Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen has one thing to be proud of, even though his team lost 44–42 to the Los Angeles Rams.
Making history
The 28-year-old became the first NFL player to score three touchdowns receiving and three touchdowns running in the same game. No other player has ever done that.
Allen threw for 342 yards, with touchdowns of 41, 51, and 21 yards, and ran for 82 yards, with three 1-yard touchdowns. The Bills lost for the first time in more than two months. The last one was on October 6 against the Houston Texans.
When the Bills were down 38-21 in the fourth quarter, the seven-year pro led an amazing return.
It was 38–35 with just over eight minutes left in the game. Allen beat the Rams defenders on the ground and through the air.
But Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, who threw for 320 yards, has been in this position many times before. He led the team on a nearly 7-minute drive that ended with a 19-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Puka Nacua that made the score 44-35 after the extra point was missed.
That is, Allen and his friends were not going to give up without a fight.
The two-time Pro Bowler led a 54-second drive that finished with Allen’s third rushing touchdown of the game, making the score 44–42.
Yet, the Rams recovered the onside kick and played until the end of the game, which was their first win over Buffalo since 2012.
Both teams’ offenses were great; they scored 86 points, gained 902 yards, and scored 12 touchdowns.
Allen told the press after the game that it was a “total team loss in all three phases,” but that it all started with him.
“Bad to lose,” Allen said. It doesn’t matter if you lose by two or one hundred. You’re still down. On offense, we needed to score before and after halftime, but we didn’t do our part either.
Allen had a historic day on the field, but his team didn’t win. His showing may have made fantasy football players happy, though.
NFL Fantasy Football says that his 51.88 fantasy points are the most by a quarterback since at least 1950.
With the loss, the Bills’ record drops to 10-3, but they already won the AFC East after beating the 49ers in the snow last week.
Next week in Detroit, the Bills will play the NFC-leading Lions in a big game.
