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Josh Allen has exceeded all expectations coming into the 2020 season, and now he’s eying up a 29-year-old Buffalo Bills record held by the greatest quarterback in franchise history.

Hall of Famer Jim Kelly led the Bills to four consecutive Super Bowl appearances in his career, and he could’ve been considered the best quarterback in the NFL during that span. In 1991, Kelly had the best start to a season in his career, but Allen is gunning for his record against the Tennessee Titans this Tuesday night.

Josh Allen has thrown 12 touchdown passes through four games this season

Allen’s swift rise to stardom has been incredible to watch. In two seasons, Allen morphed from a 52.8% passer to a 70.9% gun-slinger.

As a rookie, Allen completed just over half of his passes and threw for 10 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. His yards per attempt stood at a mediocre 6.5, and he just wasn’t getting it done with his arm all year.

Allen steadily improved throughout his second year as the starter in Buffalo, and he led the Bills to the playoffs after a 10-6 regular season. But the Allen we’re seeing in 2020 is a whole new quarterback.

Through four games this season, Allen is completing over 70% of his passes, and he’s even throwing deeper than any QB in the NFL. His 9.0 yards per attempt is the highest mark in the league this year.

Allen has thrown 12 touchdown passes and just one interception so far this year en route to a 4-0 record. When he takes the field against the Titans on Tuesday, he’ll have a chance to make Bills history.

Allen needs three TD passes Tuesday night to pass Jim Kelly in the Bills record books

Allen’s stellar start to the 2020 season isn’t just the best of his young career thus far. It’s also in the running to be the greatest start to a season for any QB in Bills history.

In 1991, Kelly tossed 14 touchdown passes in the Bills’ first five games, including six against the Steelers in Week 2. Kelly led the Bills to a 5-0 start that season and was later named a First-Team All-Pro.

Heading into the Bills’ Week 5 matchup against the Titans, Allen needs just three touchdown passes in the game to break Kelly’s record for the most TDs thrown through five weeks in Buffalo history.

Can Allen repeat Kelly’s historic 1991 season?

Breaking Kelly’s touchdown record would be a huge career accomplishment for Allen, but he would surely rather follow in Kelly’s footsteps from his historic 1991 season.

After throwing 14 touchdowns in his first five games, Kelly went on to set career-highs in completion percentage (64.1%), passing yards (3,844), and touchdown passes (33) in 1991. He was named a First-Team All-Pro and led the Bills to the Super Bowl later that season.

Records are great, but Allen would give them all up for a Super Bowl appearance. The Bills haven’t made the big game since 1994 when Kelly was still under center.

Allen is the first sign of life from the Bills since the Kelly era, and he’ll surpass the Hall of Famer if he can bring Buffalo their first-ever Super Bowl victory.

All stats courtesy of Pro Football Reference

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Staff Writer

Jack Dougherty

Writing professionally since 2015, Jack Dougherty spent six years as a sportswriter with publications such as GoPSUSports.com, the Centre Daily Times, and the Associated Press before joining Sportscasting in 2020. He covers the NBA, the NFL, and the world of golf extensively and has added expertise on any team located in or around his hometown of Philadelphia. Yes, that includes the Philadelphia Eagles, the Philadelphia 76ers, and Philadelphia Phillies.

When Jack isn’t writing about sports, he’s watching them or playing them as he regularly heads to the gym for some pickup basketball or the golf course to hit the links. He’s also an avid participant in the sports betting scene who worked at a casino sportsbook for a year and learned the ins and outs of the industry before bringing his expertise to Sportscasting with one excellent gambling recommendation after another.