Josh Allen threw two landing passes and ran for one more – shrugging off aggravating an harm to his throwing shoulder – and the Buffalo Payments held on to beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24-18 on Thursday night time.
After every week of questions on his “low-energy” method and Buffalo’s slow-starting offense, Allen got here via for the Payments (5-3), throwing for 324 yards on 31-of-40 passing. He had been listed on the Payments’ report with a proper shoulder harm and was checked within the blue medical tent within the second quarter, however remained within the sport.
Gabriel Davis had a career-best 9 catches for 87 yards and a landing, and rookie tight finish Dalton Kincaid scored his first profession TD on a 22-yard catch.
Buffalo’s protection restricted the Buccaneers’ Baker Mayfield-led assault to lower than 200 yards of offense via three quarters and 302 total. And Payments punter Sam Martin contributed by touchdown three punts inside Tampa Bay’s 10.
Mayfield tried to rally Tampa Bay (3-4) late. He threw a 24-yard landing move to Mike Evans, adopted by a 2-point conversion to Cade Otton, to get the Buccaneers inside six with 2:44 remaining. But it surely took Tampa Bay 17 performs and seven:21 to march 92 yards for that rating.
The sport ended when Mayfield’s Hail Mary try from his personal 45 fell between a number of gamers in the long run zone. The Buccaneers have misplaced three straight and 4 of 5 since opening 2-0.
Buffalo constructed a 17-10 lead at halftime and by no means trailed. That was seven extra factors than the Payments had mixed for within the first halves of their earlier three video games, two of which they misplaced.
Having a lead took the stress off a protection lacking three key starters.
Mayfield completed 25 of 42 for 237 yards and two touchdowns, together with a three-yarder to Chris Godwin, who was the closest to Mayfield’s closing throw when it fell to the turf untouched. Working again Rachaad White led the Bucs with seven catches for 70 yards and had 9 carries for 39 yards.
Tampa Bay’s protection was lacking each beginning defensive tackles. Vita Vea was dominated out with a groin harm, and Logan Corridor damage his groin throughout pre-game warmups.
Allen took benefit, topping 300 yards for the twenty third time in his profession.
His TD run was the forty third of his profession, matching Steve Younger for second-most all-time amongst quarterbacks. And he now has 199 mixed passing and dashing touchdowns, tying Corridor of Famer Dan Marino for second amongst quarterbacks of their first six seasons.
Allen stated on Tuesday he is perhaps partially chargeable for Buffalo’s slow-starting offense after consciously making the choice to rein in his feelings final month. Allen known as it a “low optimistic” method and acknowledged he may need gone too far in decreasing his vitality degree.
The one factor subdued about Allen was his landing celebration following his 13-yard scoring run. Allen stood within the left nook of the top zone in entrance of a cheering crowd and casually walked up the sideline after being congratulated by a number of teammates.
On the play earlier than his TD run, Allen was sacked alongside the sideline, and that hit is what despatched him to the medical tent to have his shoulder evaluated. He returned in time for Buffalo’s subsequent drive however threw an interception when his move deflected off the fingers of Antoine Winfield Jr and was caught by defensive lineman William Gholston.
The Buccaneers scored two performs in a while Mayfield’s move to Godwin to tie the sport at 10-all.
Allen then led Buffalo on a nine-play, 75-yard drive, capped by the quarterback rolling to his proper and throwing throughout his physique to seek out Kincaid open over the center.
All the pieces the offense appeared to lack over the previous three weeks appeared corrected. The Payments modified their rhythm by going up-tempo at occasions to maintain the Bucs off steadiness. And Allen attacked the center of the sphere, one thing he was hesitant to do in his earlier two outings.
