Josh Allen is Philip Rivers 2.0
 

So watching the Bills lose to the Vikings, it hit me watching Josh Allen on the bench pouting that he is a less mature version of Philip Rivers. This made me go on a stat finding mission to compare Allen to Rivers... and in in order to be fair to the media perception (& to prove what we all already know), compared Mahomes' stats as well.

We all KNOW that Mahomes is better than Allen (and if you don't, please look again). But the next time you have some Bills lover arguing, here are the facts...

Since both Mahomes & Allen have 4.5 years worth of stats to compare, I think its fair... and I grabbed the first 5 full years of Rivers' stats for the comparison. These are all averaged out based on the the actual number of games played (Excel spreadsheet available if anyone wants to double check). Here is what came to be:

# of Games Played for stat comparison:
Rivers: 80 games from 2006 - 2010
Allen: 70 games from 2018 - 2022
Mahomes: 71 from 2018-2022

Completion/Attempt/Comp%/Yards - per Game Average
Rivers: 19.34 / 30.31 / 63.79% / 243.91
Allen: 20.93 / 33.43 / 62.61% / 240.67
Mahomes: 24.97 / 37.69 / 66.26% / 304.83

TD/TD% per Att/Int/Int% per Att - per Game Average
Rivers: 1.69 TD / 5.57% / .71 INT / 2.35%
Allen: 1.76 TD / 5.26% / .81 INT / 2.39%
Mahomes: 2.48 TD / 6.58% / .61 INT / 1.61%

First Down %/Avg Rating/Avg QBR/Sacks/Sack Yds - per Game Average
Rivers: 39.46% / 97.22 Rating / 65.84 QBR / 1.71 sacks / 10.65 sk yds
Allen: 36.54% / 89.84 Rating / 62.16 QBR / 1.94 sacks / 12.37 sk yds
Mahomes: 42.86% / 106.38 Rating / 75.38 QBR / 1.54 sacks / 9.89 sk yds

Josh Allen is a Good QB - but he is NOT Mahomes. He is Philip Rivers 2.0 - but a little less mature in my opinion. Rivers had 2 years of sitting. So Average Age for them is

Rivers: 27
Allen: 24
Mahomes: 25

So maybe we will see Allen mature a little more, but he is no Mahomes.

*all stats compiled from www.pro-football-reference.com

Good stuff. Thanks, Dave.

And, of course anyone with a brain knows that Allen is not on Mahomes' level.

What's with that image? Why don't you just link your original post?

Not that I disagree with the premise (although Allen is better than rivers, whether that be because of supporting cast and coaches or talent) but I would be curious and I think a better comparison would be if you removed Allen's first year. He's a much better player than he was his first year.

Wouldn't totally shock me either if homeboy also rocks a minivan as his daily driver

Stats aside, Allen lacks Mahomes' IQ. What these last few games have shown is his lack of awareness when to go for the checkdown. And as I have repeatedly stated here, he lacks touch. Another QB who lacks touch in his throws -> Justin Herbert.
I still think Herbert has a more accurate arm than Allen but both lack that intangible that a QB needs to finnish off a game in crunch time. Throwing with touch. Manipulating the speed of the ball.

Allen is going to have to go through a talent reduction eventually just like Mahomes did.

Could he survive with just Gabe Davis and McKenzie at WR? Possibly. Right now I’m not so sure

i think allen got a big head from that throw to knox that beat us

that was a throw into a tight window, and if reid had been a step faster to the ball, it's picked

now he thinks he can fire it in anywhere and be the hero

CHICKENS ROOSTING

"Change my mind"

They're going to lose Gabe Davis after this year most likely...good chance in 2 years Diggs and Davis are both gone.

A steaming cold take

Allen already has more playoff success than Rivers.

Plus, his running game and mobility are a weapon. Rivers was a statue with a strong arm and poor decision making skills in clutch moments.

Nah...he's more like Steve Young if he gets him a SB eventually...or Danny White (minus the injuries) if he comes up short.