When the Buffalo Bills came to face the Chicago Bears, the Bills Mafia didn’t see what they were hoping for. Josh Allen, suited up but never stepped onto the field. Instead, Mike White got the nod as QB1. For a preseason game, it wasn’t exactly shocking—Allen had little to gain from exhibition snaps—but it set the tone for a long night in the Windy City.

Interestingly, last week, Mitchell Trubisky handled the QB1 duties. Allen admitted earlier in the week, “If I were to get them [preseason game reps], I’d appreciate them, but I don’t think it’s a situation where we need to get out there.” And this time, it wasn’t just him riding the bench. None of the offensive starters, aside from Joshua Palmer, touched the ball in the first series. James Cook was scratched entirely, while Connor McGovern didn’t even suit up. It was a message—Sean McDermott wasn’t taking chances with his front-line guys.

But then, the gamble backfired early. Chicago opened the game with rookie Caleb Williams slicing through a Bills defense made up of second and third stringers. The Bears flew down the field in just seven plays for a 92-yard touchdown. And by the time of the second quarter, Buffalo trails 21-0. So when Allen joined for a short interview, he didn’t shy away from pointing out where the team stood.

First, he focused on his own responsibility. As Allen put it, “understanding what defenses are trying to do when they play against us. We get different tendencies from people, you know, I’d see different things, and going out there again, just trying to be as mechanically sound as I can be and try to put the ball where it needs to be.” Then came his comparison, where Allen noted the team’s downfall. He continued, “I think last year we did a good job of that, but obviously there were still times where, you know, I wasn’t where I should be, and it starts with my eyes, starts with my feet, and just trying to make sure those things are marrying up.” It was a sharp reminder—he knows the accountability starts with him.

Still, when asked about the front office’s work in the offseason, Allen shifted the attention away from himself. “Listen, I trust our front office, I trust our coaching staff to develop the talent that we have here. All I have to do is focus ongoing out there and then getting it to the right people and then whoever’s open. That’s my job, and make sure that our offense is trying to, you know, rolling on all cylinders, and that’s all that’s all I’m trying to do,” he explained. His words may have sounded diplomatic, but they carried a subtle edge—he’s counting on management to deliver.

And to be fair, Buffalo did address defensive holes. They invested heavily in their secondary and line, drafting Maxwell Hairston for his speed, T.J. Sanders and Landon Jackson for pass rush, and Deone Walker to plug the middle. Bills also added Jordan Hancock and Dorian Strong for versatility. On paper, it’s a unit built to give Josh Allen and the offense some breathing room.

In the end, though, the scoreboard tells the story. The Bills looked humbled in Chicago, and Allen made it clear he expects sharper execution from his teammates. As the chase for the Lombardi Trophy heats up once again, the MVP is staying patient.

Sean McDermott stuck with the Josh Allen dilemma?

So when Sean McDermott made the call to keep Josh Allen out of Buffalo’s preseason opener against the New York Giants, it didn’t sit well inside One Bills Drive. Allen has built his career on trusting his instincts and trusting that his head coach would put him in the best spot to succeed. But last time, that rhythm was disrupted. Buffalo fell 34-25 in the last preseason game, where Allen never touched the field, and the quiet concern was less about the scoreboard and more about the lack of snaps for the MVP quarterback.

Meanwhile, Allen himself wasn’t bothered by that kind of caution. A quarterback who thrives on chemistry and timing drills, he found himself staring at a plan that didn’t match his competitive drive. McDermott eventually flipped course, deciding his franchise star needed those preseason reps after all. “He is the face of our organization. He’s the leader of our team,” McDermott had said earlier in May. For Allen, that reversal was both validation and necessity—proof that live action, not rest, is what keeps him sharp for September.

Still, it’s not a decision without risk. Any increase in snaps during meaningless preseason moments invites the specter of injury. Yet McDermott’s U-turn showed he values rhythm over safety nets. The Bills’ entire offensive identity runs through Allen—his deep-ball accuracy, his chemistry with receivers, and his ability to turn chaos into points. Resting him preserves his body, but it won’t fine-tune those instincts that decide playoff games. However, when that moment comes, we have to wait and see.

Ultimately, Allen’s worth to Buffalo is bigger than numbers. Since 2018, he’s turned the Bills into perennial contenders with 25-plus touchdowns in five straight seasons. He’s their pulse, their culture, their identity. And without him in rhythm, Buffalo doesn’t just lose its quarterback—it loses itself.