The Buffalo Bills flexed their muscles yet again on Sunday.
After throttling the Miami Dolphins last week in South Florida, the Bills followed that up by hammering the Washington Football Team by a final score of 43-21 at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park.
Buffalo's offense got off to another hot start in this affair.
After receiving the opening kickoff, Josh Allen and company went to work. The opening drive took just 4:07 to find pay dirt, as Allen found first-year Bills wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders for a 28-yard touchdown catch. It was Sanders' first touchdown with Buffalo.
The score swelled to 14-0 early in the second quarter when the Bills went to work following a Washington turnover. It was Allen finding running back Zack Moss for a seven-yard touchdown pass on the eighth play of the scoring drive. For Moss, it was his third time finding the end zone in the last two games since being a healthy scratch against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 1.
Washington's next drive didn't last long, as on a 2nd-and-6 play at its own 39-yard line, quarterback Taylor Heinicke's pass intended for receiver Terry McLaurin was intercepted by Jordan Poyer.
The Bills wasted no time turning the turnover into points, as just three plays later, Allen hooked up with tight end Dawson Knox for a highlight-reel touchdown grab.
It seemed like, once again, the Bills were all but in control of the outcome. Washington had other ideas, though, as on consecutive drives they found dates with the end zone to close the gap to seven.
The first came courtesy of running back Antonio Gibson, who outran everybody on a screen pass that he turned into a 73-yard touchdown catch.
On the ensuing kickoff, Washington kicker Dustin Hopkins recovered his own kickoff on a purposeful short kick that eluded returner Isaiah McKenzie. Washington, again, turned a drive into seven points on the scoreboard when Heinicke scrambled and rolled right from four yards out.
The Bills capped the first half scoring with a pair of Tyler Bass field goals in the late goings of the second quarter to bring the score to 27-14 Buffalo.
Washington received the second half kickoff, but were forced to punt after just four plays and advancing as far as the Buffalo 41-yard line. The Bills then went on a methodical, 93-yard scoring drive, spanning 17 plays and 8:17 of game clock. Allen capped the drive by finding Sanders in the end zone for the second time on the day.
Buffalo attempted a two-point conversion to extend the lead to three scores, but the attempt was unsuccessful.
The Bills defense snagged another turnover from the Washington offense on the following drive, as Micah Hyde intercepted a Heinicke pass that Buffalo then turned into three more points with a Bass 29-yard field goal.
Allen was already having a fantastic day, as he eclipsed 300 yards passing back in the third quarter and had four touchdown passes with the score at 36-14.
The one thing he had not done yet on Sunday, or this season for that matter, was rush for a touchdown. That changed with 4:31 gone in the fourth quarter of play, as he found the end zone from two yards out.
Washington was able to find the end zone late with a two-yard touchdown pass from Heinicke to tight end Logan Thomas, but the Bills were then able to kill off the rest of the clock to preserve the blow out victory.
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GAME SUMMARY
First quarter:
- 7-0 BUFFALO: Bills touchdown (10:53) - Josh Allen connects with Emmanuel Sanders for a 28-yard touchdown catch. (Tyler Bass' extra point attempt is good)
Drive info: 8 plays, 75 yards, 4:07
Second quarter:
- 14-0 BUFFALO: Bills touchdown (12:59) - Zack Moss accepts a seven-yard touchdown pass from Josh Allen. (Tyler Bass' extra point sttempt is good)
Drive info: 8 plays, 52 yards, 4:12
- 21-0 BUFFALO: Bills touchdown (10:42) - Dawson Knox reels in a pass for a 14-yard touchdown from Josh Allen. (Tyler Bass' extra point attempt is good)
Drive info: 3 plays, 17 yards, 0:55
- 21-7 BUFFALO: Washington touchdown (9:51) - Antonio Gibson escapes on a screen pass for a 73-yard touchdown. (Dustin Hopkins' extra point attempt is good)
Drive info: 2 plays, 75 yards, 0:51
- 21-14 BUFFALO: Washington touchdown (7:39) - Taylor Heinicke rushes for a four-yard touchdown run. (Dustin Hopkins' extra point attempt is good)
Drive info: 5 plays, 24 yards, 2:12
- 24-14 BUFFALO: Bills field goal (1:40) - Tyler Bass' 21-yard field goal attempt is good.
Drive info: 7 plays, 55 yards, 1:48
- 27-14 BUFFALO: Bills field goal (0:02) - Tyler Bass' 48-yard field goal attempt is good.
Drive info: 5 plays, 51 yards, 0:23
Third quarter:
- 33-14 BUFFALO: Bills touchdown (4:43) - Josh Allen finds Emmanuel Sanders for a five-yard touchdown catch. (Buffalo's two-point conversion attempt is unsuccessful)
Drive info: 17 plays, 93 yards, 8:17
- 36-14 BUFFALO: Bills field goal (2:11) - Tyler Bass' 29-yard field goal attempt is good.
Drive info: 4 plays, 6 yards, 0:53
Fourth quarter:
- 43-14 BUFFALO: Bills Touchdown (10:29) - Josh Allen runs it in a two-yard touchdown. (Tyler Bass' extra point attempt is good)
Drive info: 3 plays, 22 yards, 1:08
- 43-21 BUFFALO: Washington touchdown (5:21) - Taylor Heinicke finds tight end Logan Thomas for a two-yard touchdown. (Dustin Hopkins' extra point attempt is good)
Drive info: 10 plays, 75 yards, 5:08
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SKYWORKS EQUIPMENT RENTAL STATS OF THE GAME:
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What's Next:
The Bills stay in Orchard Park to host the Houston Texans (0-3) next Sunday, Oct. 3 at Highmark Stadium. Pregame coverage on WGR gets started at 7 a.m. ET with "Breakfast with the Bills - Fantasy Style" with Louie DiBiase and Derek Kramer. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m. ET with John Murphy, Eric Wood and Sal Capaccio on the call.
