Quarterback Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills looks on in the game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, October 22, 2023. /CFP
The Buffalo Bills were seen as one of the biggest Super Bowl winning candidates before the 2023 National Football League (NFL) regular season began, but they are no better than 4-3 and in the second place in the American Football Conference (AFC) East after seven weeks into the campaign.
As the team's quarterback (QB), Josh Allen completed 174 of his 246 passes for 1,841 yards and 15 touchdowns with seven interceptions. The Bills lost to the New York Jets in the season opener, then secured three wins in a row, but then lost two of the three following games, including being beaten by the one-win New England Patriots on October 22.
"The last few weeks, really after Week 2, I've been trying to find a zone where I get myself into throughout the game, try to stay as low as possible because I feel like I perform better that way," Allen said.
Quarterback Josh Allen (#17) of the Buffalo Bills passes in the game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, October 22, 2023. /CFP
The Bills averaged only 3.3 points per first half in the past three games, the third-fewest of all 32 teams. Though they often found their offensive sharpness back in the fourth quarter, late rally in addition to trailing early made it difficult for the team to win.
"Maybe I've got to be more upbeat and be a voice and be a little bit more loud – let my emotions show a little bit more," Allen said. "Whether I do that Thursday or not I guess will come with the execution of it, because obviously everybody is having more fun when you're winning football games and performing well. That's first and foremost. We've got to go out there and execute. I think execution breeds energy."
The Bills will host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which are 3-3 and second in the National Football Conference (NFC) South, at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York, on Thursday.
Quarterback Josh Allen (R) of the Buffalo Bills evades a tackle in the game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, October 22, 2023. /CFP
"Your energy is not super high and you're allowing your mind to think and be free and just stay on top of everything," Allen said. "Because obviously as the quarterback, there is a lot of things going through our mind, so if I can limit myself and my energy and my heart rate, I felt like I can maybe think a little bit more, but who knows, maybe I need to think a little bit less and just play football."
Allen has changed his playing style this season. As a 1.96-meter-tall, 107-kilogram-heavy QB, he rushed over six times per game in each of the previous seasons, including 7.8 times for 47.7 yards per competition last season. However, he is down to 4.1 rushes for 21.1 yards per game, both career lows, this season.
"I don't think majoring in QB runs is something that is long lasting or is viable every game but I'm sure there's going to be opportunities where it's going to be called upon me," Allen said. "On a short week, that's going to be tough. But moving forward if that's what's asked of me, I'm willing to do it."