Josh Allen answers own 'responsibility' call after solving daunting problem

Josh Allen appears to be doing just fine with the new offensive weapons at his disposal.

The Buffalo Bills offense underwent significant changes over the offseason, with star wideouts Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis joining the Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars, respectively.

In replacement of Allen’s favorite targets, Buffalo signed versatile wide receiver Curtis Samuel in free agency and selected Florida State product Keon Coleman with the No. 33 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Veterans Mack Hollins and Marquez Valdes-Scantling were additionally brought onto the Bills roster.

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Despite the flurry of acquisitions, fans wondered how the Bills’ new look offense would fare this year. Entering the season, third-year veteran Khalil Shakir stood as the only wide receiver on the Bills roster to have ever caught a pass from Allen in an NFL game.

Following the departure of Diggs - who was dealt along with a 2024 sixth-round pick (No. 189 overall) and a 2025 fifth-round selection to the Texans in exchange for a 2025 second-round pick - Allen asserted that it was his duty to assume a greater leadership role.

"I think it's an opportunity for myself to grow as a leader,” he said back in April. “And to bring along some of these young guys and new guys that we've brought into our team. And that's an opportunity, frankly, that I'm very excited about. It's something that's going to be very challenging, but I'm very willing to do it."

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So far, Allen has stepped up to the challenge, seamlessly commanding the Bills’ offense littered with new faces. In a commanding 31-10 win over the Miami Dolphins on Thursday night, the 28-year-old didn’t light up the stat sheet but did just enough, completing 13-of-19 passes for 139 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions.

On the Bills first drive of the game, Allen dropped back on fourth-and-three and lofted a pass to James Cook, who sprinted towards the end zone and snuck past the pylon for a 17-yard touchdown. The star running back continued to dominate throughout the contest, finishing the night with 11 carries for 78 yards and two touchdowns, as well as the lone catch from the first quarter.

In recent years, Allen has often been asked to carry the Bills offense and routinely play the hero role. Such was the case in Buffalo’s 34-28 win over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 1, during which the star quarterback completed 18-of-23 passes for 232 yards and two touchdowns. He additionally rushed for 39 yards on nine carries and scored twice on the ground.

Yet Thursday’s commanding win shows that the Bills can win on nights when Allen takes a backseat to his teammates. Buffalo found the majority of their offensive success on the ground, while their defense completely stifled the Dolphins by forcing three interceptions.