Josh Allen vs. Broncos a reminder of what could have been in Denver | Woody Paige

The Buffalo Bills are the only professional sports team named for a man who killed buffalo, tamed broncos, died in Denver and is buried on Lookout Mountain in Colorado.

Buffalo and the Broncos, old foes from 1960, reconvene on a Monday night for the fourth time.

Josh Allen is a Buffalo Bill instead of a Denver Bronco.

In his only performance at Empower Field at Mile High three years ago Allen put on a Wild West Show, throwing for 359 yards in a 48-19 victory.

Cowboys William Frederick Cody and Joshua Patrick Allen have a connection. Cody founded the northwestern Wyoming town appropriately named Cody in 1896, and Allen played football at the state university in Laramie, Wyo., which affectionately became “Allentown’’ in 2016-17.

Russell Wilson, whose only connection to Buffalo Bill is “Let’s Ride,” has been a quarterback only once vs. Allen in a 2020 rendezvous in Buffalo. Wilson completed 28 of 41 passes for 390 yards and two touchdowns (and two interceptions). Allen was 31 of 58 for 415 yards and three touchdowns (no picks). The Bills beat the Seahawks 44-34.

If only DangerRuss and ByGoshJosh and the Bills and the Broncos can produce an equally entertaining evening.

However, the struggling 5-4 Bills, who have lost three of five, and the surging 3-5 Broncos, who have won their last two, are 46.5 points on the over-under, with Buffalo a 7.5 -point favorite. Temperatures will be in the 30s, which is a delight in comparison to a Bills-Broncos blizzard blast from the past I covered.

Allen is ranked fourth, Wilson 23rd among NFL quarterbacks, but Allen has been intercepted nine times with 18 touchdowns, while Wilson has passed for 16 touchdowns, with only four picks. Allen continues to try to be a hero quarterback, but is not experiencing a world-class season. Wilson has been converted to a situation-manager. At the midway of the season both are projected for 34 touchdowns (Allen 17 picks and Wilson 9), with Allen finishing with 4,500 yards and Wilson, 3,400.

Josh’s passing percentage is at a career-high 71.3.

Stay in the know on the stories that affect you the most.

Therein lies the rub of why Allen would not be on the other side Monday.

Most mock drafts in 2018 had the Broncos selecting Allen No. 5 overall if the Browns or the Jets didn’t pick him, or another team (such as the Bills) traded up. Baker Mayfield was chosen first and Sam Darnold third.

Allen was available to the man he was compared to — John Elway. Allen had the strongest arm in the draft, is 6-foot-5 and could run.

Josh and John seemed the perfect pair to return the Broncos to the Super Bowl. Elway and Allen certainly were familiar with each other. The Broncos scouted Allen at Wyoming regularly, and Elway traveled to the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, where Allen played despite a shoulder injury and was named the MVP with three touchdowns. Later, the Broncos’ coaching staff under Vance Joseph coached Allen’s team in the Senior Bowl. He had an impressive practice week and threw for two touchdowns in the game. The Broncos sent Gary Kubiak (the team’s superscout) to check Allen once more at his Pro Day, when he easily flung accurate 75-yard passes, and John invited Josh to a pre-draft visit to Dove Valley.

While at Wyoming, Josh would ride with offensive coordinator Brent Vigen to the Cherry Creek Mall and Broncos games. Allen preferred to be drafted by the Broncos and mentored by Elway.

Yet, Elway, who had signed free agent Case Keenum, ultimately rejected his clone. Elway never has publicly discussed the Allen decision, but a Broncos source told me John was apprehensive over Josh’s college pass percentage (56.2), four non-conference losses to major programs and lack of grasp of the Broncos’ offensive concepts.

The Broncos instead drafted defensive end Bradley Chubb. Two picks later the Bills seized Allen.

In his first two NFL seasons Allen’s passing percentages were weak — 52.8 and 58.8. The proportion drastically ascended to 69.2 in 2020. The Bills have reached the playoffs the past four seasons with Allen and were within seconds of reaching a Super Bowl. The Broncos haven’t been to the postseason with eight different quarterback starters since 2015.

Now Buffalo Josh and Denver Russ will be contrasted and judged in a must-conquer challenge.