Column: Payments' star Josh Allen's performing prowess boosts Buffalo's Tremendous Bowl potential – The San Diego Union-Tribune

Now that they’ve gone Hollywood, the Buffalo Payments might but win a Tremendous Bowl.

Josh Allen, whiz passer and rusher, added impressed performing to his recreation Sunday and now who can beat the Payments?

Allen snookered a zebra into awarding 15 valuable yards. The Payments, stifling guffaws, superior previous the Ravens, 23-20, on moist grass in Baltimore.

The Payments (3-1) have weathered accidents and ambushes since oddmakers made them the league’s favourite. They’re nonetheless Tremendous Bowl chalk.

What’s new: Jack Nicholson shall be calling Allen for pointers.

An unblocked Ravens blitzer hugged Allen, one fast beat after he’d flung an errant cross. Improvising, the Payments’ quarterback spun to the bottom, bringing nook Brandon Stephens with him. Oscar-worthy work.

Allen stayed in character. No sooner had he landed — softly as a 237-pound feather — than the QB pointed towards Jerome Boger, the backfield ref.

Right here was an MVP candidate/NFL meal ticket demanding safety from … nothing.

Bogar, who performed quarterback for Morehouse College in Atlanta, obliged with the yellow hankie.

“Private foul,” the ref intoned, in his honeyed drawl. “Roughing the passer.”

Ballgame. The Payments went from second-and-20 at midfield to first down at Baltimore’s 26 with two minutes left. Tyler Bass kicked the profitable factors because the clock expired. The Ravens (2-2) misplaced after main by 17 factors or extra for the second time in three weeks.

In immediately’s NFL, most video games ship one thing else as enjoyable as a dental go to: Analytics versus Outdated Faculty debates after a coach’s resolution boomerangs.

John Harbaugh sought a landing from Buffalo’s 2 on fourth-and-goal with the rating 20-20. A Ravens receiver sprang unfastened. By the point Lamar Jackson noticed him and threw to the precise again pylon, it was too late. Payments security Jordan Poyer, the sport’s high performer, snagged the cross with 4 minutes left. From the 20, Buffalo’s profitable drive adopted.

Why didn’t Harbaugh go for the simple kick and a 23-20 lead?

He cited the A-word. Analytics

With Ravens laptop programmers off limits to reporters, the coach elaborated.

“You kick the sector purpose there, now it’s not a three-down recreation anymore,” he mentioned. “It’s a four-down recreation. You’re placing your protection at a drawback as a result of (the Payments) have 4 downs to transform all the best way down the sector. If you happen to take a look at it analytically, I perceive why we did it.”

What the NFL additionally delivers are closing scores that cleave to uncanny betting traces, regardless of a large spectrum of outcomes throughout a recreation’s 120 performs or so.

It seemed within the first half like Buffalo’s uncommon spate of misfires — two turnovers and two punts after failures on third-and-short — would result in Baltimore profitable as a three-point underdog.

The Ravens have been up, 20-3, by means of 5 Buffalo possessions, when Allen threw a cross {that a} lineman tipped. The ball knuckled towards to linebacker Patrick Queen. When he dropped it, you might hear spooky organ music for the crew named after an Edgar Allan Poe poem.

The Payments went to the inevitable TD, pulling to 20-10 by halftime.

Their offense shifted gears within the second half as few others crew can. They’d Allen — a uncommon mix of velocity, energy and agility — rush for large positive factors and pivotal first downs to construct upon his cross menace.

Their protection gained usually sufficient, both with blitzes or straight up. All instructed, they sacked Jackson twice and tackled a working again 5 occasions for no acquire or a loss. Baltimore’s offense retreated too usually, through six flags.

In a journey which may be the Payments’ finest likelihood to win a Tremendous Bowl, the primary premise nonetheless applies. If Allen weathers the quite a few hits, their playmaking will give them a uncommon benefit.

Displaying he can rival Tom Brady for yellow-flag safety, he improved these odds Sunday.