The Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills will end the regular season by competing for the AFC East title. Vic Fangio isn’t entirely excited about having to formulate a game plan to stop Josh Allen.
Per the Sun Sentinel‘s Chris Perkins, Miami’s defensive coordinator called Buffalo’s star quarterback “the new John Elway on steroids.” Fangio clarified that he wasn’t actually suggesting Allen is using performance-enhancing substances.
“They are very similar,” Fangio said of Allen and Elway. “Different body types, different running styles, but the same problems for sure. Allen is just a beast of a guy. A physical specimen.”
Fangio, who coached the Denver Broncos while Elway was an executive, called Allen “a dude.”
Vic Fangio says Josh Allen is like John Elway on steroids. Then clarifies he’s not speaking literally. Lol pic.twitter.com/vpJJU8iDmA
— Chris Perkins (@chrisperk) January 4, 2024
At 6-foot-5 and 237 pounds, Allen is closer in stature to Jacksonville Jaguars edge rusher Josh Allen than the typical quarterback. Like Elway, he combines size with a cannon for an arm.
Since the start of 2019, Allen is second to Patrick Mahomes in passing touchdowns (155) with the third-most passing yards. He’s accounted for 4,404 yards and 42 touchdowns this season.
Allen enjoyed his best game of the season at Miami’s expense. The 27-year-old completed 21 of 25 passes for 320 yards, four touchdowns, and a passer rating in Week 4’s 48-20 victory at Orchard Park.
That gives Buffalo a chance to seize the division crown via a tiebreaker with a Week 18 win at Miami. Fangio’s defense must do a better job at containing Allen to secure the Dolphins’ first AFC East title since 2008.
The Dolphins and Bills close the 2023 regular season with a Sunday Night Football matchup that kicks off at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC.