Think The Empty (Or Mostly Empty) Stadiums Improved Allen's Performance

[Irv]

I'm wondering if the empty stadiums helped Josh this year.  Maybe helped him change plays, see a little better against a solid backdrop.  Maybe without the crowd he didn't get too hopped up?  Before you ask:  Yes. I am working from home and....no, I don't have anything better to think about.  And, yes, I do need to get a life. 

[DrDawkinstein]

I mentioned this somewhere else yesterday.

 

Josh has said that he changed his pregame music this year from harder, pumped up rock and rap to smoother, more relaxed stuff like Sinatra. Helps him stay settled and cool. And he said he notices he starts much better now.

 

I'm a little worried that the fans at the game tomorrow will get our team a little too jacked to start.

[Mynamemike]

I've thought about this a lot and i think the no crowds was huge for Josh this year especially at home games.   He's talked about getting too amped up before games and how he's changed the music he listens too before games to settle the nerves  I also think it's been a big factor with being able to be so effective with his cadences and drawing defenses Offside.  

[jletha]

Id be lying if the thought didnt cross my mind. Ive even joked with friends that if Josh isbad in the home opener next year no fans are ever allowed back into the stadium haha.

 

But even if it did help him he has certainly learned how to play no matter what. Some teams did have fans as well.

[WhoTom]

Correlation does not equal causality.

 

He played well under pressure at Dallas and Pittsburgh in 2019, in front of hostile crowds on national TV. I'd say his improvement this year was due to another year of experience and off-season training, not the absence of crowds.

[Inigo Montoya]

It's a fair point and something I've thought about throughout this season.  The fact that Allen had a better road record last season played into the thought that he got too amped up at home and played a bit too manic at home, the Kyle Brandt "Sugar High Allen".   The lack of a crowd this year could have  let him focus more on the game and less on the atmosphere.

 

We'll know that answer in 24 hours.

[DrDawkinstein]

1 minute ago, jletha said:

Id be lying if the thought didnt cross my mind. Ive even joked with friends that if Josh isbad in the home opener next year no fans are ever allowed back into the stadium haha.

 

But even if it did help him he has certainly learned how to play no matter what. Some teams did have fans as well.

 

Ive made the same joke "If we lose this playoff game, it is on all Bills fans to stay out of the stadium next year"

[SCBills]

I think that thought has probably crossed most people’s minds, but I’m not too worried about it.  
 

His best game last year was against Dallas, sold out Thanksgiving Day. 
 

The improvements are noticeable in his mechanics, progression and ability to read defenses. 

 

Edited January 8, 2021 by SCBills

[jletha]

5 minutes ago, Inigo Montoya said:

It's a fair point and something I've thought about throughout this season.  The fact that Allen had a better road record last season played into the thought that he got too amped up at home and played a bit too manic at home, the Kyle Brandt "Sugar High Allen".   The lack of a crowd this year could have  let him focus more on the game and less on the atmosphere.

 

We'll know that answer in 24 hours.

Id like to think that if it did ultimately help him calm down he will have learned that about himself and takes steps to keep calm tomorrow.

[Don Otreply]

I hear ya Irv, it could be that in effect a quite classroom/stadium allowed Josh to grow into who he is now at a much faster rate, because truthfully who expected the level of play this year? I for one believed Josh would improve considerably, but not to this level, you might be on to something with this line of thought, but hey, what do I know...noise cancelling helmet headphones could be in his future 😁

 

Go Bills!!!

[RoyBatty is alive]

I think it helped  him because he was able to shout  out directions/ blocking assignments easier.  His rapport with Diggs is extraordinary in one year and I think him being able to communicate easier with him helped build rapport quicker.

 

I would also say the lack of crowd noise let him focus and also didnt get him so excited as before.  He was under control pretty much through the entire year.

 

By next year a 4 yr guy he will be more a master of communication with his receivers and more in control of his emotions so he can use the excitement from the crowd to feed off of.

[george c]

Absolutely I do. 
Crowds cause distraction from both home and away games...

Having said that, 6,700 fans will not make much of a difference.

[RoyBatty is alive]

4 minutes ago, SCBills said:

I think that thought has probably crossed most people’s minds, but I’m not too worried about it.  
 

His best game last year was against Dallas, sold out Thanksgiving Day. 
 

The improvements are noticeable in his mechanics and progression.  
 

 

 

I have been to a Bills game in Jerry World and I only have two comments.

 

1) Cowboy fans suck, there was very little noise and that was a Dez Bryant year when they rolled us for 40 something points.

2) The Stadium is SO large and vacuous, it is very hard to generate a lot of noise regardless.

[Kwai San]

I too worry about the Bills and JA, but more the Bills as a whole being too jacked up for this game.  Hopefully McD has the answer and they come out firing on all cylinders.  One of the first games I am hoping they lose the toss and get a score on the first drive......

 

Go BILLS!!!!

[DrDawkinstein]

Just now, Kwai San said:

I too worry about the Bills and JA, but more the Bills as a whole being too jacked up for this game.  Hopefully McD has the answer and they come out firing on all cylinders.  One of the first games I am hoping they lose the toss and get a score on the first drive......

 

Go BILLS!!!!

 

I will say my worry is tempered by the Cant Touch This video from yesterday. The boys look loose and ready to have a good time.

[RoyBatty is alive]

1 minute ago, Kwai San said:

I too worry about the Bills and JA, but more the Bills as a whole being too jacked up for this game.  Hopefully McD has the answer and they come out firing on all cylinders.  One of the first games I am hoping they lose the toss and get a score on the first drive......

 

Go BILLS!!!!

They didnt look to jacked up the way they were dancing and goofing around today.

[CincyBillsFan]

Sorry but this idea seems like a refuge for the last of the "wrong Josh" crowd.

 

I buy into the notion that no fans on the road has helped a lot of QB's.  That makes sense to me. And sure the over hyped up Allen was a real thing but I believe it was more then the fans but rather his entire pre-game mindset that needed to be adjusted.  And from what we've seen & heard it has.

 

I addition to his nagging injury I think we saw a bit of sugar rush Josh against KC.  That was a huge game and he seemed over hyped to me.  If he comes out riding a high it will not be due to the fans IMO (all 6,000 of them) but rather that it's a playoff game.  And as long as he gets past it by the 2nd quarter it won't have much of an impact beyond a couple of early punts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BuffBillsForLife]

I've been worried about this for weeks.  That said the Superbowl will have some amount of fans so I wouldn't want that to be the first game he plays with them 😉

[MDH]

I think its helped all offenses. There is a reason scoring is way up this year.

[Gen2]

I firmly believe that the development of a QB is as much a maturation process as it is a "learning the playbook" sort of thing. Josh's first two years I would assume he has learned the playbook, and this year he's digging deeper into pre snap reads, post snap adjustments, and communicating those reads & adjustments to the rest of the team. IMHO Josh has been helped immensely by both the consistency within the organization and easier communications due to the lack of crowd noise (this year) .  

Edited January 8, 2021 by Gen2