen leaped to avoid Cardinals safety Budda Baker and defensive lineman Justin Jones pushed the airborne Bills quarterback to the turf as he crossed the goal line.
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Allen fell onto his left side, with his hand underneath his body. The Bills quarterback could be seen checking his hand after celebrating the score.
After the game, Allen said he knows he needs to stop taking such big risks.
“The first rushing touchdown, I kind of lowered the shoulder, knowing that was a corner,” the Bills quarterback said of his first touchdown, via ESPN. “Second time, I knew it was Budda, and Budda’s a good player and he’ll lay the boom on you, so I decided to go up and over, but probably can’t make a living doing that, but here we are.”
The Bills have stressed that to Allen in the past. After he rushed for a career-high 124 times in the 2022 season, Bills general manager Brandon Beane said it was important for Allen to cut back on the risks he takes with his body.
“The only thing I’d get on to him is he’s got too many bruises on him,” Beane said, via the Democrat & Chronicle. “And we’ve got to work on taking less hits. That’s the only reason I’m going to ever criticize Josh is just take less hits.”
Uncertain Prognosis for Bills Quarterback
Allen played the rest of the fourth quarter with his left hand taped, telling reporters afterward that he is “fine” but not saying for certain if he could miss time. He underwent X-rays after the game, but the team did not provide an update on the severity of the injury.
The team has a short week, traveling to Miami to play the Dolphins on Monday Night Football. Bills head coach Sean McDermott said he hoped to know soon whether Allen would be cleared to play.
“Yeah, always concerned anytime anybody is hurt,” McDermott said, via ESPN. “In this case, for sure Josh. I’ll know more, again, hopefully in the next couple of hours. Maybe even when I walk back through the hallway here, so always concerned.”
After losing an early fumble, Allen rebounded to have a strong game through the air and on the ground. He completed 18-of-23 passes for 232 yards with two passing touchdowns and added 39 rushing yards with two scores on the ground.
Nathan Dougherty is a sports reporter covering the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins. Previously he wrote for the Rochester Business Journal and served as the assistant editor of athletic trade magazines Coaching Management, Athletic Management and Training & Conditioning. He is based out of Rochester, New York, and loves everything football. More about Nathan Dougherty