Buffalo Bills at Detroit Lions
· National Football LeagueJosh Allen has another huge game to lift Bills to a 48-42 victory that snaps Lions' winning streak
It was just another play, a 28-yard pass to James Cook, in the latest sensational performance by the potential NFL MVP.
Allen ran for two scores in the first quarter and threw two touchdown passes in the second half, leading the Buffalo Bills to a 48-42 victory Sunday that snapped the Detroit Lions ' franchise-record 11-game winning streak.
The dual-threat quarterback extended a number of plays, buying time with his feet to find open receivers against a banged-up defense that had to respect his ability to pass and run.
“Scramble drills are one of our best plays,” Allen said.
He has a lot to do with that.
Allen was 23 of 34 for a season-high 362 yards with touchdown passes to Khalil Shakir and Ray Davis. He ran 11 times for 68 yards and two scores a week after being the first NFL player to throw and run for three touchdowns in a regular-season game.
“He poses a huge issue," Detroit coach Dan Campbell said.
The 6-foot-5, 237-pound Allen extended a league record by throwing for multiple touchdowns and rushing for more than one score for the sixth time in his career.
The AFC East-champion Bills (11-3) have won eight of nine, including a victory against the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.
“It's rare air up there with the best teams,” Buffalo coach Sean McDermott said. “That's how we’re going to have to play every week moving forward.”
Jared Goff matched a career high by throwing five touchdown passes for the NFC North-leading Lions (12-2), whose loss gives Minnesota a chance to pull into a tie for the division lead with a win against Chicago on Monday night at home.
Buffalo extended its franchise record with 30-plus points in its eighth straight game — becoming the first team since the 2013 Denver Broncos to pull off the feat — and scored the most points against Detroit this season.
Coming off a 44-42 setback against the Los Angeles Rams, the Bills were not as effective on defense.
Goff's fifth TD pass came with 12 seconds left when he connected with Jameson Williams from 3 yards with 12 seconds left, but the Lions couldn't recover the onside kick to set up a game-ending Hail Mary try.
The Bills joined the 1966 New York Giants as the only teams in NFL history to score 40-plus points and give up at least 40 points in consecutive games.
Allen's dazzling talents were the difference in a potential Super Bowl preview.
He threw a 33-yard pass to Ty Johnson on his second snap and converted a third down with another throw to the former Lions running back, picking up another 24 yards, after rolling right and showing patience before passing to set up a 1-yard sneak.
“We’re watching an incredible player play incredibly consistent,” McDermott said.
McDermott chose to go for it on fourth-and-2 from his 49 and Allen found Johnson wide open for a 31-yard catch to set up James Cook's 6-yard touchdown run to restore a two-touchdown lead midway through the second quarter.
Campbell was aggressive as usual on the next drive, keeping the offense on the field with a fourth-and-4 from the Bills 46. Goff validated the decision with a 21-yard pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown to set up a 9-yard touchdown pass to Dan Skipper, pulling off a trick play with a throw to an offensive lineman who reported in as eligible to pull within a touchdown.
Just when it looked as though the Lions might get routed in the second half, Goff converted a third-and-17 with a 66-yard touchdown pass to St. Brown.
After Jahmyr Gibbs scored his first of two touchdowns early in the fourth quarter to pull Detroit within 10 points, Campbell opted for an onside kick that Buffalo's Mack Hollins returned 38 yards to set up another score for the Bills.
“Now we know where we stand against one of the AFC’s best teams,” Campbell said. “Today, that wasn’t good enough.”
Lions: Campbell feared three key players had season-ending knee injuries: DT Alim McNeill (knee), CB Carlton Davis (knee) and DB Khalil Dorsey (leg).
Lions: Play at Chicago on Sunday.
—
A previous version of this story corrected that Allen extended a league record by throwing for multiple touchdowns and rushing for more than one score for the sixth time in his career.
How can I watch Bills vs. Lions?
- TV Channel: Bills at Lions 2021-22 NFL, week 15 is broadcasted nationally on CBS and NFL Sunday Ticket - Paramount+ NFL on CBS 2021 - Try it FREE!.
- Online streaming: Sign up for Fubo.
In Canada, viewers can watch Bills vs. Lions on DAZN.
Scoring Summary
TD | 1st Period 10:56 | Josh Allen 1 Yd Rush (Tyler Bass Kick) | |
TD | 1st Period 2:01 | Josh Allen 4 Yd Rush (Tyler Bass Kick) | |
TD | 2nd Period 13:36 | Tim Patrick 12 Yd pass from Jared Goff (Jake Bates Kick) | |
TD | 2nd Period 8:15 | James Cook 6 Yd Rush (Tyler Bass Kick) | |
TD | 2nd Period 3:01 | Dan Skipper 9 Yd pass from Jared Goff (Jake Bates Kick) | |
TD | 3rd Period 13:11 | James Cook 41 Yd Rush (Tyler Bass Kick) | |
TD | 3rd Period 3:31 | Khalil Shakir 3 Yd pass from Josh Allen (Tyler Bass Kick) | |
TD | 3rd Period 1:41 | Amon-Ra St. Brown 66 Yd pass from Jared Goff (Jake Bates Kick) | |
FG | 4th Period 14:02 | Tyler Bass 50 Yd Field Goal | |
TD | 4th Period 12:00 | Jahmyr Gibbs 12 Yd pass from Jared Goff (Jake Bates Kick) | |
TD | 4th Period 11:51 | Ray Davis 5 Yd pass from Josh Allen (Tyler Bass Kick) | |
TD | 4th Period 8:02 | Jahmyr Gibbs 1 Yd Rush (Jake Bates Kick) | |
FG | 4th Period 2:03 | Tyler Bass 41 Yd Field Goal | |
TD | 4th Period 0:12 | Jameson Williams 3 Yd pass from Jared Goff (Jake Bates Kick) |
Statistics
BUF | DET | |
---|---|---|
28 | 1st Downs | 30 |
15 | Passing 1st downs | 27 |
11 | Rushing 1st downs | 3 |
2 | 1st downs from penalties | 0 |
5-10 | 3rd down efficiency | 6-13 |
1-1 | 4th down efficiency | 3-3 |
68 | Total Plays | 77 |
559 | Total Yards | 521 |
8.2 | Yards per Play | 6.8 |
12 | Total Drives | 11 |
362 | Passing | 473 |
23/34 | Comp/Att | 38/59 |
10.6 | Yards per pass | 7.6 |
0 | Interceptions thrown | 0 |
0-0 | Sacks-Yards Lost | 3-21 |
197 | Rushing | 48 |
34 | Rushing Attempts | 15 |
5.8 | Yards per rush | 3.2 |
5-7 | Red Zone (Made-Att) | 5-5 |
6-49 | Penalties | 5-41 |
0 | Turnovers | 1 |
0 | Fumbles lost | 1 |
0 | Interceptions thrown | 0 |
0 | Defensive / Special Teams TDs | 0 |
32:42 | Possession | 27:18 |
Game Information
Location: Detroit, MI
Attendance: 65,327 · Capacity:
2024 AFC East Standings
TEAM | W | L | PCT | T | PF | PA |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Buffalo | 12 | 3 | .800 | 0 | 469 | 331 |
Miami | 7 | 8 | .467 | 0 | 305 | 329 |
New York | 4 | 11 | .267 | 0 | 292 | 344 |
New England | 3 | 12 | .200 | 0 | 259 | 361 |
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