The Bills lead the NFL in turnover differential. Josh Allen's play is a big reason why
The Bills currently lead the NFL in turnover differential at plus-10. That is in part due to their defense forcing 12 turnovers. But it is also in large part due to Allen cleaning up his play, an issue that plagued him in the past.
There’s a notable goose egg on Josh Allen’s stat sheet.
Through seven games, the Buffalo Bills quarterback has thrown zero interceptions.
The Bills lead the NFL in turnover differential at plus-10. That is in part due to their defense forcing 12 turnovers. But it is also in large part due to Allen cleaning up his play, an issue that plagued him in the past.
Josh Allen has yet to throw an interception in 189 pass attempts this season, but he’ll be the first to say that luck has played a part. Joed Viera, Buffalo News
The Bills have just two turnovers this season: an Allen lost fumble in Week 1 on the Bills’ opening drive of the season against the Arizona Cardinals, and an Allen lost fumble on a botched trick play in Week 4 in Baltimore against the Ravens. Buffalo’s two turnovers are fewest in the NFL this year.
Cutting down on interceptions has been critical. Allen’s 18 picks last season were second most in the league, behind only quarterback Sam Howell, who was in his first full year as a starter with Washington and is now a backup with Seattle.
Allen’s interceptions have been a double-edged sword for him in the past; the Bills know he can make unbelievable throws, but that sometimes means being too risky. These days, he’s finding a better balance. His current pick-less streak dates back to last season’s playoffs.
“I think it’s kind of just the mindset of what we’re doing, the things that (offensive coordinator Joe Brady’s) calling, I’m seeing it, I’m understanding it,” Allen said last week. “I’ve put the ball in harm’s way a couple of times that could have gone the other way, and fortunate that they didn’t. Just continuing to be smart and going into each and every game just trying to play a clean game and give ourselves the best chance of winning football games.”
The Bills’ two turnovers are the fewest through seven games under coach Sean McDermott, ahead of four in 2021. By comparison, the Bills had 12 turnovers and 11 turnovers through the first seven games of 2022 and 2023. Allen notoriously began last season with four turnovers in the opener.
Left tackle Dion Dawkins has seen it all with Allen. He knows turnovers and interceptions, in particular, are a part of the game, but Allen’s adjustments reflect that he’s still improving in Year 7.
“It’s just a testimony of Josh, that he’s taking it more serious, and he’s being more careful with the ball, which is showing that he’s getting older, and he’s paying more attention to his game,” Dawkins said.
To Dawkins, who’s been Allen’s teammate since 2018, it’s a sign that the 28-year-old quarterback is growing up.
“It’s crazy,” Dawkins said. “Cause he’s not little bro, but he’s little bro. … It’s like seeing my little brother come into his own. Taking him from a teenager to him buying his first house, that’s what it feels like. But I’m not little bro-ing him, I’m not son-ning him, he’s just younger Josh Allen.”
Allen is quick to give credit to others, even his opponents. On top of crediting his coaches and teammates, he points out that opposing defenses have come close to picking him off.
“They’ve dropped a couple, which helps,” Allen said Wednesday. “But just making better decisions. Understanding the game plan. Knowing where my answers are and utilizing my legs when I need to. But again, just better decision making. I think that comes with the coaching and Joe and R.C. (Bills quarterbacks coach Ronald Curry) and the quarterback room we have.”
Brady, meanwhile, credits Allen’s patience.
“We got to continue that, right?” Brady said. “Because every week, the teams that we’re going against [are] probably like, ‘Hey, this is going to be the week, right?’ And so it’s got to be important to us.”
If the Seahawks are thinking this is their week, they have reason. Last week, Seattle’s defense had three takeaways – two interceptions and a fumble that was returned 36 yards for a touchdown – in a 34-14 win over the Atlanta Falcons.
On the year, though, the Seahawks have just seven takeaways, and they’ve come in bunches. They collected three in a Week 1 win over the Denver Broncos. Outside of the Broncos and Falcons games, they’ve had just one — a fumble recovery in Week 5 versus the New York Giants.
But the Bills are getting takeaways of their own. Buffalo’s defense has 12 takeaways this season on seven interceptions and five fumble recoveries, and it has at least one takeaway in every game. The most turnovers caused for the Bills’ defense is three in Week 2 against the Miami Dolphins.
And Buffalo has capitalized on those opportunities. The Bills have scored 48 points off takeaways this year and allowed only 10 points off giveaways.
Also, Mark and Katherine preview Sunday’s matchup against the Seahawks in Seattle. They discuss how the Bills defense has a difficult task in front of them.
So much of that circles back to Allen and his evolution.
“Just becoming a great decision maker,” McDermott said Wednesday of Allen. “He’s been very intentional about it and it’s important to him. He knows the value of playing clean football that way and protecting the house. And, like I said, very impressed by his decision making to this point.”
Brady knows there’s multiple factors at play, including luck. Allen hasn’t been perfect, and he’s had some near interceptions this season, even if they ultimately fell out of harm’s way. Still, luck favors the prepared, and the fact that Allen has not thrown an interception is validation.
“Obviously, I think it’s important to him, protecting the football,” Brady said. “Now anytime you don’t, you got to have some luck involved in the quarterback position, right? Like, there’s some times where guys, he’s had some that have been turnover-worthy plays. It’s the reality, but that happens in the NFL.
“But he’s doing a really good job of being intentional about protecting the football and not playing scared or anything about that.”
Bills center Connor McGovern said Allen’s growth goes back to the offseason. In the past, he saw when Allen might have tried to force a ball into double coverage, but now he will take the check down or throw it out of bounds.
Rookie wide receiver Keon Coleman says the receiving corps getting open is part of the equation. No matter what the lead factor is on a given play, the results are solid.
“When we protect the football, we have a high chance of winning the football game, and (Allen’s) doing a great job at that,” Brady said. “We’ve got to continue that: playing smart, just playing within the system, and not doing anything different than he needs to.
“And I think he sees what that looks like, and he can be aggressive and still protect the football, and I think that’s what he’s doing.”
It’s also something Allen is able to step back and take pride in, especially given his past interception numbers.
“A lot of pride,” Allen said. “I think that it’s one of the things I wanted to clean up really the last couple years. To now go out there and do it, it’s easier said than done. Again, it takes some luck. You’re going to have balls that shouldn’t be intercepted that are intercepted. You’re going to have balls that probably should be intercepted that aren’t.
“Again, I’m trying to take it one play at a time make the right decision and get it to our guys.”
Injury report
The Bills were without five notable players for Wednesday’s practice. Linebacker Terrel Bernard (ankle/pectoral/personal), defensive tackle DaQuan Jones (foot/vet rest), tight end Dawson Knox (ankle), wide receiver Curtis Samuel (pectoral) and defensive end Dawuane Smoot (groin) did not practice.Six players were limited for Buffalo: defensive tackle DeWayne Carter (wrist), safety Damar Hamlin (ankle), wide receiver Mack Hollins (shoulder), nickel cornerback Taron Johnson (forearm), tight end Dalton Kincaid (collarbone) and linebacker Dorian Williams (knee). Hollins, Johnson and Kincaid were in red non-contact jerseys during the portion of practice open to the media.
Allen (left hand), running back Darrynton Evans (hamstring), tight end Quintin Morris (shoulder) and quarterback Mitch Trubisky (knee) were listed as full participants.