Will Bills unleash Josh Allen as a runner tonight?

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Tonight, the 2021 Bills finally face the 2021 Patriots. In September, it looked like the annual home-and-home series would be a lopsided laugher in favor of the upstarts. Now, the Patriots seem to be the slightly better team.

Obviously, it’ll be decided on the field. May the better team win, and all that. They’ll play twice this month, with the two games going a long way toward deciding the AFC East crown.

No one ever knows what will happen, and if this season has taught us anything it’s impossible to predict the outcome of games with any certainty or genuine confidence. One thing we know is that Patriots coach Bill Belichick will plan his versatile and potent defense to take away what the Bills do best. And what they do best, obviously, is utilize quarterback Josh Allen as a passer.

As a rookie, he was used regularly as a runner; he had a pair of 100-yard games (he’s had none since). By 2019, presumably in an effort to keep him healthy, they kept him in check until the postseason arrived.

This year, his average attempts per game is a career-low 6.27. But when he runs, he runs well. His per-game yardage average of 34.8 ranks second to his 2018 average of 52.6.

Another factor favoring the run tonight is the wind in Buffalo. It’s expected to be in the mid-20s miles per hour tonight, with gusts over 40 mph. That could prompt the Bills to use Allen as a runner more frequently, despite the obvious risks of exposing him to contact.

While it makes sense to minimize the injury risk to Allen, the team’s goals for 2021 hinge in large part on their ability to win the division. If they can overcome New England, the Bills can position themselves for a deep playoff run. Indeed, they can still capture the No. 1 seed, forcing all opponents in the postseason to play outdoors in Buffalo.

To get there, they may need to throw caution to the wind, in the wind, and unleash Josh Allen as a running threat on Monday night.