Allen tosses 2 TDs in Buffalo’s victory
NFL BILLS 24, PATRIOTS 10
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The Buffalo Bills had done everything this season, except earn a victory in their division.
They’re hoping their first will be the one that helps put them back on the path to winning it again.
Josh Allen threw two touchdown passes and the Bills beat the New England Patriots 24-10 on Thursday night for their first AFC East win of the season.
Devin Singletary had a 1-yard touchdown run to help the Bills (9-3) win their third in a row and take a halfgame lead in the division over Miami. Buffalo had been 0-2 against division foes.
“We know these games that are coming up, they matter,” Allen said. “The ones in December and January, they matter. We’ve got to find ways to go win some football games.”
Allen became the first player in NFL history with three seasons of 25 passing TDs and five rushing scores.
Including the playoffs last season, the Bills have won their last three meetings with New England (6-6).
Allen went 22 of 33 for 223 yards, consistently buying time in the pocket and finding soft spots in the Patriots’ zone. The Bills have struggled at times in the red zone, but went 3 for 3 on Thursday.
Despite playing without top pass rusher Von Miller, who suffered a knee injury in a Thanksgiving win over Detroit, Buffalo’s defense held the Patriots to three points over the final three quarters.
New England has lost two in a row since posting a season-best, three-game win streak.
“There’s a lot of things we need to do better,” Patriots Coach Bill Belichick said.
A week after putting together his most complete effort of the season, New England’s Mac Jones was flustered and unsure for most of the night. He finished 22 of 36 for 195 yards and a touchdown. The Patriots were 3 of 12 on third down and 0 for 1 in the red zone.
“We want to win. And we’re not doing that,” Patriots center David Andrews said. “We’ve got to find ways to win. Whatever that is.”
Bills linebacker Tremaine Edmunds said the plan was to make Mac Jones beat them with his arm.
“We just knew we had to make them one dimensional, whatever that was,” said Edmunds, who had six tackles. “Our focus is ahead, not looking back.”
The Bills started slowly on offense, settling for a field goal on their first possession.
Trailing 7-3, Allen went to work during Buffalo’s next two opportunities.
He led his team 82 yards in nine plays, ending the drive with an 8-yard touchdown pass to Stefon Diggs on the first play of the second quarter.
Following a Patriots punt, Allen capped a 14-play, 56-drive by eluding the Patriots’ pass rush and tiptoeing along the sideline before throwing across his body for an 8-yard TD pass to Gabe Davis.
The Patriots came in banged up on their offensive line and got creative to get their first points of the night.
After going three-and-out on their opening drive, New England inserted speedy cornerback and return man Marcus Jones for his first offensive snap of the season.
He made the most of it, catching a quick screen from Jones, finding a seam and sprinting through Buffalo’s secondary for a 48-yard touchdown.
That was about the only highlight for the Patriots.