Debunking Ed Reed’s Terrible Josh Allen Take
Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
Every team has to enter playoff games with a certain level of confidence to believe they can pull off a victory. This weekend, the Bills and Ravens will be squaring off in a battle of quarterbacks who are clearly the best of the best in the NFL this season. Despite this, the Ravens, whose defense has dramatically improved in the second half of the season, still believe that they can stop Josh Allen. Their longtime safety, Ed Reed, thinks he has it figured out.
How would HOF safety Ed Reed and the 2013 SB #Ravens STOP Josh Allen from running?? 😤
Reed: "We would come at Josh Allen… show me he can complete the football after he's getting hit all day… and it's proven that he can't."@TwentyER @heykayadams @Ravens | #RavensFlock pic.twitter.com/QcvM0csuTe
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) January 16, 2025
Essentially, he’s saying that pressuring the Bills’ signal caller is the best way to defeat him. While “apply pressure” is a philosophy you can apply to most quarterbacks, most quarterbacks are not Josh Allen.
I have the utmost respect for Ed Reed. But to say the key is to hit Josh Allen is overly simplistic.
As if any QB loves being hit. Of course hit him.
But does Ed think no other coaches have tried that? They also try to hit Lamar. How's that working out for teams? Haha
— Skepticgoat (@skepticgoat) January 17, 2025
Josh Allen has shown all season how good he can be under pressure. He has made numerous big plays while escaping pressure in the pocket, as demonstrated by his league leading 18 big time throws while in that situation. Among qualifying quarterbacks when facing pressure, he leads the NFL in average depth of target (15.0 yards), and he has the second highest PFF run grade (92.5).
Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen are the only QBs with positive EPA under pressure pic.twitter.com/OkF3wsFVGn
— Steven Patton (@PattonAnalytics) January 10, 2025
He’s even better as a passer when facing a full on blitz. In that scenario, he boasts a 17:2 TD to interception ratio, he has only made one turnover-worthy play (fewest in the NFL among qualifying quarterbacks), and he has the third highest passer rating among all QBs (117.1).
Also falling under the category of “easier said than done”: generating pressure when you have to face the Bills’ offensive line.
Bills offensive line allowed six pressures today.
Spencer Brown in particular pitched a shutout. Never lost a single rep.
— Brett Kollmann (@BrettKollmann) January 12, 2025
The Bills’ offensive line has been next level in the 2024 season, allowing a league low 14 sacks on the entire season. For those of you math whizzes, that’s fewer than one sack allowed per game. Yes, the Bills may have their hands full with Baltimore’s pass rush, who has the second most sacks in the NFL this season (54), but the fact that they have only allowed three sacks since Week 12 will mean life for the Ravens will likely be just as difficult.
Sure, Ed Reed may have cracked the code on a lot of quarterbacks in his career, and the Ravens absolutely have a player in Kyle Hamilton who may be his second coming. However, Allen has dramatically improved his decision making, especially under pressure. He has a magical opportunity to demonstrate exactly that in the frigid, snowy weather in Buffalo on Sunday night.
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