The clash in London on Sunday in NFL Week 5 will be between the Bills and Jaguars, but another interesting matchup will take place in addition to the UK-based NFL contest.
For the second time in his career, Josh Allen will face… Josh Allen.
Jags linebacker Josh Allen, that is.
The last time the two players faced each other was in Jacksonville in 2021. The Jaguars’ Allen logged eight tackles and a sack in an upset 9-6 win over Buffalo. The Bills’ Allen threw two interceptions and was sacked four times.
Josh Allen’s sacking of Josh Allen was the first time in NFL history that a player sacked a quarterback of the same.
“He scares me. He got me last time we played,” the Bills’ Allen said to the media. “He’s coming off a really good week, too. He’s a baller. He’s still considered kind of a young guy in this league, but he’s playing really good football right now. Their defensive group right now is playing at a high level. They work together very well. So we’re going to have our hands full.”
The Jags’ Allen is tied for an NFL-leading six-sacks (tied with Khalil Mack and T.J. Watt), three of which were in the Jaguars’ 23-7 NFL Week 4 win against the Atlanta Falcons in London, making him the first player in the history of the NFL history to record 3 sacks in a contest outside the US.
Even so, the Jags’ Allen knows it’s not going to be a walk in St. James’s Park against the Bills.
Buffalo Bill Allen just went 21-for-25 for 320 yards and five total touchdowns in a convincing 48-20 win against Miami that now sees him first in the league in completion percentage, tied for second in passing touchdowns (nine), and sixth in passing yards,
The two Josh Allen’s have shared not only a name but also the same draft position a year apart, the Bills Allen at No. 7 overall in 2018 and the Jaguars Allen at the same spot a year later.
Sharing those details in common with both players in the AFC has kept the story alive when their respective teams face each other.
“Yeah I mean again it’s I think it’s pretty crazy he’s one of the dominant pass rushers in this league, you know I think everybody that plays against them has to have a plan in place for him we’re going to be no different,” The Bills’ Allen added. “We’ve played some really good D lines already early in this year and it’s not stopping this week with this group, and again I think the DB’s do such a great job of working together their linebackers are flying around the ball, they got two Wyoming guys Muma and Wingard those are my guys, so those guys are good ball players.”
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