Josh Allen threw three touchdown passes and ran for two more, giving him his fourth career five-touchdown game, as the Buffalo Bills beat the Detroit Lions 41-31 in the first match at Highmark Stadium. The $2.1bn venue opened last month across the street from the Bills’ former home.
Allen led from the very beginning, producing touchdown drives on every one of Buffalo’s first four possessions. He crossed the goal line to score the first regular-season touchdown in the stadium on a 1-yard run at 5:51, early in the opening quarter, followed by a deep connection to Josh Palmer for a 43-yard score. Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox each added touchdown receptions in the first half.
Allen’s Numbers
- 20 of 31 for 248 yards passing
- 72 yards rushing
- Three passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns
- Career total of 83 rushing touchdowns, tying Jim Taylor for 18th on the NFL list
- 90th regular-season win, one of four quarterbacks to reach that mark in nine seasons
The Early Lead
Allen’s two defenders converged on DJ Moore in the flats, leaving Allen to find Palmer wide open for a 43-yard touchdown. On the next drive, a holding penalty against Rock Ya-Sin negated Skyler Gill-Howard’s picked off a tipped pass, which gave the Bills an early lead.
The First Half
The Lions’ defense got off to a dreadful start, allowing Buffalo to score 27 points and gain 299 yards in the first half alone. That followed a season-opening 31-30 overtime win over New Orleans, in which the Saints rallied from a 21-0 deficit and won only after their 2-point conversion failed in overtime.
The Lions’ Struggles
The defense’s injury woes and a battered offensive line plagued Detroit all night. Jared Goff lacked protection, while Jahmyr Gibbs managed just 52 yards on the ground as the Lions struggled to create running lanes for him.
Goff’s Numbers
- 26 of 38 for 327 yards passing
- Four touchdowns
- Two interceptions
The Receivers
Amon-Ra St. Brown caught nine balls for 142 yards and two scores, while Gibbs found the end zone on an 11-yard reception. Sam LaPorta added a score on a 1-yard grab.
St. Brown and Gibbs have now scored in the same game 22 times, tying the Cleveland receiver/running back combo of Paul Warfield and Leroy Kelly for fourth place.
The Late Finish
The Lions rallied from a 21-0 deficit to cut Buffalo’s lead to 34-24. But their offense stalled midway through the fourth quarter. Backed up at their own 10, the Lions went three-and-out and punted after Goff had two passes tipped by Deone Walker, and Gibbs was stopped for no gain.
With just 2 minute and 50 seconds on the clock, James Cook capped off the victory with a touchdown run from 1 yards out, and he finished the game with 134 yards on the ground.
What Comes Next
Sunday marks the start of Week 2, and Sky Sports will broadcast nine games live. The complete schedule can be found at skysports.com.
The Bills open their new home with a statement win, and Allen’s fourth five-touchdown game shows why he remains one of the league’s most dangerous quarterbacks. The Lions, meanwhile, have a defense that struggled badly against the run and a young quarterback who is still learning how to manage a game under pressure.
The stadium is up and running, and Allen ensured his presence was felt right from the opening play.
Source material: “Allen stars as Bills open new stadium with win over Lions,” Sky Sports.
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