On a blustery evening in New Jersey, the Buffalo Bills, led by Josh Allen, faced off against Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets in a tightly contested matchup. The game featured its share of missed field goals, penalties, and impressive throws from both quarterbacks. Ultimately, the Bills emerged victorious, defeating the Jets 23-20, with Allen contributing three touchdowns and sealing the win with a decisive 6-yard run on a critical first down.
Emerging from a crucial third-and-4 play, Allen celebrated exuberantly, reinforcing the Bills’ position atop the AFC East. This performance marked a significant turnaround after a lackluster outing the previous week.
“I wanted to come out and play a clean game and quickly get to my reads,” Allen stated. “I’m not sure about my final stats, but I felt we were quite efficient on offense.”
Despite the chaotic nature of the night, which included three missed field goals and a total of 22 accepted penalties, Allen maintained remarkable efficiency, completing 19 of 25 passes for 215 yards, two touchdown passes, and achieving a 127.9 passer rating. He also rushed nine times for 18 yards, adding a third touchdown to his tally.
“Josh was in control of the game, recognizing their defensive schemes and going through his progressions to get the ball out when necessary,” Bills head coach Sean McDermott commented. “He also made some spectacular plays, as he always does.”
This game marked Allen’s 21st career outing with multiple passing touchdowns and at least one rushing touchdown, putting him just behind Cam Newton (22) for the all-time record, according to NFL Research.
Following a dismal performance last week, where he completed only 9 of 30 passes for 131 yards, one touchdown, and a 56.4 rating in a loss to the Texans, Allen’s return to form was impressive. Unlike the previous week, he showcased the dynamic playmaking abilities that fans have come to expect.
The Bills initially took a 7-3 lead after an opening drive that featured rookie running back Ray Davis and concluded with a 1-yard sneak by Allen.
In the second quarter, Allen’s exceptional arm strength propelled the Bills to their largest lead of the night, as he delivered two stunning touchdown passes. The first was a quick-release bullet to Mack Hollins for an 8-yard touchdown. The second was a remarkable play where Allen, initially appearing to be sacked, evaded two Jets defenders, rolled to his left, and fired a 12-yard touchdown pass to Dawson Knox just inside the pylon.
One of the standout moments of the game came when Allen, seemingly in danger of a safety, rolled to his right, outpaced the rushing defenders, and launched a deep throw to Davis for a remarkable 42-yard gain. This play ignited a 90-yard drive culminating in Hollins’ touchdown.
“Josh is our quarterback, and you have to be prepared for anything,” Davis shared with NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. “He was about to go out of bounds and launched a perfect pass. I just had to catch it and help put us in a position to score.”
Remarkably, Allen recorded a speed of 16.26 mph at the moment of the throw, according to Next Gen Stats. This marked the fastest speed a quarterback has achieved on a deep completion (20 or more air yards) over the past two seasons.
However, it was the Jets who ended the first half with a celebration, as Rodgers connected with Allen Lazard on a Hail Mary. For the majority of the second half, the Bills’ offense struggled to find its rhythm.
In the fourth quarter, Allen managed to guide his team down the field for a 64-yard drive that culminated in a Tyler Bass field goal, which ultimately served as the game-winning score after a critical interception by Rodgers. Allen’s 6-yard run allowed the Bills to run out the clock, sealing their victory.
While the game wasn’t flawless, it was a welcome relief for the Bills to see Allen return to his MVP-caliber form, ending Buffalo’s two-game losing streak.
So far this season, Allen has thrown 10 touchdowns without a single interception, a stark contrast to last year’s total of 18 interceptions. Following a rough outing last week, he was once again a dynamic force, showcasing speed, long throws, and sound decision-making.
Reflecting on the game, Allen acknowledged, “The first half was strong, but we need to carry that momentum into the second half. There’s a lot to learn from this, as we got a little sloppy towards the end with some penalties, but overall, it was a team victory.”
