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Josh Allen crashes back to earth with three turnovers in shutout loss

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Josh Allen's hurdle of the Minnesota Vikings in a gigantic upset win last week was so athletically impressive that it inspired a team-embraced Twitter hashtag, #JoshAllenJumpingOverThings.

Inevitably, all that goes up must come down.

The Buffalo Bills' rookie quarterback came crashing back down to earth in a shutout loss Sunday to the Green Bay Packers in which Allen turned the ball over three times and needed some garbage-time completions to climb his passer rating for the game to a still-ugly 36.3.

Allen's lowest moment came late in the second quarter, when the game was still within reach. The Bills trailed the Packers 13-0 but had advanced to the Green Bay 20-yard line with help from a 34-yard completion from Allen to wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin -- his only catch on six targets Sunday.

On third-and-5 with 56 seconds left in the first half, Packers defensive coordinator Mike Pettine sent a seven-man pressure against the Bills' six-man protection. Two Green Bay defenders broke through the offensive line unblocked, immediately putting Allen on the run to his right.

Instead of running out of bounds or throwing it away to set up a field-goal attempt, Allen heaved a pass from about the 34-yard line to the end zone, where it was intercepted by Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander before wide receiver Zay Jones had a chance to reach it.

"He knows better," coach Sean McDermott said of Allen's decision. "Obviously, he has to learn from that."

Allen was intercepted again in the third quarter on a third-and-17 pass to Benjamin in which Packers safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix collided with Benjamin as the throw arrived. Clinton-Dix came down with the ball while Benjamin's mouth guard flew and he lay motionless on the ground for several moments.

"I can't lead him into a split safety," Allen said. "That's my fault."

Allen's final turnover came on a 2-yard scramble late in the fourth quarter in which Allen's knee appeared to be down but a fumble was upheld upon an automatic replay review.

Overall, Allen finished 16-of-33 passing for 151 yards. He was sacked seven times, the most against Buffalo since it gave up seven to the New York Jets in a Thursday night loss last November.

According to ESPN Stats & Information research, Allen was sacked or put under duress on 19 of his 43 drop backs Sunday. He finished 1-of-10 passing for 2 yards and an interception on those plays.

Allen is now 5-of-27 passing (19 percent) with no touchdowns and two interceptions when pressured this season.