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Patriots’ Jerod Mayo compares Bills QB Josh Allen to Michael Vick

By Patrick Morgan

FOXBOROUGH, MA - DECEMBER 23: Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills runs with the ball during the first half against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on December 23, 2018 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
FOXBOROUGH, MA - DECEMBER 23: Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills runs with the ball during the first half against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on December 23, 2018 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /
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New England Patriots defensive coach Jerod Mayo paid Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen quite the compliment when he compared him to Michael Vick.

Through three weeks of the 2019 season, one takeaway from the 2018 season remains the same: Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen is really, really good at running the football.

As a rookie last year, Allen led his team in total rushing with 631 yards over just 12 games played (only 11 of which he actually started). He averaged 7.1 yards per attempt and 52.6 yards per game, and his final rushing output on the season was second among all quarterbacks behind only the Baltimore Ravens’ Lamar Jackson, who had 695 yards.

So far in 2019, the story remains very much the same. Though Jackson is much-improved as a passer in Year 2, he still leads all quarterbacks in rushing offense with 172 yards through three games. Allen is again in second-place with 105 yards on the season. For what it’s worth, Allen also has two rushing touchdowns, whereas Jackson just has one.

Add it all up, and the New England Patriots are preparing to face a very talented dual-threat quarterback on Sunday when they travel to take on the Buffalo Bills at New Era Field.

According to NFL Network’s Michael Giardi, New England head coach Bill Belichick told reporters Wednesday that Allen looks “like a running back out there,” via NESN’s Adam London.

Patriots inside linebackers coach and defensive play-caller Jerod Mayo – who played for Belichick in New England from 2008-2015 – went even a step further in ladling on the praise for Allen, saying that the young QB “reminds him of Michael Vick running around out there, minus the 4.3 speed.”

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While it might be a bit of a stretch to compare Allen to one of the greatest running quarterbacks of all time, Mayo has a point at least. If the New England defense doesn’t set the edge and keep Allen contained in the pocket, he could very well burn them with his legs, even if he doesn’t have the opportunity to do it with his arm against the stingy Patriots secondary.

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