Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen spent his first bye week as a father on a beach with his family, then returned to practice this week focused on cleaning up the offense ahead of Sunday’s home game against the Baltimore Ravens.
Allen and his wife, actress Hailee Steinfeld, welcomed their daughter Harper this offseason. The 30-year-old quarterback said the break gave him time to enjoy that new role while still keeping an eye on football.
“Got out [to] a little beach somewhere and hung out with my family,” Allen said. “It was pretty perfect.”
He described watching Harper grow as his favorite part of the week. “It’s the best. Honestly, it’s my favorite thing to do. Just seeing my daughter grow with my wife — it’s the coolest thing ever.”
Allen noted he watched less football than in past bye weeks because of dad duties. “I watched a little bit on Sunday, not as much as I used to, being on dad duty and following my daughter around a little. Just try to watch as much football as you can.”
On the field, the Bills enter the matchup at 5-1 and first in the AFC East after scoring a league-leading 32.8 points per game through six contests. They have the ball for the second-fewest plays in the league, yet still rank among the top scoring units.
Allen has completed 114 of 171 passes for 1,504 yards, nine touchdowns and four interceptions with a 102.1 passer rating. He has also rushed for 240 yards and a league-leading eight touchdowns.
Despite the production, Allen pointed to areas that need work before facing Baltimore. “This is going to sound bad to say, but there’s so many things we’re not doing well on offense, too,” he told reporters. “A lot of things we need to clean up, ball security being one of the big issues.”
He added that the team is still chasing its peak form. “We’re still striving to play our best football, which is the exciting part with how well we’ve scored and performed so far in our first six games.”
“We still feel like there’s a lot to improve on. Especially this week is continuing to find ways to improve,” Allen said.
The Bills are a perfect 8-0 in games immediately after a bye week with Allen as the starter since 2018. First-year head coach Joe Brady is looking to keep that streak alive against a Ravens team that enters at 4-3.
Lamar Jackson, the two-time NFL MVP, is expected to return from an ankle injury that sidelined him for the previous three games. Allen has expressed respect for the matchup, noting the challenge of facing another dual-threat quarterback.
Allen has accounted for 17 total touchdowns already this season while the Bills have won four of their last five games, including overtime road victories over the Rams and Raiders.
The offense operates under a more balanced approach with Brady calling plays after the addition of receiver DJ Moore, though Moore has dealt with a shoulder issue. Allen’s rushing production continues to lead all quarterbacks in touchdowns.
Buffalo hosts Baltimore at 1 p.m. Sunday at Highmark Stadium on CBS. The game marks Allen’s first regular-season contest as a father after the Week 7 bye.
