NFL analyst spotlights massive problem with NFL’s concussion check in wake of Josh Allen’s potential missed injury
Last Sunday, Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills' incredible 14-point second-half comeback fell just short, as they lost 23-20 to the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. After a surprise 3-0 start, the Bills have now lost two games in a row.
The Bills were heavily scrutinized for calling three pass plays before punting the ball on the game's penultimate possession from their own three-yard line that knocked only 25 seconds off the clock. That gave the Texans enough time to set up a game-winning field goal for kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn.
Another perplexing moment from the fourth quarter involving Josh Allen was a head injury that had seemingly knocked him out unconscious. The quarterback stayed on the turf for a considerable amount of time before walking off the field and entering the blue medical tent for a concussion test.
The Bills superstar was cleared quickly and was allowed to re-enter the game after only one play. ProFootballTalk's Mike Florio claimed that the incident involving Allen exposed the flawed nature of the league's concussion evaluation protocols. On PFTLive, the veteran analyst said: (Start at 2:02)
"You can't properly do a concussion evaluation in a nylon blue tent amid 70,000 people, with the noise, with the activity. You got to take them into the locker room, take the shoulder pads off, sit down and rest, gather yourself, and then we'll do it."
Florio added that the medical examiner is under immense pressure to deliver a verdict quickly, which affects their ability to conduct a thorough test:
"The one thing they want to avoid, I believe, 10 minutes of time passes and you find out the guy was fine all along, and his team has had to play the game without him. That's where, as I said, the rubber meets the road."
Josh Allen injury update: QB opens up about head injury vs. Texans
After the scary moment, Josh Allen missed one play and was on the field the rest of the way. He was also a full participant in practice on Thursday.
The Bills quarterback was asked about the incident on Sunday and he responded that he followed instructions and felt healthy enough to go back into the game. He told reporters during his media availability on Thursday: (Start at 0:08 of video)
"I went into the tent [after the injury] and I can only control what I can control. What we talked about there [in the blue medical tent], [the doctors] deemed me clear to play and that's what happened."
Despite his apparent head injury, Josh Allen likely won't miss any game time and will be available for their Monday Night Football clash against Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets in Week 6.