Orchard PARK, N.Y. — Any lingering worries Josh Allen had about the Buffalo Bills’ performance after a 10-day break quickly vanished as the team opened strong with a 10-play drive that concluded with a 6-yard touchdown run by James Cook.
Buffalo kept the momentum going, as Allen threw four touchdown passes, leading the Bills to a commanding 47-10 victory over the struggling Jacksonville Jaguars on Monday night. The Bills scored touchdowns on all five of their first-half possessions, showcasing their offensive prowess.
“It feels great, I’ll tell you that,” said Allen, who set a team record with 11 games featuring four touchdown passes, surpassing Hall of Famer Jim Kelly. “I think it would have been easy to let up after 10 days off, but there was a lot of urgency from the guys throughout the week. We didn’t win this game today; we won it during that break.”
In the first half alone, Allen completed 22 of 28 passes for 247 yards, distributing the ball to nine different receivers. He attempted only two passes after halftime, finishing the game with 263 yards on 23 of 30 passing before being replaced by Mitchell Trubisky.
He connected for touchdowns with Dalton Kincaid, Keon Coleman, Khalil Shakir, and Ty Johnson.
“Freak of nature, all those things,” Shakir said of Allen, whose total of 230 touchdowns (passing, rushing, and receiving) is just one shy of matching Patrick Mahomes for the most in a player’s first seven NFL seasons.
Defensively, the Bills stifled the Jaguars, limiting them to just 70 yards, five first downs, and a single field goal over five first-half possessions. The game effectively ended when Allen threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Johnson just before halftime.
Safety Damar Hamlin added to the lopsided score with his first career interception, picking off a poorly thrown pass from Trevor Lawrence intended for rookie Brian Thomas Jr. Just five plays later, Allen threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to Shakir, who evaded two defenders on his way to the end zone.
Hamlin’s interception was especially significant, coming nearly 21 months after he suffered cardiac arrest during a Monday night game in Cincinnati and required resuscitation on the field.
“We all remember my last game and how that went,” Hamlin reflected. “To come back and have this special moment is all God.”
The Bills, now four-time defending AFC East champions, improved to 3-0 for the first time since 2020 and the third time under coach Sean McDermott. They have scored over 30 points in each of their games this season.
In contrast, the Jaguars are in free fall, marking their first 0-3 start since 2021, during Urban Meyer’s ill-fated tenure. Adding to their woes, mechanical issues delayed their flight out of Buffalo.
Lawrence expressed his frustrations after the Jaguars’ previous loss, stating, “We suck right now.” The Jaguars had already squandered leads in their season-opening loss to Miami.
Following this latest defeat, head coach Doug Pederson voiced his disappointment: “It’s shocking. I’m very disappointed. The reality is we’re not very good right now. We all need to coach and play better.”
Lawrence finished the game with 21 of 38 completions for 178 yards, along with a touchdown and an interception. He has now lost eight consecutive starts, with his last win coming on November 26 against Houston.
“I’m not playing my best, and that’s frustrating,” Lawrence acknowledged. “It seems like everyone is making mistakes at crucial moments, including me. We just can’t find our rhythm.”
After starting the second half with a 6-yard touchdown pass to Brenton Strange, Lawrence’s last two drives ended in turnovers on downs. He was pulled from the game with 7:45 left, watching as backup Mac Jones was sacked and lost a fumble shortly after entering, leading to a 3-yard touchdown run by Ray Davis.
Buffalo’s defense overwhelmed the Jaguars’ offense, allowing just 288 yards while the Bills converted 6 of 8 third downs and both fourth downs in the first half alone.
The Bills’ 31-point lead at halftime matched the third largest in franchise history, the largest since a 38-7 advantage against Atlanta on November 22, 1992.
Defensive standout Von Miller added a sack to his total, bringing him to 126.5 career sacks and tying him for 17th on the all-time list with Derrick Thomas, just ahead of Dwight Freeney.
Up Next:
Jaguars: At Houston on Sunday.
Bills: Make their third straight prime-time appearance and open a stretch of three straight road games at Baltimore on Sunday night.
