Following a commanding 31-10 win over the Miami Dolphins on Thursday, Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills are now 2-0 and making significant progress toward clinching the AFC East title. This victory also added another chapter to Allen’s personal rivalry with Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey, which could signal promising developments for the Bills.
When the Bills drafted Allen as the seventh overall pick in 2018, Ramsey was notably critical of the decision. In a GQ interview with Clay Skipper, Ramsey disparaged Allen, saying, “I think [Josh] Allen is trash. I don’t care what anyone says. He’s trash. It’s a stupid draft pick to me. We play them this year, and I’m excited as hell. I hope he’s their starting quarterback.”
This apparent disrespect may be driving Allen’s perfect 6-0 record against Ramsey. If this is the case, the rest of the NFL should take note.
An ESPN poll of NFL players ahead of the 2024-2025 season labeled Allen as the most overrated quarterback in the league. On the surface, this might seem justified, given his solid 65-30 regular season record but middling 5-5 playoff record. Since leading the Bills to the AFC Championship Game in 2021, he has stumbled in the divisional round for the past three seasons and threw a career-high 18 interceptions last year.
However, if his performance against the outspoken Ramsey is any indication, being deemed “most overrated” might be just the motivation Allen needs to elevate his game. Although his statistics this year aren’t extraordinary yet, they indicate improved efficiency.
At 28 years old, Allen has not thrown an interception in his first 42 pass attempts this season and has a completion rate of 73.8%.
As the season unfolds, the battle between Allen and those who labeled him overrated will be intriguing to watch. Additionally, given that he was also voted the top trash-talking quarterback, the NFL might want to keep him mic’d up to capture his sharp remarks directed at opponents. He’s already making a strong start in that area.