Any concerns Josh Allen had about how the Bills would perform after a 10-day break were quickly put to rest during their opening drive, which ended with a 6-yard touchdown run by James Cook.
Buffalo’s offense kept rolling from there, as Allen threw four touchdown passes and the team scored on all five of their first-half drives, cruising to a 47-10 win over Trevor Lawrence and the struggling Jacksonville Jaguars on Monday night.
“It feels great, I’ll tell you that,” said Allen, whose 11th game with four touchdown passes set a franchise record, surpassing Hall of Famer Jim Kelly.
“This could’ve easily been a game where we took our foot off the gas after 10 days off, but I didn’t see that from our guys. There was a sense of urgency all week,” Allen said, referencing the team’s preparation since their 31-10 win over Miami on September 12. “We didn’t win it today; we won it over the last 10 days.”
Allen completed 22 of 28 passes for 247 yards in the first half, spreading the ball to nine different receivers. He attempted only two passes in the second half, finishing 23 of 30 for 263 yards before Mitchell Trubisky took over.
Allen’s touchdown passes went to Dalton Kincaid, Keon Coleman, Khalil Shakir, and Ty Johnson.
“He’s a freak of nature,” Shakir said of Allen, who now has 230 total touchdowns (passing, rushing, and receiving), just one shy of Patrick Mahomes for the most by a player in their first seven NFL seasons.
Buffalo’s defense dominated as well, holding Jacksonville to just 70 yards, five first downs, and a field goal in the first half. The game was essentially decided when Allen connected with Johnson for a 16-yard touchdown with 19 seconds left before halftime.
Safety Damar Hamlin also contributed with his first career interception, picking off a pass intended for rookie Brian Thomas Jr. Five plays later, Allen threw a 27-yard touchdown to Shakir, who broke two tackles on his way to the end zone.
Hamlin’s interception was particularly special, coming 21 months after he suffered cardiac arrest during a Monday night game in Cincinnati.
“We all know what happened in my last game,” said Hamlin, now a starter after being a backup last season. “To come back and have this moment, it’s all God.”
The Bills, the 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’ve scored over 30 points in each of their first three games.
Meanwhile, the Jaguars are in a tough spot. They last started 0-3 in 2021 under Urban Meyer, who was fired mid-season.
To make matters worse, Jacksonville’s flight was delayed due to mechanical issues after the loss.
The defeat follows a frustrating stretch for Lawrence, who expressed his disappointment last week after a loss to Cleveland, saying, “We suck right now.” The Jaguars also blew leads of 14-0 and 17-7 in their season opener against Miami.
Coach Doug Pederson voiced his frustration after Monday’s loss. “It’s shocking, very disappointing. We’re just not very good right now,” he said. “I need everyone to coach and play better. That’s the reality.”
Lawrence completed 21 of 38 passes for 178 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He’s now lost eight consecutive starts and hasn’t won since November 26 when he threw for 364 yards in a 24-21 win over Houston.
“I’m not playing my best, and it’s frustrating,” Lawrence said. “It feels like everyone takes turns making mistakes at the worst times, including myself. We can’t find our rhythm right now.”
Lawrence started the second half with a 6-yard touchdown pass to Brenton Strange, but his last two drives ended without points.
With 7:45 left, Lawrence was taken out of the game, watching as backup Mac Jones fumbled after being sacked, leading to Ray Davis scoring on a 3-yard run.
Jacksonville’s defense also struggled, as the Bills racked up 288 yards, 19 first downs, and converted 6 of 8 third downs in the first half alone. Buffalo’s 31-point halftime lead was tied for the third largest in franchise history and the biggest since 1992.
Von Miller added to the Bills’ dominant performance with a sack, bringing his career total to 126.5, tying Derrick Thomas for 17th on the all-time list.
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