Where are you on the spectrum??

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

Didn’t like the pick, now I can’t wait to see the ball in his hands. 

 

No one knows how this turns out, but on the move he is a man among boys, and when he has a little time and mechanically sets up correctly, he makes 30 yard ropes on the mark look routine. 

 

That 3rd and forever conversion from his own end zone to Zay on the left sideline was ridiculous 

[QuoteTheRaven83]

Cautiously optimistic. Allen's shown more promise than any QB we've had since Kelly (which isn't saying much) but I also think he's one of those guys that can be ruined if he doesn't get the help he needs early in his development. This offseason will make or break Allen and this team IMO. 

Edited December 6, 2018 by QuoteTheRaven83

[transient]

He’s definitely fun to watch, and has all the potential in the world, but I’m in the “too soon to tell” crowd. While I’m optimistic, I’ll reserve judgment until he finally announces who will present him for his HOF induction. 

[Bill51390]

Allen reminds me a lot of Favre. I'm actually shocked to not see more comparison to him. Still way to early to say how good Allen will be, but it will be absolutely critical for the Bills to get upgrade the offense next season. 

Edited December 6, 2018 by Bill51390

[Buffalo Barbarian]

Super Bowls !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

[Bad Things]

It's always a crap shot, but Josh really has the potential to be a superstar. (I don't think I've EVER seen an arm like his.)

He raises the game of the entire team and has a personality and demeanor that's a pleasure to root for.

 

It's just too bad that he went to friggin' Wyoming.

(I went to Colorado  State.)

 

Let's go Buffalo!

[ghostwriter]

He was the 3rd QB taken, but I'd rather have him over Mayfield and Darnold. Allen can make special plays with his arm or his legs. Every throw no matter how difficult is on the table. 

[bmur66]

O ye of little faith

[row_33]

First time in many years I will watch the last four games with interest

 

this is better than last year

 

[ProcessTruster]

He looks really good for a guy who has played what, 6 or 7 games as a pro  coming out of where?, Wyoming?    He could be great.     some of those sideline throws plus the touch pass to iron hands DiMarco were pro bowl stuff

Edited December 6, 2018 by ProcessTruster

[GunnerBill]

On McDermott - he was my choice during that hiring process he was the guy I'd have hired. I think he has proved here he is a coach who gets the most out of limited talent in what he did last year and can create a team ethos and accountability. His Peterman infatuation (and that is what it was) is the biggest false step so far. He is still the man in my view and I look forward to seeing how he coaches with a talented roster. Hopefully the next couple of years we will get to see that. Optimism score: 85%

 

On Beane - methodical and not a guy who gets blown off course by events (save for the trade for Benjamin which was made because they saw a playoff opportunity. We made the playoffs but Benjamin had little to do with it. Goes down as a mistake but when you look at the calculation he made at the time - a 3rd and a 7th to break the drought...... it was understandable). I don't love his FA pick ups but his first draft looks pretty good at this point. His future ultimately is tied to Josh Allen and how he works this offeseason to build around him. Optimism score: 55%

 

On Allen - wasn't a big fan of the pick. He was, and in fact still is, a little boom or bust for my tastes. He has had a decent rookie year, he is coming along nicely is a little ahead of schedule and gets something of a pass in certain elements given the paucity of the talent around him. Hopefully he is playing in a more talented offense next year and we will learn a little more about his long term prospects. Optimism score: 65%

 

On Daboll - it is a constant refrain of mine on this board.... fans blame offensive coordinators for bad players. It happened to Dennison, it has happened to Daboll.... it even happened to Greg Roman (though many of the usual suspects now retrospectively claim they were fine with Roman). Daboll's track record isn't great, but the job here this year was to turn water into wine. He is walking a tight rope because the way you hide inferior talent is with superior scheming.... the problem is when the talent can't pick that complex scheming up it looks a mess. He then simplified somewhat but simplification makes it talent v talent and ours normally comes off 2nd best. He has done a good job these last couple of weeks and there are some concepts in his offense that some of the more high scoring teams are using to. I'm not willing to take a final view on him until he has some better pieces to work with. Optimism score: 51%

 

 

 

[longtimebillsfan]

With Josh, I have taken the opinion of just enjoying watching him play and develop.  He is showing why Beane was so high on him.  Many national and local sports journalists are now believing that he has the highest growth potential of any qb in this year's draft.  I was upset on draft day when they picked the "wrong" Josh.  I now could not be happier.   I was wrong.

 

As for Beane,  some of his moves were difficult to understand at the time they were made.  But Beane is looking at the big picture and a three to four year development plan.  Most of his moves have worked out, but not all of them.  He is not perfect. 

 

Likewise for McDermott.   He is still learning on the job to be a head coach.  He has had his struggles, but he has shown me he can coach.  

 

I am the most optimistic that I have been in regard to the Bills future since 1999.

 

 I believe we have a bright future and new glory days are just around the corner. 

[eball]

Allen -- I'm all in, baby.  I can't believe the difference in his play from Weeks 2-4 to now.  The kid has played in seven NFL football games and was called the best player on the field last Sunday.  He's smart, humble, plays with tremendous fire, and appears to have a great capacity for learning.  We all know the development needs to continue, but he's elevating the play of those around him and that's the sign of a superstar.

 

I'm actually more lukewarm about McD -- not with respect to his leadership and ability to coach/motivate, but regarding game day decisions.  I still don't understand why in-game decisions like challenges and clock management are so damned difficult and he really needs to improve in these areas.

[mead107]

9 hours ago, BringBackFergy said:

I’m way right on the spectrum...bordering on just giving him a gold jacket and calling it a career. 

 

I am making a list and checking it twice to see where everyone stands.  

 

Someone should start a thread on Allen

will he be better than Kelly 

will he be 4-5 year guy

total bust. 

 

 

[oldmanfan]

Optimistic. 

[RaoulDuke79]

Cautiously optimistic & deliriously hopeful. 

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

1 hour ago, mead107 said:

 

I am making a list and checking it twice to see where everyone stands.  

 

Someone should start a thread on Allen

will he be better than Kelly 

will he be 4-5 year guy

total bust. 

 

 

No, someone WILL start threads on Allen prognosticating each of those three outcomes.

 

When you've been sent back from the future for historical research, this is easier to see.

10 hours ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

...but now I'm Hapless

What did you do with Hap?

[SoTier]

10 hours ago, Call_Of_Ktulu said:

If this is true than he will be more than enough to win a super bowl with the right weapons around him.

 

Oh, yes, because Cam Newton has taken his team to so many Super Bowls -- and Super Bowl wins.

 

10 hours ago, Steptide said:

I keep hearing about this "Allen is a bust" crowd, but I have no idea wh o/where they are. I'd say 75% of fans are cautiously optimistic, while 25% are certain he's the next Kelly. I read almost nothing on here, or hear nothing from local radio about Allen being a bust or the wrong pick

 

Exactly this.  I think I read exactly 1 "negative" post in this thread ... and that poster counted himself "mildly pessimistic".  The idea of a "Allen is a bust CROWD" is a figment of Allen fans' imaginations.

 

9 hours ago, Aussie Joe said:

I put him above Brady and Rodgers but slightly below Marino and Elway at this stage...

 

Since both Brady and Rodgers rode the pine and didn't even get into games when it counted as rookies, that's not saying much.  He's also looked better so far than Patrick Mahomes did last season, too.

 

8 hours ago, BullBuchanan said:

I see the scale as a JaMarcus Russel -> Jay Cutler -> Brett Favre -> John Elway progression, even though a lot of people might say Favre was the better passer, i think Elway was the better "quarterback". I think comparisons to these guys are all reasonable based on being big cannon armed throwers with mobility ( besides Russell, but he sucks, so it doesn't matter).

He's already better than Russel ever was, but isn't yet in Cutler territory, though his trajectory seems like it could be at least that good, if he can fix some things. In my eyes anything above that is extremely premature. When Allen makes a great play it looks like it came from one of the greats, but when he misses a 5 yard pass in the flats, overthrows deep balls, or loses pocket awareness it gives me a lot of pause. This is a kid that has a lot of things to work on to get to be in that coveted "top 10" QB spot.

My biggest fear with him is that he's able to become good enough to be a Jay Cutler level QB that isn't good enough to win games in January and beyond, but is too good to get rid of, so we're all sitting here for the next 10 years praying it's the year he finally gets it together. For that reason, I'm pessimistic long term. On the short term side, I'm really hoping he makes massive strides over the rest of the year and the offseason and comes back next year looking like a vet. I don't expect Mahomes, because that just doesn't happen. If he can be young Big Ben, that would be more than I could realistically hope for at this point.

Let's call it a 6 for now.

 

I think this is the most realistic post in this thread.  It's way to early to have a real clue in how he'll turn out long term.  Lots of good looking rookies/first year starting QBs have come out and done much more than Allen has done ... and crashed and burned.  Others have done less and blossomed into good/great QBs.  The reverse is also true.  Rookie seasons/first year starting seasons aren't good indicators. 

 

I think that next season will be much more telling for Allen's future.  If he comes out and demonstrates that he's significantly better as a sophomore than he was this year, then fans and skeptics alike can realistically be optimistic that he can become a good NFL starter.  If he doesn't make those improvements, he's probably going to be another Losman or Manuel.

 

My concern about Allen is two fold.  The first is that I continue to be concerned that the Bills will put the pieces around Allen to enable him to have success, starting with a real QB coach rather than a former WR coach,  but including adding OL, receivers, and RBs.  If the Bills don't put better coaching and on-field talent around Allen, nobody is going to be able to evaluate him correctly.  

 

Secondly, I'm concerned that Allen's just good enough with a poor supporting cast that the Bills keep him when maybe they would be better off moving on.  I'm thinking of QBs like Tannehill, Bortles, Winston, and Mariota, all of whom remain questionable in discussions of good starting NFL QBs.  Bortles appeared to have settled his fate, but Winston came back from also being benched.  I think Mariota seems most similar to Allen at least situation wise.

 

3 hours ago, NewDayBills said:

He was the 3rd QB taken, but I'd rather have him over Mayfield and Darnold. Allen can make special plays with his arm or his legs. Every throw no matter how difficult is on the table. 

 

LOL.  If Mayfield or Darnold was the Bills QB, you'd be saying the same thing about rather having him over Allen.

 

Edited December 6, 2018 by SoTier

[Steptide]

10 hours ago, Steptide said:

I keep hearing about this "Allen is a bust" crowd, but I have no idea who/where they are. I'd say 75% of fans are cautiously optimistic, while 25% are certain he's the next Kelly. I read almost nothing on here, or hear nothing from local radio about Allen being a bust or the wrong pick

To answer the original question, I'm in the cautiously optimistic crowd. I love Allen's fire. I can't remember the last qb we had who lost a game (on a 4-7 team) that looked like he had just lost the national championship game in college in his post game presser (speaking of Allen after the Miami loss this last Sunday). So yes I think there is something special there, but I'll contain my excitement for now. 

[BillsInWilmingtonNC]

I said it once, I'll say it again, Josh will be good enough that we will be in the playoffs more than we are not and if he gets hot during the playoffs... Well,  I think we could finally win ourselves a Superbowl.