Buffalo wins with late drive

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Josh Allen accounted for three touchdowns, Tyler Bass made a 29-yard field goal with 28 seconds remaining, and the Buffalo Bills escaped with a 24-22 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Saturday night to improve their playoff chances.

Allen ran for two TDs and threw for one, becoming the first player in NFL history with four consecutive seasons with 40 combined touchdowns.

Bass’ go-ahead kick capped a 13-play, 64-yard drive that included Allen’s 15-yard completion to Khalil Shakir on third down.

The Bills (9-6) have won four of their last five. They are competing with Indianapolis and Houston (both 8-6) for the two final playoff spots in the AFC. Buffalo got some help earlier in the day when Pittsburgh beat Cincinnati.

Buffalo turned the ball over three times to keep the short-handed Chargers in the game in their first outing under interim coach Giff Smith. Brandon Staley and General Manager Tom Telesco were fired on Dec. 15, one day after the Chargers were pummeled 63-21 at Las Vegas.

Cameron Dicker kicked a career-high five field goals and Easton Stick passed for 210 yards for Los Angeles (510), which has lost six of seven.

Allen — who completed 15 of 21 passes for 237 yards — leads the league with 40 total touchdowns (27 passing, 13 rushing). With his 2-yard run off right tackle late in the second quarter, he became the second quarterback in NFL history with at least 50 rushing scores. Cam Newton was the first and finished with 75 in his 10-year career.

Davis, who had not caught a pass in the past two games after having six receptions for 105 yards against Philadelphia, had four receptions for a season-high 130 yards, including a 57-yard touchdown in the second quarter.

Stick, making his second NFL start in place of the injured Justin Herbert, was 23 of 33 passing and rushed for a touchdown.

The Chargers jumped out to a 10-0 lead with 13:49 remaining in the second quarter when Stick rolled right and scored from 1 yard out. Los Angeles got the ball at the Buffalo 27 when Amen Ogbongbemiga recovered a fumbled punt by the Bills’ Deonte Harty.

Buffalo finally got on the scoreboard on its fourth drive. Allen scrambled right and found Davis open downfield. Davis hauled in the pass at the Chargers 19 and beat linebacker Kenneth Murray into the end zone.

Allen then put the Bills on top 14-10 with 38 seconds remaining in the first half with the first of his two rushing scores.