Josh Allen put on a dazzling showcase, throwing two touchdown passes and running for two more, as the Buffalo Bills staged a thrilling 34-28 comeback victory over the Arizona Cardinals in their heart-pounding season opener on Sunday.
Allen was in prime form, completing 18 of 23 passes for 232 yards, with touchdowns delivered to Mack Hollins and Khalil Shakir. Not just a force through the air, Allen also added 39 rushing yards on nine carries. On the defensive end, Greg Rousseau was a nightmare for the Cardinals, racking up three sacks and a forced fumble.
On the flip side, Kyler Murray showcased his versatility for the Cardinals, connecting on 21 of 31 passes for 162 yards and a touchdown, while rushing for 57 yards on five carries. Special teams sparkplug DeeJay Dallas electrified the field with a kickoff return touchdown, while James Conner and Michael Wilson also found the end zone.
Newcomer Marvin Harrison Jr., a first-round pick out of Arizona, had a quiet NFL debut with just one 4-yard catch.
Buffalo’s rocky start saw them down by 14 points, but the tide began to turn just before halftime when Allen connected on a seven-yard touchdown pass with 19 seconds left, slicing the deficit to 17-10.
The Bills came out blazing in the third quarter, with Allen zipping an 11-yard touchdown pass to Hollins, tying the game at 17-17 with 9:51 left in the period.
The momentum swung dramatically almost four minutes later when Rousseau sacked Murray, forcing a fumble that teammate Dorian Williams recovered at the Arizona 21-yard line. Allen capitalized swiftly, finding Shakir for an 11-yard touchdown, granting the Bills a 24-17 lead with 2:37 remaining in the third.
Arizona clawed back within four points thanks to Matt Prater’s 31-yard field goal with 13:32 left in the game.
But it was DeeJay Dallas who reignited the Cardinals with a spectacular 96-yard kickoff return touchdown. Conner’s successful two-point conversion brought the Cardinals within striking distance.
Buffalo’s dependable Tyler Bass added a crucial 39-yard field goal to give the Bills a narrow six-point cushion with 1:56 left.
Arizona’s final hope ended as Murray’s fourth-down pass to Greg Dortch fell incomplete near the left sideline on the Bills’ 29-yard line, sealing the dramatic win for Buffalo with just 26 seconds remaining.
The Cardinals showcased early dominance with a 13-play, 70-yard drive capped by a 5-yard touchdown pass from Murray to Wilson, taking the initial lead. They extended it to 10-0 with a precision 29-yard field goal from Prater.
Buffalo responded with Bass’ 37-yard field goal, but Arizona maintained control as Conner’s 2-yard run pushed their lead to 17-3 before halftime.
In a game filled with twists and turns, the Bills’ resilience and Allen’s brilliance helped them prevail, setting the stage for what promises to be an exhilarating NFL season. #BillsMafia, rejoice!
