Allen Enters Record Books in Bills' Shootout Victory
Josh Allen delivered a performance for the ages on Sunday, becoming the first player in NFL history to record two separate games with three passing touchdowns and three rushing touchdowns. The Buffalo Bills quarterback led his team to a hard-fought 44-32 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a game that featured a remarkable nine lead changes.
Allen's final touchdown, a determined nine-yard scramble with just 2:35 remaining on the clock, ultimately sealed the win for the Bills, who improved their record to 7-3. In a strategic move to ignite the passing attack, the Bills benched receiver Keon Coleman, and the decision paid dividends. Each of Allen's three touchdown passes covered at least 25 yards, showcasing the deep threat he unlocked.
Despite throwing two interceptions in the first half, Allen finished the game with impressive numbers, completing 19 of 30 passes for 317 yards through the air. The Bills' offence proved too much for Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers, who fell to 6-4 with the defeat.
Dramatic Finishes and Quarterback Concerns
Elsewhere in the league, drama unfolded in the final moments of several contests. The Chicago Bears secured a last-gasp 19-17 win over the Minnesota Vikings thanks to a 48-yard field goal from Cairo Santos as time expired. The game-winning kick was set up by a crucial 56-yard kickoff return from Devin Duvernay in the final minute, moments after the Vikings had taken the lead with just 50 seconds left.
The victory improved the Bears to 7-3 under new coach Ben Johnson, while the Vikings, plagued by two more interceptions from JJ McCarthy, dropped to 4-6.
In Green Bay, Jordan Love returned from a shoulder injury to guide the Packers to a 27-20 victory over the New York Giants, ending a two-game losing streak. Love threw two touchdown passes, including the game-winning score to Christian Watson with 4:02 left in the game. The Giants lost their fifth consecutive match, falling to a disappointing 2-9.
A significant cloud was cast over the Pittsburgh Steelers' 34-12 win against the Cincinnati Bengals, as veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers was forced out with a hand injury. The 41-year-old left the game late in the first half and did not return. Backup Mason Rudolph stepped in admirably, engineering two long scoring drives to help Pittsburgh improve to 6-4 and maintain their lead in the AFC North.
International Stage and Division Dominance
The NFL's international series made a splash in Madrid, where the Miami Dolphins edged the Washington Commanders 16-13 in overtime in the first-ever regular-season game played in Spain. Jack Jones intercepted Marcus Mariota on the first play of overtime, setting up Riley Patterson's 29-yard game-winning field goal.
In other action, the Jacksonville Jaguars bounced back emphatically from a historic collapse the previous week, thumping the Los Angeles Chargers 35-6. The Houston Texans, led by backup quarterback Davis Mills, swept their season series with the Tennessee Titans thanks to a last-second 35-yard field goal from Matthew Wright, bringing their record to .500 at 5-5.
