The Buffalo Bills passing attack has mainly run through Stefon Diggs over the last four years. Fortunately for the Bills Mafia, Josh Allen did Josh Allen things in his first game without his former All-Pro receiver to rely on to start the 2024 NFL season.
Here is a closer look at the Bills offensive eruption without Diggs in the lineup.
Buffalo Bills Offense Shows Signs of Life Without Stefon Diggs
The Bills’ offense may have gotten off to a slow start, but Buffalo ultimately started the year 1-0 with a 34-28 victory over the Arizona Cardinals.
Allen finished with 232 passing yards with two scores through the air while adding another 39 yards and two scores on the ground for a monster four total touchdown performance in his 2024 debut.
Through the first 10 games of the Week 1 slate, the Bills are tied for the second most points scored, ranked second in EPA behind the New Orleans Saints, and Allen has the top spot in EPA per dropback.
Speaking of Allen, his day didn’t come without a bit of a scare when he injured his non-throwing hand in the second half. Fortunately, a report from Jay Skurski on X states that Allen described his hand as “fine” and could get some X-rays to confirm the extent of the injury.
Josh Allen says his hand is “fine.” He says he’ll “probably” get X-rays.
— Jay Skurski (@JaySkurski) September 8, 2024
Allen lost a fumble on a strip sack on the team’s first possession of the game and trailed the Cardinals 17-10 entering the halftime break. Yet, Allen’s three total touchdowns in the second half helped engineer a comeback victory to start the year in the win column.
Part of Allen’s big day through the air without Diggs came in a collective effort from Keon Coleman (4 receptions for 51 yards), Khalil Shakir (three receptions for 42 yards and TD), and Mack Hollins (2 receptions for 25 yards and TD).
Through the first 10 games of the season-opening week, Allen possessed the second-highest passer rating and third-highest yards per attempt — which is an encouraging sign from a player in his first game without his proven WR1 over the last four years.
Allen has been a touchdown-producing machine over the last four years, producing over 40 total scores since 2020. His four-touchdown performance in the 2024 season debut suggests Allen has been the true engine of this offensive juggernaut in recent years.
Diggs has certainly been a great weapon out of the perimeter for the Bills’ franchise signal-caller, but Allen didn’t exactly look phased in the 2024 season opener while trailing by multiple scores in his first game without Diggs considering how effective he was through the air against Arizona.
Could this Bills receiver group be a bit more of a committee this year without a proven WR1 on the roster? Sure, it’s possible. Can one of these options potentially emerge as the go-to guy for Allen in 2024? Sure, it’s possible. Did Allen still look like an elite quarterback without Diggs in Week 1? Objectively, yes.
The Bills are set to face off against a high-powered Miami Dolphins offense in Week 2, which could have major playoff implications atop the AFC East in 2024.