The primary story coming out of the Jets’ 22–16 overtime win against the Bills on Monday night was the season-ending Achilles tear for New York quarterback Aaron Rodgers. However, a fascinating subplot is how poorly Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen performed in the loss.
Allen finished the game 29-of-41 passing for 236 yards with one touchdown pass and three debilitating interceptions. The three picks, and Buffalo’s underwhelming offensive performance as a whole, had ESPN analyst Marcus Spears wondering whether wide receiver Stefon Diggs will stick around with Allen performing like this.
“The point is, Josh Allen is a turnover machine,” Spears said. “As good as his ceiling is, we saw it. We saw it when they went to Kansas City and went toe to toe with Pat Mahomes, could have made the argument he played better. We’ve seen it time and time again.
“That’s why you don’t talk about it in that context, but Josh Allen is playing football to where he’s going to lose his top target in Stefon Diggs. Stefon Diggs is tired of having to get this dude’s confidence back in games. Telling him to be smart with the football. Don’t do this. Don’t do that. You’re not going to win a Super Bowl with Josh Allen turning the football over like he does.”
"Josh Allen is playing football to where he's going to lose his top target in Stefon Diggs."
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) September 13, 2023
—@mspears96 😳 pic.twitter.com/6h6YMQWl36
Diggs was tardy reporting to training camp for reasons that haven’t become public. Rumors have abounded that Diggs wanted out of Buffalo, which the receiver squashed. However, fans and media alike remain curious about the relationship between Allen and Diggs.
If Buffalo wants to be successful this season in capturing another AFC East crown, the quarterback-receiver tandem will need to be on the same page. After another down performance on Monday night, all eyes will be on the Bills’ offense heading into Week 2 against the Raiders.
