EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ (AP) Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills are off to the franchise’s best start in 35 years.
Not that you would know all that if you listened to the star quarterback.
Allen ran for two scores and threw a TD pass to DJ Moore, and the Bills pulled away from the New York Jets for a 31-12 victory Sunday that put them at 8-1 for the first time since 1991, when they started 10-1 en route to a second straight Super Bowl appearance.
“There is still so much to learn and grow,” Allen said. “And we’re not playing our best football right now.”
That’s a scary thought for the rest of the NFL.
James Cook ran for 157 yards, including a 74-yard TD in the fourth quarter that helped seal the victory. It came as the league-leading Bills’ offense looked little like a juggernaut through two quarters, when Buffalo led 10-6 before sending the Jets (2-8) to their fifth straight loss.
“Honestly, offensively, we didn’t play very well,” Allen said. “I know you can look at the stat sheet and see 31 points. I didn’t feel like we executed the first half the way we wanted to.”
It wasn’t a huge statistical game for Allen, who went 11 of 21 for 196 yards with the touchdown and an interception – just the Jets’ second this season – and ran for 5 yards, including both scoring runs.
But Allen made a little more history. His 325 regular-season touchdowns (233 passing, 90 rushing and two receiving) broke a tie with Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning for the most by any player in their first 10 seasons — even though Allen is still in his ninth year.
Joe Brady, who had the best start by a Bills coach in his first season, joined Jim Caldwell (7-0, Colts, 2009) and Herman Edwards (5-0, Jets, 2001) as the only NFL coaches to win their first five road games in their first season.
“I think it’s the best win we’ve had this season,” Brady said, praising his players for bouncing back from a short week following a 23-6 win at Minnesota on Monday night. “There are so many excuses that could have been made this week. It’s just not who they are.”
Jets quarterback Geno Smith injured his ankle in the third quarter after missing a series while being evaluated for a head injury late in the first half. Rookie Cade Klubnik made his NFL debut as a backup.
But with what appeared to be at least half the crowd at MetLife Stadium dressed in blue, white and red Bills gear, the Jets managed just four field goals by Jason Sanders. New York has gone nine straight quarters without a touchdown.
“Bad ball,” catcher Garrett Wilson said. “Bad football. Not a recipe for winning.”
Aaron Glenn needs to see how Smith’s ankle feels during the week before determining who his quarterback will be when the Jets face the Chargers in Los Angeles next Sunday. Smith was 13 of 21 for 148 yards. Klubnik finished 11 of 20 for 137 yards with one interception and ran three times for 26 yards.
“It was fun to be there,” Klubnik said. “But the fun is in winning.”
Allen pushed forward for a 1-yard touchdown to give the Bills a 7-0 lead with 2:43 left in the first quarter.
The Jets had a promising drive just before halftime, but had to settle for a field goal after Smith was injured.
On third-and-4 from the 9, Terrel Bernard hit Smith with his right shoulder while the quarterback was in the air and threw an incomplete pass on a jump pass toward the end zone. Smith remained on his back for a few minutes and was examined by trainers before heading to the injury tent.
With Smith out, Glenn had Sanders kick a 27-yard kick on fourth down to cut New York’s deficit to 10-6.
Klubnik, a fourth-round pick out of Clemson, opened the second half for the Jets in place of Smith and led a score capped by Sanders’ 22-yard run that made it 10-9.
Allen came right back and connected with Dalton Kincaid for 54 yards and the quarterback ran it in from a yard out three plays later to make it 17-9.
With Smith returning, the Jets got another field goal. But Allen’s 45-yard pass to Moore put the Bills up 24-12.
Klubnik returned for the next possession as Smith headed to the injury tent with an ankle injury. He was kicked out shortly after.
Klubnik was moving the offense late in the fourth quarter when Wilson caught a short pass and tried to move it laterally to Kenyon Sadiq. But Sadiq had to reach and couldn’t handle it, and Kaleb Elams-Orr recovered for Buffalo.
Cook raced down the right sideline 74 yards on the next play to make the score 31-12.
“We were pretty explosive,” Allen said of the Bills’ offense in the second half.
Bills: CB Dee Alford left in the second half with a concussion after being evaluated for a head injury and cleared to return in the second quarter. … LB Dorian Williams injured his calf in the fourth quarter.
Jets: Rookie WR Omar Cooper Jr. injured his ankle on New York’s first offensive play. … LG Dylan Parham injured his knee early in the second quarter.
Bills: Host the Miami Dolphins next Sunday.
Jets: Head to Los Angeles to face the Chargers next Sunday.
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