Allen, Bills on the rebound
QB on target in victory over Bucs
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Josh Allen threw two touchdown passes and ran for another — shrugging off aggravating an injury to his throwing shoulder — and the Bills hung on to beat the Buccaneers, 24-18, Thursday night.
After a week of questions about his “low-energy” approach and Buffalo’s slow-starting offense, Allen came through for the Bills (5-3), throwing for 324 yards on 31-of-40 passing. He had been listed on the Bills’ report with a right shoulder injury and was checked in the blue medical tent in the second quarter, but remained in the game.
Gabriel Davis had a careerbest nine catches for 87 yards and a touchdown, and rookie tight end Dalton Kincaid scored his first TD on a 22-yard catch.
Buffalo’s defense limited the Buccaneers’ Baker Mayfield-led attack to less than 200 yards through three quarters and 302 overall. And Bills punter Sam Martin landed three punts inside Tampa Bay’s 10.
Mayfield tried to rally Tampa Bay (3-4) late. He threw a 24yard touchdown pass to Mike Evans, followed by a 2-point conversion to Cade Otton with 2:44 remaining, to get the Buccaneers within 6. But it took Tampa Bay 17 plays and 7:21 to march 92 yards for that score.
The game ended when Mayfield’s Hail Mary attempt from his own 45 fell between several players in the end zone. The Buccaneers have lost three straight and four of five since opening 2-0.
Buffalo built a 17-10 lead at halftime and never trailed. That was 7 more points than the Bills had combined for in the first halves of their previous three games, two of which they lost.
Mayfield finished 25 of 42 for 237 yards and two touchdowns, including a 3-yarder to Chris Godwin, who was the closest to Mayfield’s final throw when it fell to the turf untouched.
Allen took advantage, topping 300 yards for the 23rd time in his career. His TD run was the 43rd of his career, matching Steve Young for second all time among quarterbacks.