Orchard Park, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - The Buffalo Bills remain unbeaten to start the 2024 season after a win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in spectacular fashion on "Monday Night Football" at Highmark Stadium.
Using a complete team performance, especially in the first half, the Bills are 3-0 to start a season for the first time since 2020 thanks to a 47-10 victory over the Jaguars in Orchard Park.
The Bills took the field to start the game and worked their way to the first points of the contest.
While there were some snags that led to a third down stop by the Jacksonville defense, Josh Allen and the Bills stayed on the field for a fourth down attempt to establish some dominance, and successfully did so after Khalil Shakir got the first down and more.
Bills running back James Cook closed out the drive with the first touchdown of the night, as he powered his way to the end zone to give the Bills the lead. Tyler Bass was unable to make it a 7-0 lead after his extra point attempt was blocked by the Jaguars.
The Bills defense shut down Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars offense on their first drive, setting the Bills offense up to extend their lead.
Allen and company, once again, marched down the field, picking apart the Jaguars defense in the process. The drive ended with another touchdown, as Allen rolled to his right and found tight end Dalton Kincaid in the back of the end zone for a six-yard touchdown.
The Jacksonville offense needed to rebound and get some points on the board, and were able to do so, but not with a touchdown. The Buffalo defense was able to hold the Jaguars to just a field goal from kicker Cam Little from 41 yards out to make it a 13-3 game early in the second quarter.
The Bills responded with another drive resulting in a touchdown. This time, it was an eight-play, 68-yard drive with Allen connecting with rookie wideout Keon Coleman for his first touchdown in the NFL on a 24-yard pass.
The following drive for the Jaguars saw it cut short when Lawrence overthrew his intended target and was picked off by safety Damar Hamlin. For Hamlin, it was his first-career interception in his second season back from his cardiac arrest at the tail end of his 2022 campaign.
The Buffalo offense cashed in on the interception, making work of a short field in five plays. The Bills were able to really break the game wide-open with wide receiver Khalil Shakir catching a short pass from Allen, and then taking off for a 27-yard touchdown.
Needing any sort of response, the Jaguars came up empty again after a third down sack from the Buffalo defense, courtesy of defensive back Ja'Marcus Ingram stepping up and registering his first-career sack.
With one more chance to put points on the board under the two-minute warning, the Bills did just that with Allen driving Buffalo back inside Jaguars territory. With 19 seconds remaining in the first half, Allen was able to drop a 16-yard strike into running back Ty Johnson's bread basket to put Buffalo up 34-3 heading into halftime.
The Jaguars got the ball to start the second half, and finally found the back of the end zone to cut into their deficit. Lawrence was able to connect with tight end Brenton Strange for a six-yard touchdown to make it a 34-10 game just 3:40 into the third quarter.
The name of the game offensively for the Bills to start the third quarter was chew as much game clock as possible in order to solidify a third-straight win to start the season.
Buffalo did just that on the very first drive of the half, going 61 yards down the field in 6:12, capping it off with a 27-yard field goal from Bass to extend the advantage by three.
Jacksonville was, again, looking to lessen the deficit and claw their way back into the game with time ticking off the clock.
However, after going 43 yards in 13 plays, the Jaguars were unable to cut into Buffalo's lead any closer following a fourth down sack from Von Miller at the Bills' 27-yard line.
After a Buffalo three-and-out for the first time all game, the Jaguars went back to work, hoping for any last-ditch prayer to get back into the game early in the fourth quarter. However, Jacksonville went four-and-out and turned the ball over on downs after an incompletion on fourth down from Lawrence.
With the Bills up 37-10 and the game out of reach, the Bills elected to end Allen's night in favor of backup Mitch Trubisky. Allen finished the evening by going 23-of-30 for 263 yards and four touchdowns in the air, and putting up a 142.1 rating along the way.
With the Buffalo offense already in scoring position, the unit advanced another seven yards, which was enough to set Bass up for a 43-yard field goal to put Buffalo up 40-10.
Mac Jones took over under center for Jacksonville with 7:45 remaining on the clock, but things got no better for the Jaguars.
On the third play from scrimmage in Jones' first drive of the night, he had the ball stripped from him by Bills rookie pass rusher Javon Solomon. Defensive end Casey Toohill was able to jump on the loose ball, setting up the Bills to cap off the impressive outing in style.
All it took was four plays for the Bills' backups offensively to find the end zone, as rookie running back Ray Davis punched the ball in from three yards out for his first-career NFL touchdown.
In one last-ditch effort to find the end zone, Jones and the Jaguars offense was able to drive 60 yards to the Bills' 10-yard line, but failed to come away with points after another turnover on downs.
All the Bills needed from there was a kneel down from Trubisky to seal the all-around team victory.
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GAME RECAP:
First Quarter:
- 6-0 BUFFALO: Bills touchdown (9:39) - James Cook rushes to the left for a 6-yard touchdown. (Tyler Bass' extra point attempt is blocked)
Drive info: 10 plays, 70 yards, 5:26
- 13-0 BUFFALO: Bills touchdown (3:34) - Josh Allen rolls to his right and fires a strike to Dalton Kincaid for a 6-yard touchdown. (Tyler Bass' extra point attempt is good)
Drive info: 11 plays, 65 yards, 5:12
Second Quarter:
- 13-3 BUFFALO: Jaguars field goal (10:43) - Cam Little's 41-yard field goal attempt is good.
Drive info: 14 plays, 47 yards, 7:46
- 20-3 BUFFALO: Bills touchdown (6:25) - Josh Allen connects with Keon Coleman for a 24-yard touchdown pass. (Tyler Bass' extra point attempt is good)
Drive info: 8 plays, 68 yards, 4:20
- 27-3 BUFFALO: Bills touchdown (2:11) - Khalil Shakir reels in a pass from Josh Allen, and then scampers 27 yards for a touchdown. (Tyler Bass' extra point attempt is good)
Drive info: 5 plays, 41 yards, 2:09
- 34-3 BUFFALO: Bills touchdown (0:24) - Josh Allen lobs a pass to Ty Johnson for a 16-yard touchdown. (Tyler Bass' extra point attempt is good)
Drive info: 5 plays, 64 yards, 0:53
Third Quarter:
- 34-10 BUFFALO: Jaguars touchdown (11:20) - Trevor Lawrence connects with Brenton Strange for a 6-yard touchdown pass. (Cam Lewis' extra point attempt is good)
Drive info: 8 plays, 70 yards, 3:45
- 37-10: Bills field goal (5:06) - Tyler Bass' 27-yard field goal attempt is good.
Drive info: 11 plays, 61 yards, 6:12
Fourth Quarter:
- 40-10 BUFFALO: Bills field goal (7:48) - Tyler Bass' 43-yard field goal attempt is good.
Drive info: 4 plays, 7 yards, 2:13
- 47-10 BUFFALO: Bills touchdown (4:08) - Ray Davis rushes up the middle 3 yards for a touchdown. (Tyler Bass' extra point attempt is good)
Drive info: 4 plays, 21 yards, 2:17
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SKYWORKS EQUIPMENT RENTAL STATS OF THE GAME:
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What's next:
The Bills begin a three-game road trip, starting next Sunday night with a matchup against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 8:20 p.m. ET on the official voice of the Bills - WGR Sports Radio 550.