Player reaction to the NFL officially adopting a 17-game schedule has been mixed. Bills quarterback Josh Allen is right in line with that.
Allen addressed the topic during an appearance on a podcast with Kyle Brandt of NFL Media, noting he can see both the benefits and drawbacks of adding an extra contest to the regular season.
“I’ve got mixed emotions on that as well,” Allen said, via Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News. “You change the complexity of the game as far as statistics and trying to ... you know, now you have an extra game every year to develop more passing yards and more touchdowns so that therein lies records being broken. But at the same time, I see that like, OK, it’s a chance for me to go out there and do that. But, again, I’m sitting on both sides of the fence there where I’m just like, the integrity of the game and the people that have played behind us, that have had 16 games for the past, since 1970-something, right?
“It’s tough, but at the same time it’s a very good opportunity to go out there and, again, play another game of football, which I love to do. You can get hurt at any point, whether it’s a game, whether it’s off the field, whether it’s getting up from your couch. Like, stuff happens. So, I see it as an opportunity to play another game that I love and a chance to go out there and put up more numbers and win some more games.”
Allen had one of the best seasons for a Bills quarterback in franchise history in 2020, throwing for 4,544 yards with 37 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He also rushed for 421 yards with eight TDs and caught a 12-yard touchdown pass.
Like Allen said, those numbers could get even better with another game to play in 2021.