Josh Allen sat in front of the Buffalo media earlier in the week and when he was asked about his thoughts on their opponent, he discussed the uncertainty of playing against this new-look Cardinals defense.
“Let’s study them and let’s understand the type of scheme that they run,” Allen said. “At the end of the day, we don’t have a whole lot of film on the guys that are actually going to be on the field.”
The Cardinals know exactly what to expect when facing a quarterback like Allen.
The former first-round pick has made a name for himself as being one the best two-pronged quarterbacks in the game. Both his ability to stand in the pocket and throw the ball downfield and his awareness that allows him to use his legs to get extra yards is special.
Last season, the Cardinals got experience facing similar quarterbacks like Lamar Jackson, Justin Fields, or Jalen Hurts. Linebacker Owen Pappoe believes that will help them as they prepare for Allen.
“It’s all within the game plan that we have, and we execute it to the highest of our ability,” Pappoe said. “Guys like him, he’s going to make plays. But we still got to make sure we limit as many of those as possible.”
Allen is the youngest quarterback in league history to pass for over 15,000-plus yards and 2,000-plus yards rushing. Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray, only 12 days older than Allen, accomplished the feat last year. The two remain the youngest in league history with that record.
As the Cardinals constructed their quarterback room, they wanted to find pieces that could – as remotely close as possible – emulate Murray’s mobility. Backup quarterback Clayton Tune and practice squad quarterback Desmond Ridder both have athleticism that the Cardinals are maximizing as they prepare for Allen.
