Josh Allen accepts blame for troubling Bills problem

Josh Allen has built his reputation by turning broken plays into Buffalo Bills highlights. However, that same refusal to concede a play occasionally created a costly problem last season.

Following Buffalo’s joint practice with the Cleveland Browns, Allen accepted responsibility for the sharp increase in sacks he took during 2025.

Josh Allen admits he made bad plays worse

Allen was sacked 40 times for 298 lost yards last season, according to the Bills’ official statistics. Both numbers represented career highs.

It was also a dramatic change from 2024, when opponents brought him down only 14 times. Allen does not believe the offensive line deserves all the blame for that jump.

“Decision-making is one, understanding protections is two, throwing the ball away three. I do believe that’s a quarterback stat,” Allen said. “Understanding what’s going on is the main thing and, two, not making a bad play worse.

“I think there were too many times last year where I did that, trying to make something happen. I could have avoided quite a few sacks last year and just thrown the ball away. But we learn and we move on.”

Allen’s willingness to extend plays is part of what makes him so difficult to defend. Plays that appear dead frequently end with him escaping pressure, finding a receiver downfield or running through a defender.

The problem arrives when his gamble does not work. A harmless incompletion can become a significant loss, leaving Buffalo behind schedule and placing additional pressure on the next two downs.