Getty Josh Allen dives over linemen to gain the first down on Thanksgiving Day in 2019.
It may have been Josh Allen’s defining moment as the Buffalo Bills franchise quarterback.
One year ago today, Allen, in just his second season, led the Bills to a convincing 26-15 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day at AT&T Stadium, in the national spotlight. It was a sign that the Bills had arrived, that they were for real, and that Allen was the real deal.
He completed 19 of his 24 pass attempts for 231 yards and a touchdown. He also ran for 43 yards and another touchdown. But late in the game, with two minutes left on the clock and the Bills facing a 4th and 1 situation, they needed one more play to ice the game, and Allen delivered it
Allen picked up a botched snap, dove over the line, outmuscled any Cowboys defender that opposed him, and emphatically signaled a first down as the Bills stunned the Cowboys on their home turf.
It was a defining moment for the Bills and it was a defining moment for Allen. The Cowboys were just 6-5 at the time and the Bills were 8-3 but up until that point, Buffalo didn’t have that signature win that every team looks for.
They had lost to Cleveland three weeks before and had also suffered a big loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 8, so a win over America’s Team in Jerry’s World was what the Bills needed.
They got it in convincing fashion too.
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The Bills Earned Their Second Playoff Appearance in 3 Years
Buffalo’s win over Dallas was the third of a three-game winning streak. They went on to drop a close contest against the AFC-leading Baltimore Ravens the next week and earned the final win of the year with a 17-10 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday Night Football.
Their job was done and they were in the playoffs for the second time in three seasons. They earned a Wild Card spot and a matchup with the Houston Texans in the first round, which they lost in overtime.
But, when most fans think of a moment from last season they look to that defining moment on Thanksgiving Day where Allen put his body on the line for his teammates. They came away with a victory and some Thanksgiving dinner.
Josh Allen told @NFLonCBS he wanted a turkey leg if the Bills beat the Cowboys. @tracywolfson got it done for him.
Now the Bills Are Proving Themselves Even More
Some may have looked at that victory last November as a fluke, but the Bills are proving it now more than ever that they are the real deal.
Through 10 games, they sit at 7-3 with four wins over teams that currently own a winning record. They have a quarterback who is ranked as the 8th best in the NFL by Pro Football Network and the Bills are also just starting to get healthy.
For the first time this season, they may have their entire starting offensive line and defensive secondary as they prepare for the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.
CBS Sports also has the Bills ranked as the 8th best team in the NFL in their most recent power rankings.
A year ago, the Bills forced their way onto the map and in 2020 they are continuing to prove it.
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Josh Allen’s Defining Moment Happened a Year Ago on Thanksgiving Day