Even in defeat, Josh Allen has the NFL marveling over his unique ability to dominate a game.

The Buffalo Bills superstar, MVP favorite and No. 1 quarterback in these rankings for a second straight week steamrolled the Los Angeles Rams defense Sunday, completing 22 of 37 passes for 342 yards and three touchdowns while leading the rushing attack with 82 yards and three more trips to the end zone. In doing so, he became the first player in NFL history to tally three scores each through the air and on the ground in the same game. Allen led the Bills to four consecutive touchdown drives to close the game, nearly erasing a 17-point, fourth-quarter deficit before falling 44-42.

The Rams survived Allen’s onslaught by brilliantly managing the game when he was tethered to the sideline. They blocked a punt for a touchdown, converted 11 of 15 third downs and didn’t punt until the fourth quarter.

It was the 32nd time in his career Allen produced a passer rating of at least 108 in a game — and the first one of those games he lost. He also fell to 18-2 in games when he’s had a hand in at least four touchdowns.

It just goes to show how much the Rams — or any other opponent — must do right on offense and special teams to withstand Allen’s barrage.

“He is so talented and clearly capable of taking over a game,” said an offensive coach who recently played against the Bills. “Just have to find a way to hang on and make them earn everything, try to prevent the big plays. But he was unstoppable at times.”

Allen has completed 64.1 percent of his passes this season for 3,033 yards, 23 touchdowns and five interceptions. He also has 416 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. He even was credited with a receiving score in Week 13 against the San Francisco 49ers, bringing his total touchdown tally to 33.

It might come as a surprise, but Allen’s passing numbers are down from recent seasons. He has produced the third-highest completion percentage of his career, but his yards per game (233.3) would be his fewest since 2019. He is on pace to throw exactly 30 touchdown passes, which would rank fourth among his seven seasons.

And it’s not because he’s running more. His 32 rushing yards per game would be his fourth highest, although his nine scores on the ground are tied for his second most.

The real root of his success, according to a longtime defensive coach who has faced the Bills this season, has been a reduction in turnovers. He has been intercepted on only 1.3 percent of his passes, which would be a career best, and he’s gone seven games without a pick.

“He’s playing extremely fast,” the defensive coach said. “If you look at the turnovers and how he’s playing while protecting the ball, that’s the key to his success this season. What’s held him back over the last three years from being completely dominant are the turnovers. (This year), he’s operating on time and in rhythm. He’s making good decisions, has been in charge of more from a protection standpoint while still delivering big-time plays like everyone is accustomed to him making.

“He’s an extremely tough cover on third down, in the red area and in two-minute because of his legs. His red-area production is through the roof this year. He was always tough to defend down there, but he’s avoiding the turnovers, which was happening too much for a player of his caliber.”

Allen, who has never won an MVP award, delivered in crunchtime in Week 11 to give Kansas City its only loss. After the Chiefs cut the Bills’ lead to 23-21 midway through the fourth quarter, Allen converted two third downs before a 26-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-2. Until that point, Lamar Jackson looked like a runaway MVP candidate.

On 4th & 2 with 2:27 left in regulation, Josh Allen dropped back before breaking off a 26-yard TD run.

Allen had just a 1.2% chance of scoring a touchdown once he tucked the ball to run. It was Allen’s first scramble TD run against the Chiefs in his career.

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— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) November 18, 2024

More importantly, though, Allen’s difference-making ability has the Bills looking like legitimate Super Bowl contenders. They have to be much better on defense than they showed in Los Angeles, something they’ll have a chance to show this weekend when they visit the 12-1 Detroit Lions. If the Bills can knock off a second top seed favorite behind Allen’s strong play, postseason expectations will be through the roof in Buffalo.

“He can beat you so many ways,” an executive said. “If you let him sit in the pocket, he will pick you apart. If you blitz him, he will stand in and not flinch, or he will beat you with his legs. He is so big and strong that defenders fall off him. He is fun to watch. So much poise and command on the field.”

Another defensive coach said, “It’s brutal” to both prepare for Allen and then to adjust the plan during the game.

“Even when you have something dialed up, he can make a spectacular play off script and scramble out of trouble,” the second defensive coach said. “You have to continuously change looks pre- and post-snap. You also have to keep him contained in the pocket. If you don’t, you’ll have no shot.”

So yeah, Allen has an answer for everything — at least when he’s on the field.

GO DEEPER

NFL playoff picture after Week 14: Bucs reclaim NFC South lead; Eagles clinch playoff berth

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Still in command

Jayden Daniels’ red-hot start propelled the Washington Commanders into the playoff race and accelerated the new regime’s rebuild far quicker than anticipated.

So it was mildly surprising when the rookie quarterback and the Commanders limped to a three-game losing streak in November. They snapped the skid with a blowout victory against the Tennessee Titans, and they’re coming out of their bye week with a trip to the New Orleans Saints on tap. From there, they’ll have an opportunity to avenge two of those losses when they take on the Philadelphia Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys, with another important game against the Atlanta Falcons in between.

They’ll continue to rely on the No. 2 pick, so their bye-week adjustments will be paramount.

Though there’s been a natural inclination to wonder whether defenses have caught up to offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury’s scheme — a popular point of criticism when he was the Arizona Cardinals coach — a couple of executives believed that was overblown.

More likely, it was just a rookie quarterback who, for the first time in his young career, hit the proverbial wall.

“Each defense presents its own challenges, and some schemes match up better than others,” an assistant coach observed. “It’s probably more of him trying to figure things out on a week-to-week basis.”

It’s a natural progression for all young quarterbacks. Once there’s enough tape, defenses find new ways to attack, then it’s on the QB to counter. In that sense, it was a great time for a bye week.

Daniels also has faced more pressure. He’s been sacked 12 times in his last four games, and he’s thrown four interceptions over that stretch. He was sacked 17 times with two interceptions in his first nine games.

“Function of the offense,” an executive said. “Takes pressure, and the turnover-worthy throws increase.”

Suffice it to say, Daniels’ early success wasn’t a ruse. Rival coaches and executives believe he’ll be just fine after plateauing for a few weeks.

It’s gonna be Maye

Drake Maye and the New England Patriots were also on a bye last week, but this quote was too good not to use.

“He’s such a stud,” an executive said. “They absolutely nailed that pick. They were patient in the draft, waited and got their guy. That was awesome. He’s got such a powerful arm. That arm is the real deal. He’s a leader, just a great person. They got the right guy.”

It took longer than the Patriots would have liked, but it surely looks like they’ve found their next franchise quarterback.

Injury notes

Saints quarterback Derek Carr has a significant fracture in his left hand and is expected to miss at least several weeks, according to a league source. The Saints have not publicly named their starter, so Jake Haener made his debut in the rankings because he replaced Carr on Sunday.

Las Vegas Raiders QB Aidan O’Connell suffered a bone bruise in his knee, according to a league source. He hasn’t been ruled out this week, so he remained in the rankings.

Dropped out: Carr (left-hand fracture, concussion), No. 26 last week; Trevor Lawrence (concussion), No. 29 last week.

(Photo: Katelyn Mulcahy / Getty Images)

Boxer Angela Carini won her eighth Italian women’s title Sunday, marking a comeback after withdrawing against a controversial opponent at the Paris Olympics. 

“Tonight was my revenge,” Carini told reporters after the match, via The Telegraph, months after she was beaten in the face in front of a global audience by an athlete whose birth gender has been questioned.

Carini, 26, withdrew from her bout against Algeria’s Imane Khelif in Paris after several powerful blows to the head. Khelif’s inclusion at the Olympics was the biggest controversy of the Paris games after the Algerian had failed gender eligibility tests to compete in other international women’s boxing events. 

Khelif was disqualified from the 2023 International Boxing Association (IBA) World Championships, and IBA President Umar Kremlev said the boxer had “XY chromosomes,” which are associated with biological males. 

Carini abandoned her match against Khelif after just 46 seconds.

“I got into the ring to fight,” Carini said in Paris, via Italy’s ANSA. “I didn’t give up, but one punch hurt too much. And, so, I said ‘enough.’”

RILEY GAINES CALLS FEMALE BOXER A ‘HERO’ FOR FORFEITING MATCH AGAINST FIGHTER WITH XY CHROMOSOMES, SLAMS IOC

Algeria’s Imane Khelif, right, defeated Italy’s Angela Carini in their women’s 66-kilogram preliminary match at the 2024 Summer Olympics Aug. 1, 2024, in Paris.  (AP Photo/John Locher)

Carini previously told reporters her objective in the Olympics was to win a medal for her late father.

Khelif won gold in Paris and wasn’t the only boxer to win a women’s gold who has been disqualified for failing gender eligibility tests. Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting also won gold in another women’s weight class in Paris, prompting similar outrage. 

The International Olympics Committee (IOC) defended Khelif and Yu-ting’s inclusion in the women’s events until the very end. 

Khelif later filed a lawsuit against multiple people, including Elon Musk and J.K. Rowling, who criticized the athlete and the IOC for the inclusion, alleging sex-based “acts of aggravated cyber harassment.” 

Khelif threatened another lawsuit in November against a French journalist over a report that alleged the boxer had testicles.

“We will meet with the French journalist in court,” the Algerian athlete said via NDTV.

Carini previously said she wanted to “apologize” to Khelif for the withdrawal that brought negative attention to the Algerian. 

Angela Carini of Italy before a women’s 66-kilogram preliminary round match against Imane Khelif of Algeria at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at North Paris Arena Aug. 1, 2024, in Paris. (Richard Pelham/Getty Images)

“All this controversy makes me sad,” Carini said, via the BBC. “I’m sorry for my opponent, too. If the IOC said she can fight, I respect that decision.”

Carini gave Khelif the cold shoulder after the fight and said she regretted it.

“It wasn’t something I intended to do,” Carini said. “Actually, I want to apologize to her and everyone else. I was angry because my Olympics had gone up in smoke.”

Still, Carini felt that some sense of “revenge” was fulfilled Sunday. 

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EJ Vernon, a 6-foot-8 senior at Crossroads, has no time to be nice. He missed the first four games of this season with an ankle injury. Since he’s returned, he scored 31 and 20 points before Tuesday’s 28-point performance against a Sun Valley Poly team that faced an overwhelming height disadvantage.

Vernon offered no sympathy to the Parrots, going inside repeatedly. He’ll save his outside shot for future opponents. “I’ve got to take what a team gives me,” he said.

Crossroads (4-3) won its Beverly Hills tournament game 70-32 over the Parrots. Vernon’s 6-9 teammate Cheikh Diebakhate was a perfect six for six shooting, including five dunks.

St. Pius X-St. Matthias 88, St. Anthony 85: In the game of the night, Jaden Erami made a three-point shot with one second left to send the game into overtime. He finished with 25 points, keeping St. Pius unbeaten in Del Rey League play during the last two seasons. Kayleb Kearse had 23 points. Aman Haynes and Donovan Pitts finished with 20 points apiece for St. Anthony.

JSerra 67, St. Paul 52: BJ Davis-Ray had 17 points and Earl Bryson added 16 points to rally the Lions at Beverly Hills.

Valencia 80, Golden Valley 69: Dabe Princewell had 16 points to lead four Valencia players in double figures. Valencia is 3-0 in the Foothill League.

Saugus 64, West Ranch 56: Bryce Mejia scored 18 points for the Centurions.

Golden Valley 76, Hart 63: Alexander Villejo scored 27 points and Zachary Christoffersen had 25 for Golden Valley.

Harvard-Westlake 83, Long Beach Poly 51: Joe Sterling scored 19 points, Nikolas Khamenia had 18 and Dominique Bentho 14 for the Wolverines (8-0).

Sierra Canyon 98, Blair 42: Chris Nwuli and Maximo Adams each scored 23 points for the Trailblazers.

Manual Arts 69, Crenshaw 63: Devin Moody scored 30 points for Manual Arts at Beverly Hills. Jaelen Washington had 32 points for Crenshaw.

Viewpoint 58, Milken 37: Wesley Waddles had 27 points and Aeneas Grullon added 26 for 8-1 Viewpoint.

Brentwood 93, Chino 60: Freshman Ethan Hill scored 19 points and Shane Frazier had 17 for Brentwood.

Eastvale Roosevelt 110, Norco 31: Brayden Burries finished with 33 points for Roosevelt.

Damien 97, Franklin 41: Jacob Allen scored 18 points and Eli Garner and Elijah Smith had 15 apiece for Damien.

Los Alamitos 97, Cerritos 50: Samori Guyness scored 24 points for Los Alamitos.

St. Francis 71, Aquinas 33: Ben O’Connor led St. Francis with 18 points.

Oaks Christian 74, El Camino Real 54: Nick Giarrusso had 21 points for the Lions.

Girls’ basketball

Mater Dei 65, Fairmont Prep 46: Kaeli Wynn had 26 points for the Monarchs in a game matching two of the top teams in Orange County.