There’s a reason why Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen is the reigning NFL MVP.
The 29-year-old continues to show why he’s arguably the best quarterback in the league, coming off of a four-touchdown (three passing, one rushing) performance in a come-from-behind win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 14.
Allen posted his highest passer rating (139.7) and most rushing yards (78) in a single game this season. He also racked up his third year of at least 20 passing touchdowns and 10 rushing touchdowns, an NFL record.
Khalil Shakir, who is the Bills’ top wide receiver and has caught passes from Allen for four seasons now, details what makes the reigning MVP so special.
“I would say his best trait is — it sounds crazy — the dude is just a dog,” said Shakir in a one-on-one interview with Ahn Fire Digital. “It’s different. After the game this past week, a couple of us were looking at each other, like ‘Dude, he is different.’ There’s the stuff that he’s able to do and the plays that he’s able to make when he wants to make them. He can make a play whenever he wants to.”
Allen has the 9-4 Bills in position to clinch their seventh consecutive postseason berth, which would become the longest active streak in the NFL if the 6-7 Kansas City Chiefs were to miss the playoffs.
While there are other great quarterbacks in the NFL, no quarterback seems to put his team on his shoulders on a week-to-week basis the way Allen does. He currently leads all quarterbacks in rushing yards (487) and has the most career rushing touchdowns (77) of any player at the position.
“It’s insane to have a guy like that leading the program,” said Shakir of Allen. “He’s even said, ‘You gotta be a dog, and you got to be a little sick to play this game.’ And he goes, ‘We got a lot of sickos.’ The dude is amazing at what he does. I don’t think there is the perfect word to describe him, because he is so unreal about everything he does.”
The Bills have a big game on their hands this week against the 11-2 New England Patriots, a team they previously lost to, 23-20, in Week 5. If Buffalo wants to have a chance at extending their AFC East title streak to six seasons, they’ll likely have to knock off the Patriots, who have won 10 straight games and are currently tied for the best record in the AFC with the Denver Broncos.
Shakir further details what makes Allen stand out, saying he’s good at “being in the moment.”
“I think Josh is really good at just being in the moment,” said Shakir of Allen. “I think games like Cincy when the score is what it is, it’s a closer game, and you’re playing from behind. I think it’s easy to let outside factors get to you, the fans are going crazy and you’re down, and maybe things aren’t aligned the way that you want it to.
“But I think what Josh does a really good job at during the course of a game is reminding us who we are, reminding us how we are and telling us, just getting us hyped, telling us to take it one play at a time. To see somebody who plays the game at his level be so composed in high level moments like that is is an insane thing. Being around it over time, it’s contagious as well. Seeing how he operates every single day is a blessing.”
