The Buffalo Bills appeared to be back in playoff form during their 39-34 win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen out-dueled Bengals QB Joe Burrow, and Buffalo (9-4) jumped from the seventh seed in the AFC to the fifth, leapfrogging the Los Angeles Chargers (8-4) and Indianapolis Colts (8-5), who lost starting quarterback Daniel Joens for the rest of the season to an Achilles injury on Sunday.
Buffalo stormed back from a 21-11 halftime deficit, scoring four second-half touchdowns and scoring the go-ahead touchdown on cornerback Christian Benford’s 63-yard pick-6 with 5:25 left in the fourth quarter.
The Bills intercepted Burrow again on Cincinnati’s next possession, and Allen drove the team down again and extended their lead with a 3-yard touchdown pass to rookie tight end Jackson Hawes.
Allen Makes Franchise History
While besting Burrow in a head-to-head matchup and improving to 9-4 amid a heated playoff race was reason enough to celebrate, Allen also reached a major personal milestone.
The reigning MVP completed 22 of 28 passes for 251 yards and 3 touchdowns while rushing for 78 yards and another score. His 40-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter that pulled Buffalo to within 28-25 was one for the record books.
“LONGEST TD RUN BY A BILLS QB IN HISTORY ‼️” the Bills wrote on X.
Allen’s record-breaking run broke his own previous record of 36 yards set back in 2022.
“I just kind of tucked it and felt space and just ran,” Allen told reporters after the game. “[James Cook] did a great job of running his guy off and blocking down field to spring me loose. You don’t get those plays too often, so they’re fun.”
But Allen’s touchdown run wasn’t his only history-making feat. He also became the first QB in NFL history with three seasons of 20 or more touchdown passes and 10 or more rushing touchdowns.
Allen logged 29 touchdown passes and 15 rushing touchdowns in 2023, 28 touchdown passes and 12 rushing touchdowns last season, and he has 22 touchdown passes and 12 rushing touchdowns through 13 games this season.
The 29-year-old QB has set several records already this season. Just last week he passed former MVP Cam Newton for the most career rushing touchdowns by a quarterback (76).
Allen also broke the record for the most games with at least one passing touchdown and one rushing touchdown in a career (50), and the record for most games with at least two passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns (8).
Division Title Still Within Reach
GettyBuffalo Bills QB Josh Allen had a record-breaking performance against the Cincinnati Bengals
Despite winning their ninth game of the season, the Bills are still looking up at the New England Patriots (11-2) in the AFC East.
When the two teams went head-to-head back in Week 5, New England won a close game and exposed two of the team’s biggest flaws: the lack of a true No. 1 wide receiver and the secondary’s struggles shutting down opposing team’s top receiving threats.
However, the two teams play again next weekend. A win moves the Bills to within one game of the Patriots in the division with three games left in the season.
After that, Buffalo has games against the Cleveland Browns (3-10), Philadelphia Eagles (8-4), and New York Jets (3-10).
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