Late night discussion: Should Josh Allen run less in 2019?

[HOUSE]

Should the Bills try to scale back Allen's rushing attempts in 2019?

 

Louie DiBiase

Twitter- @DiBiaseLOE

In his rookie season, Bills QB Josh Allen led the entire NFL in rushing yards and touchdowns with 631 yards and 8 touchdowns on 89 attempts.

Out of Wyoming, Allen was known for his mobility, but the 2018 1st-round pick kicked it up a notch in his first season.  Individual rushing performances included games of 135, 101, 99, and 95 yards. 

Allen's legs were able to create big plays for the offense even when the passing game struggled. But do the Bills want this style of play to continue into year-two? Should Allen continue to run the football at the high volume he did in his rookie season? 

Fans took to Twitter for Wednesday's late night discussion to give their two-cents. 

To run or not to run:

Contributors to the discussion were almost evenly split on whether Buffalo should try and scale back the amount of rushing attempts their QB will have in 2019. 

51% believe Allen's rushing ability is what makes him dangerous while 49% say they would like to see the QB run less to preserve his health. 

Many fans don't believe reducing plays that fit Allen's strengths is a good idea

https://wgr550.radio.com/articles/opinion/late-night-discussion-should-josh-allen-run-less-2019

Edited August 15, 2019 by HOUSE

[Augie]

Yes. 

[aristocrat]

Not as much but not much less. As long as his passing yards go up. 

[HOUSE]

 

[Buffalo_Gal]

Run less? Yes. No one wants to see him get killed.

Stop running? No. It is a big part of his game, and keeps defenses on their toes.

[Florida Bills Fanatic]

The quantity of runs may not be the real issue.  Running as the game and the play dictates should be the determining factor.  Take what the defense is giving. Getting out of bounds or sliding to avoid contact needs to be the priority.  Hurdling linebackers is just a stupid thing for a starting QB to attempt regardless of how cool it was.

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

Obviously.   well at least IMO. 

 

I don't want to see him rushing for 90 + yards a game   (unless it's on 1 play) 

[oldmanfan]

Should they have less designed running plays for him?  Yes.  But I don't think much of his running last year; it was Allen taking off when he saw a gap.

 

Should he run less on scrambles?  Yes, because it will save him from unnecessary contact, and because it means he is learning to get the ball out quicker and to use his short passing game. 

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

He’s a big boy. Do what you gotta do to win. 

 

 

[ddaryl]

I think it will happen naturally as Allan develops the pass 1st mentality. He will still run but it will be more about what the D is giving him then him trying to make it happen because of rookie jitters a poor WR group and the worst Bills OL of all time.

[Augie]

Run a little less, and a lot smarter. Know when to slide or slip OB. Take fewer risks and hits. He did better with that as the season went on.

 

It’s encouraging that he CAN slide, as opposed to EJ who looked like a giraffe trying to play baseball for the first time. What was up with THAT? Did he not even play T-Ball? 

[K-9]

18 minutes ago, HOUSE said:

 

Love watching him abuse Kiko. Never gets old.

[BigBuff423]

I think Josh Allen WILL run less and I think he SHOULD run less. Last year's rushing attempts and yards was a direct result of two things: 1. Rookie learning new Offense and how to adjust to Defenses while standing in the pocket to pass 2. Because he HAD to run given the lack of protection in front of him.

 

I think this year Josh will start to use his running and athletic ability much more situationally - i.e. designed runs, and to scramble to find an extra second to pass - much the way Rodgers and Russ Wilson do. I am NOT comparing him, don't put words in my mouth, I'm only saying I think given his development (as it seems much discussed thus far) as well as an improved Offensive line, we'll see him use his running ability along those lines more so than last year's use of his legs. JMO

[JESSEFEFFER]

Some of my opinions:

 

1)  Josh scrambling is better than checkdowns.  It's equivalent to passing stats of 47/47 for 508 yds, 5 TD and 2 Int (I think he had two scramble fumbles.)  The passer rating for that is 129.  I don't think any QB does that on checkdowns.

 

2)  His running is a function of poor protection, poor WR separation, Josh being predisposed to holding the ball as a rookie and his being very talented at running. 

 

3)  A collapsing pocket is way more dangerous than running through the defense.  He can out run, stiff arm, slide, run out-of-bounds or dive.  At least he can see the hazards coming and has options.  He is somewhat unaware and unprotected against many hazards in the pocket much like the injury that cost him 4 starts.

 

4)  I want him to run less because the team around him is better and he is noticeably improved as a passer.  Be a good and getting better passer and pick your spots to sustain critical drives or put points on the board.   I'd like his mindset to be to play like Bruce Wayne but when the Bat Signal goes up, head for the Bat Cave.

 

 

[Kirby Jackson]

This one is tricky to me. I think that the obvious answer would be “yes.” I’m not so sure though. If that is what the defense is “giving him” than he should take it. Josh is an ELITE runner, not a good one. If he has a lane and can get to the markers (especially on 3rd down) I’d rather he run than try to squeeze one in. He’s more likely to move the chains that way. 

 

This may sound like a BS answer but I want Josh to make the right decision. In theory, that could result in running more (I doubt that it will but it could). My guess is that he runs less because he sees the field faster and that’s fine too. Just make good decisions

[HOUSE]

 

[Original Byrd Man]

I worry about injury, but on the other hand he is quite fast for someone his size and has a definite ability to make people miss in the open field so I'm not sure what I think they should do.

[BruceVilanch]

as long as he doesn't go airborne and if he learns how to slide I think it's a great weapon for him while he's still developing.

46 minutes ago, JESSEFEFFER said:

Some of my opinions:

 

1)  Josh scrambling is better than checkdowns.  It's equivalent to passing stats of 47/47 for 508 yds, 5 TD and 2 Int (I think he had two scramble fumbles.)  The passer rating for that is 129.  I don't think any QB does that on checkdowns.

 

2)  His running is a function of poor protection, poor WR separation, Josh being predisposed to holding the ball as a rookie and his being very talented at running. 

 

3)  A collapsing pocket is way more dangerous than running through the defense.  He can out run, stiff arm, slide, run out-of-bounds or dive.  At least he can see the hazards coming and has options.  He is somewhat unaware and unprotected against many hazards in the pocket much like the injury that cost him 4 starts.

 

4)  I want him to run less because the team around him is better and he is noticeably improved as a passer.  Be a good and getting better passer and pick your spots to sustain critical drives or put points on the board.   I'd like his mindset to be to play like Bruce Wayne but when the Bat Signal goes up, head for the Bat Cave.

 

 

100% correct, I always get terrified when I see the line collapsing and I am just waiting for a knee to get rolled up on.

[Bills4Ever4Life]

51 minutes ago, JESSEFEFFER said:

Some of my opinions:

 

1)  Josh scrambling is better than checkdowns.  It's equivalent to passing stats of 47/47 for 508 yds, 5 TD and 2 Int (I think he had two scramble fumbles.)  The passer rating for that is 129.  I don't think any QB does that on checkdowns.

 

2)  His running is a function of poor protection, poor WR separation, Josh being predisposed to holding the ball as a rookie and his being very talented at running. 

 

3)  A collapsing pocket is way more dangerous than running through the defense.  He can out run, stiff arm, slide, run out-of-bounds or dive.  At least he can see the hazards coming and has options.  He is somewhat unaware and unprotected against many hazards in the pocket much like the injury that cost him 4 starts.

 

4)  I want him to run less because the team around him is better and he is noticeably improved as a passer.  Be a good and getting better passer and pick your spots to sustain critical drives or put points on the board.   I'd like his mindset to be to play like Bruce Wayne but when the Bat Signal goes up, head for the Bat Cave.

 

 

This is my sentiment for the most part. I want Josh Allen to be Josh Allen. I want to see him run less because he doesn't HAVE to run as much. I want him to run less because his O-line is giving him better protection and his play makers are getting open. In other words, I want him to run when he has to and I hope that will be less often.

As for designed plays. I don't want them to go Cam Newton / Russell Wilson but I am a fan of the Run Pass Option and I think it keeps the defense on their toes. Forces them to keep a spy on the QB. 

 

Overall I think that Josh's scramble ability raises the level of the team. This first pre-season game I could see him holding on to the ball and throwing it away where last year he would have taken off with it. I am hoping this was just a pre-season thing and he will be back to scrambling when the play just isn't there. 

[Flip Johnson]

52 minutes ago, Kirby Jackson said:

This one is tricky to me. I think that the obvious answer would be “yes.” I’m not so sure though. If that is what the defense is “giving him” than he should take it. Josh is an ELITE runner, not a good one. If he has a lane and can get to the markers (especially on 3rd down) I’d rather he run than try to squeeze one in. He’s more likely to move the chains that way. 

 

This may sound like a BS answer but I want Josh to make the right decision. In theory, that could result in running more (I doubt that it will but it could). My guess is that he runs less because he sees the field faster and that’s fine too. Just make good decisions

 

The decision making is key - I don't necessarily want to see fewer carries - I want to see fewer plays where JA sees one guy covered, feels pressure and takes off helter-skelter.

 

He is a historically good runner and could keep running 6-10 times per game even as he develops as a passer.

 

Josh ran 7.4 times per game last year.

Cam Newton was running 7.8 times per game his first two seasons in the league and averaging 1.5 yards less per carry.

Russell Wilson was running 6-7 times per game in his early years and it was a huge part of his effectiveness.

 

Wilson and Newton have gotten more banged up in the pocket than they have on the move. Allen's injury last year was in the pocket.

 

There is a difference between being a "running QB" a la RG3 or Lamar Jackson or Michael Vick. That's nearly impossible to sustain. What we want Allen to become is a good pocket passer who maintains a dynamic running ability.