Josh Allen had a very bad night in his 2023 NFL season opener. The former MVP candidate flailed in stretches against the New York Jets’ swarming defense, getting battered in the backfield and firing bad passes downfield.
His three interceptions left the door open for a Jets team forced to play all but four offensive snaps without Aaron Rodgers, who left the game with an undisclosed lower leg injury. Allen struggled with deep throws. He struggled with intermediate throws. And late in the fourth quarter he nearly committed the biggest sin one can commit at MetLife Stadium; he nearly butt fumbled.
Allen didn’t just suffer the ignominity of a fourth quarter fumble that allowed New York to kick a go-ahead field goal late. He did so after slamming into one of his own linemen.
MADNESS AT METLIFE. JETS BALL!!!#BUFvsNYJ on ESPN pic.twitter.com/0cL8h8vhXx
— New York Jets (@nyjets) September 12, 2023
That wasn’t quite as embarrassing as running whole hog into your teammate’s derriere and giving up a fumble-six, but it didn’t go unnoticed by the one man who is the unquestioned expert on butt fumbles.
Josh Allen just ran into his own guy and fumbled… weird 🤷🏻♂️
— Mark Sanchez (@Mark_Sanchez) September 12, 2023
That’s right, Mark Sanchez, the man who unleashed this gift upon the world:
proved that game, indeed, recognizes game. Allen’s fumble wasn’t nearly as bad, but it was more costly, eventually leaving his team in a 16-13 hole with fewer than two minute to play. Fortunately for the Bills, the two-time Pro Bowler was able to redeem himself by pushing Buffalo into field goal position with a clutch two-minute drill to send the game to overtime in its waning seconds.
