Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen is hard on himself. He says repeatedly that he's his own worst critic. He uses himself as a measuring stick when trying to improve. He's always trying to be better than last week's Josh Allen.
On Sunday, Josh Allen will once again try to get the better of Josh Allen. But this time, there's a twist.
The meeting between the Bills and the Jacksonville Jaguars means former seventh overall pick Josh Allen will face off against former seventh overall pick Josh Allen.
The Bills quarterback and the Jaguars defensive end were drafted in back-to-back years at the same spot, the former in 2018 and the latter in 2019. They have yet to be formally introduced.
“So we've never actually met in person,” the Bills quarterback said Wednesday.
For all that the two have in common, they seem split on how the initial meeting should go.
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“I'd like to talk to him before and after the game. I don't want to talk to him in between the lines, as long as he's staying off of me,” the Bills quarterback said.
Meanwhile, the other Allen hopes they meet during the game, and specifically in the backfield.
“Oh yeah, yeah. That’s the goal,” Jacksonville's Allen said. “I told myself, ‘I’m not chasing (a sack). I’m gonna let the play come to me.’ I’m take it one play at a time, and when that play comes, I’m gonna do what I do.”
The two have spoken before, though, even without an in-person meeting.
“We've messaged on Twitter and Instagram,” Buffalo's Allen said. “Obviously, we follow each other, first round, seventh pick two years in a row, Josh Allen's the pick, so that was pretty cool.
“We've shared, just exchanged messages, just common name and draft pick. A big fan of his. He's a great player. I know he's coming into his own right now, and we've got to be prepared for him because he can ruin a game plan. That's why he was drafted so high, and he's playing at a really high level right now.”
Some of the messages might have also been more practical, like forwarding mail.
“I actually got an email. It was something – I’m not gonna turn his business out, but I got an email for him,” Jacksonville's Allen said. “And I was like ‘Oh yeah!’ Then I went to the bottom, and I was like ‘I don’t think this one’s for me.’ "
It won’t be the first time in NFL history that two players with the same name have taken the field together. Just this year, the Jets drafted North Carolina running back Michael Carter and Duke defensive back Michael Carter on the same day. (The latter at least is listed as Michael Carter II, surely clearing up any confusion.) In 2008, the Cowboys defense boasted both safety Roy Williams and wide receiver Roy Williams.
But to line up against a counterpart, and to do so in positions that directly go head to head, is a little different.
The Jacksonville edge rusher has 4.5 sacks and eight quarterback hits this year. As a rookie in 2019, he led all rookies with 10.5 sacks. He had four tackles for loss in his most recent game, when the Jaguars fell 31-7 to the Seahawks. Buffalo's Allen said the outcome of that game makes Jacksonville dangerous.
“Typically, when teams lose the way they did last week, they come out ready to go and we don't expect anything less,” the quarterback said. “So, we got to be for ready for whatever going on the road into a hostile environment. Playing on the road’s never easy, so we got to be ready.”
The respect runs both ways, with each Allen admiring the play of the other. With the Bills quarterback up to 269 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns, Jacksonville's Allen knows his defensive line has to be ready for anything.
“It’s gonna be a big game for us. If we can control the line of scrimmage, if we can get that push to the middle, if we can get that rush on the outside, I feel like we can do a real good job of containing that,” he said.
“I can’t say we are gonna contain him. But if we do our jobs, and we win our one-on-ones consistently and just get enough push to where he’s second guessing … and just get hits and hurries on him and sacks, then I feel like that’s how we can really effect this game, especially with a quarterback like that.”
There’s a lot on the line for both sides. After all, Josh Allen has never lost to Josh Allen before.
Injury report
Wide receiver Cole Beasley (ribs), offensive lineman Spencer Brown (back), offensive lineman Jon Feliciano (calf) and tight end Dawson Knox (hand) did not practice Wednesday. Beasley’s injury was a new addition to the report.
Defensive end Mario Addison had a veteran’s rest day. Defensive end Justin Zimmer (foot) was a full participant.
McDermott said Monday that Feliciano will be week to week, and on Wednesday, he did not rule out the possibility of Feliciano going on injured reserve.
“I think we’re keeping our options open at this point,” McDermott said.
On the Jaguars side, running back James Robinson (heel) did not practice Wednesday, but coach Urban Meyer said he could still potentially play Sunday. Right guard Ben Bartch (illness) also did not practice Wednesday.
Epenesa credited
Miami kicker Jason Sanders was unable to make a 36-yard field goal Sunday, and it turns out the Bills had a hand in it. The Elias Sports Bureau has officially credited the miss as a blocked field goal by Bills defensive end A.J. Epenesa.
It's the first field goal the Bills have blocked since November 2019, when Star Lotulelei blocked a 35-yard attempt from Cowboys kicker Brett Maher.
Sanders later made a field goal from 51 yards in the Dolphins' 26-11 loss to the Bills.
