Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen added yet another stellar performance to his MVP resume on Sunday, accounting for 430 total yards and four touchdowns while leading his team to a 48-42 win over the NFL-leading Detroit Lions.
But Allen also took some bumps and bruises, taking a detour to the X-ray room following the game to get checked out for what the Bills quarterback described as an awkward fall.
Allen cut the suspense quickly, telling reporters that everything checked out fine.
“Just took a funky fall, more peace of mind than anything,” Allen said. “But everything checked out.”
The X-rays were the latest injury scare for a quarterback who suffered through a series of nagging injuries while putting together what could be the best statistical season of his NFL career.
Josh Allen Adds to MVP Resume in Big Win
The Bills went into Sunday’s game knowing they would need to pile up the points as they faced the league’s top-scoring offense and would be missing both starting safeties. While the Bills struggled to contain Detroit’s offense, Allen made up for it with another MVP-worthy performance.
The Bills quarterback finished the game competing 23 of 34 passes for 363 yards and two touchdowns, adding 68 rushing yards with two rushing touchdowns.
Sunday’s win was the third-straight stellar performance from Allen. In the team’s Week 13 win over the San Francisco 49ers, he became the first quarterback in NFL history to record a passing, rushing, and receiving touchdown. In last week’s loss to the Los Angeles Rams, he became the first player in history to throw for three touchdowns and rush for another three.
While Allen didn’t set any single-game NFL records on Sunday, he did generate some significant MVP buzz.
Banged-Up Josh Allen
Though everything checked out following Sunday’s win, Allen has still drawn some concern for the small but accumulating injuries he has suffered this season. He suffered an injury to his non-throwing hand on a touchdown run in Week 1, forcing him to wear a protective glove and keeping him on the injury list until the beginning of December.
Allen was hurt again on a designed quarterback run in the team’s win over the 49ers in Week 13. The Bills quarterback was in noticeable discomfort, then told reporters after the game that he was hit in a very painful area.
“I got hit in the not-so-funny bone. It was bad,” Allen said, via SI.com. “I don’t know if anybody’s ever been hit that hard in the funny bone, where it feels like your hand’s on fire. That’s what it felt like, and I just kind of had no feeling in my fingers for a few plays. Not fun.”
Sunday’s win moved the Bills to 11-3, a game ahead of the Pittsburgh Steelers for the No. 2 spot in the AFC and within striking distance of the Kansas City Chiefs at 13-1.