Bills’ 2021 loss at Jacksonville was the first major hurdle for Allen, McDermott

The Buffalo Bills – Jacksonville Jaguars matchup typically hasn’t been a reason to celebrate for Bills Mafia as the Jaguars have had the Bills’ number as of late. The Bills are 1-2 against the Jaguars in the Josh Allen era.

One of those losses, however, might be one of the biggest indicators of what Josh Allen’s incredible career would turn out to be.

November 7, 2021—the Buffalo Bills traveled to Jacksonville to take on the lowly Jaguars.

The 5-2 Bills were 14.5-point favorites versus the Jaguars who, under Urban Meyer, had tailspinned to a 1-6 record. The Jaguars featured a rookie quarterback in Trevor Lawrence who came into the matchup with a 74.0 passer rating and 12 total turnovers, and their defense was giving up 29 points per game.

The Bills defense, on the other hand, had allowed 15 points per game and their high-powered offense averaged 38 points per game.

Josh Allen, before the Jaguars game, had amassed 20 total touchdowns, and 4 total turnovers with a passer rating of 103.1—MVP numbers.

Then they played the game.

Bills fans watched the game in horror as Josh Allen was sacked four times and committed three turnovers in the Bills’ last four drives.

Were the Bills overlooking the lowly Jaguars? Did they not take them seriously? Either way, the Bills’ loss in Jacksonville led Buffalo on a tailspin.

The once high-flying Bills would go on to lose three of their next five games, putting them on the brink of a .500 season and there was a good chance they’d miss the playoffs for the first time in three seasons.

During this six-game span, the once MVP front-runner Josh Allen would commit 10 turnovers with only 12 total touchdowns. His team would average only 22 points per game.

Had the hapless Jaguars broken Josh Allen?

Remember, this was three seasons ago and Allen, who had mediocre seasons in 2018 and 2019, had only one great season in 2020 and another half of a great season in 2021. He hadn’t proven anything. Maybe he had peaked?

It all changed in the second half of the Week 14 loss to the Buccaneers. Down 24-3 at halftime, Josh Allen put his team on his back and led the Bills back to force overtime in Tampa. Although they lost the game, you could sense that fire was sparked in Josh Allen and his offense as the Bills would go on to run the table in 2021, going 4-0 in their last four games and winning the AFC East for the second straight season, earning a home playoff game.

Josh Allen would start a historic playoff ride beginning with the Patriots in a postseason that saw him throw for 9 touchdowns with zero turnovers, 385 total yards per game, and a passer rating of 149.0.

The 2021 Week 9 Jaguars game marked Josh Allen’s first really bad game since his 2020 transformation. He and his team’s five games afterward would be the first time Josh Allen was doubted by the media and Bills fans after his 2020 metamorphosis.

What Josh Allen and the Bills did to fight back after that paltry stretch might be the most important “tell” in Josh Allen and Sean McDermott’s career. They figured it out and have continued to be an AFC juggernaut ever since.