It’s easy to get captivated by Josh Allen’s powerful arm and impressive running skills, leading some to overlook a crucial intangible aspect of his game. Beyond his ability to consistently score touchdowns, the Buffalo Bills’ quarterback has shown a remarkable knack for performing under pressure. Metrics reveal that no active NFL quarterback excels more than Allen in critical moments.
Two stats recently highlighted by Pro Football Focus (PFF) underscore this point. First, PFF’s grading system identified the top-performing quarterback in each quarter of a game for 2023. Allen earned the highest fourth-quarter grade (89.3) among all NFL quarterbacks. He excelled in the final 15 minutes of regular-season games, completing 72.6 percent of his passes and averaging 7.8 yards per attempt.
In 2023, Allen threw seven fourth-quarter touchdown passes against three interceptions, and added five rushing touchdowns and 14 first downs in the last quarter.
The highest-graded QBs when trailing over the past 3 seasons ❄️ pic.twitter.com/YIZkiObGnK
— PFF (@PFF) June 11, 2024
Equally impressive, Allen has been PFF’s highest-graded quarterback when his team is trailing over the past three seasons. Since 2021, he leads with a 92.3 grade in these situations, ahead of Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow (90.9) and Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes (88.7).
In the closing stages of 2023, Allen led game-winning drives in the fourth quarter against the Chargers, Chiefs, and Dolphins.
The data clearly shows that when the situation is critical, Allen is the top performer.
