Josh Allen, on Thursday Night Football, continued his unbeaten streak by leading the Buffalo Bills to a 24-18 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Allen demonstrated exceptional accuracy, completing 78% of his passes for 324 yards and two touchdowns. However, he did throw an interception when his pass was deflected shortly after release.
In addition to his passing prowess, Allen exhibited his rushing skills, gaining 41 yards and scoring a rushing touchdown on seven carries. He wisely used his mobility to avoid contact by sliding when necessary.
🤯This hail mary was SO CLOSE! The Bills hang on, and beat the Bucs 24-18
— Ballislife Bets (@BallislifeBets) October 27, 2023
✅Tampa Bay covers the +9.5 point spread#NFLpic.twitter.com/oQhKDM5QK0
In a noteworthy debut, rookie tight end Dalton Kincaid, the only active tight end due to injuries to Dawson Knox and Quintin Morris, made an impact with five receptions for 65 yards and his first career touchdown. In a memorable moment, Kincaid caught a touchdown pass from Allen in the second quarter and celebrated by leaping into the stands.
The Bills’ offense notably improved their first-half performance, scoring 17 points on Thursday, a significant contrast to their previous three games, where they managed only 10 points in the first halves.
The Bills’ defense and special teams effectively contained the Buccaneers in the first half, with defensive end Shaq Lawson blocking a field goal attempt. In the second quarter, the Bills’ offense found its rhythm, and Allen, with a 13-yard run, scored his fifth rushing touchdown of the season.
Tampa Bay eventually put points on the board with a long field goal and a touchdown pass to Chris Godwin, briefly tying the game. However, Kincaid’s touchdown restored Buffalo’s lead at halftime.
The third quarter started with Allen targeting Kincaid for an 18-yard gain. Allen led a successful drive, concluding with a touchdown pass to Gabe Davis, their final score of the day. Subsequently, both teams struggled to create scoring opportunities, resulting in a series of punts. Buffalo’s punter, Sam Martin, delivered impressive kicks, pinning Tampa Bay deep in their own territory.
As the game approached its end, Tampa Bay narrowed the gap with a touchdown and a successful two-point conversion. After a Bills’ punt, the Buccaneers attempted a Hail Mary from their own 45-yard line, but the game concluded without further scoring. With this win, the Bills improved their season record to 5-3 and will head to Cincinnati next Sunday to face the Bengals at 8:20 p.m.
Crucial Stats and Data
In Thursday’s win, Josh Allen joined quarterback Dan Marino in a tie for the second-most total touchdowns in their first six seasons, both with 199 touchdowns. They sit just behind Patrick Mahomes, who has 204 touchdowns to his name.
Josh Allen’s rushing touchdown in the game marked his 43rd career rushing touchdown, putting him on par with Steve Young for the second-highest number of rushing touchdowns by an NFL quarterback. Cam Newton holds the top position with 75 touchdowns.
Josh Allen’s unblemished record on Thursday games continued, with him now holding a 6-0 record in his career. This is notable, especially considering that Baker Mayfield, prior to the Buccaneers’ loss on this Thursday night, had been undefeated on Thursday Night Football.
Dalton Kincaid played a pivotal role in the Bills’ passing game, accumulating 65 receiving yards. What makes his performance even more remarkable is his impressive catch rate, having secured 30 out of 34 targets this season, giving him the highest catch rate among rookies and ranking sixth overall in the NFL.
During the second quarter, Ed Oliver achieved a sack, matching his personal season-high, a feat he previously accomplished in 2019. This is particularly noteworthy given that he had missed the previous week due to a toe injury.
Additionally, it’s worth mentioning that since 2020, Josh Allen leads the NFL with 18 passing touchdowns on scrambles outside the tackle box to the right side of the formation. Gabe Davis achieved a career high with nine receptions in the game, surpassing his previous high of six receptions, which he had managed on three occasions before.
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