According to ESPN’s “Monday Night Football”, New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick “did not subscribe to Josh Allen’s madness” in a meeting with game commentators Steve Levy, Louis Riddick and Brian Griese before week 16.
Maybe he will now that the Bills quarterback burned the Patriots for 320 yards with four touchdowns while completing 75% of his passes in Buffalo’s 38-9 win over New England on Monday night.
“Yes, I don’t know what they said,” Belichick said of Levy, Riddick and Griese’s comments on the game. “I’m on the record about it . . .
“I said many times that Josh Allen is a smart football player and that he played well. He’s having a smart year. “
That’s exactly what Levy, Riddick and Griese broadcast on Monday night.
“Speaking to him this week, he didn’t subscribe to Josh Allen’s madness,” Griese said. “He said, “You know what? We played a pretty smart defense in opposition to Josh Allen when we played in November. “
It’s true. Allen hit just 11 of 18 for 154 yards with an interception in the Bills’ 8 week 8 victory 24-21 over the Patriots. It was Allen’s worst game in a dominant season in a different way.
“There was no question that Bill was excited when we talked to him about being potentially swept, Josh Allen is one of the MVP favorites,” Riddick said. “He didn’t care. “
The Patriots were swept through an east AFC enemy for the first time since 2000, when the Bills defeated them in weeks 8 and 16.
Riddick went on to say that Belichick “didn’t see” Allen as a More Valuable Long-Term Player opposed to the Patriots in Week 8 and that “we looked after him in that game. “
Levy conveyed an example of Belichick’s indifference.
“(Belichick) spoke of Allen’s completion to Diggs,” Levy said. “He said, “It’s been a 10-yard gain, but Diggs turned it into 40. “
Belichick praised Allen ahead of the Week 8 and Patriots Week games with the Bills. The Belichick Patriots didn’t catch up with Allen in WeekArray.
The Bills head to the playoffs as East AFC champions, while the Patriots remain home for the first time since 2008.