The Buffalo Bills opened the new Highmark Stadium with a bang on Thursday.
While the Detroit Lions are typically formidable opponents for any team, they didn’t put up much of a fight on “Thursday Night Football.” Buffalo built up a 14-0 first-quarter lead, which ballooned to 27-10 by halftime.
“The Bills are now the first team to score 27+ points in the first half in their new home stadium since the 1971 Cowboys scored 34 first half points at Texas Stadium (10/24/1971),” BillsPR posted on X.
Quarterback Josh Allen put on quite the show in the first two quarters, moreover, he wrote his name in the NFL record books in the process.
Josh Allen Makes NFL History in Highmark Opener
Allen completed 12 of 19 passes for 162 yards and three touchdowns, and he added 42 yards rushing and another touchdown to accomplish something no one in NFL history ever had.
“Josh Allen is the first player with 5+ pass TD and 3+ rush TD through two games of a season in NFL history,” BillsPR announced on X.
Additionally, Allen did something that hasn’t been done in over six decades.
“Josh Allen is the first NFL player with 3+ pass TD and 3+ rush TD in his team’s first 2 games of a season since 1960 😳,” ESPN Insights posted on X.
Josh Allen Closing in on a Few More NFL Records
Allen’s first touchdown came on a 1-yard touchdown run. That too had some historical context.
“Josh Allen scores the first touchdown in the Highmark Stadium on a 1-yard rush. Allen now has 82 career rushing TDs, tying him with Corey Dillon for 19th place on the NFL’s all-time list,” BillsPR posted on X.
Allen’s rushing touchdown gave him 82 for his career.
It extended his NFL record for rushing TDs by a QB — Cam Newton is second all-time with 75, and Jalen Hurts is the closest active QB (63) — and it also moved him closer to another record.
“Josh Allen is halfway to Emmitt Smith’s 164 rushing TDs. He’s 30,” NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo wrote. “Averaging just under 10 per year with 41 over the previous three seasons and 3 already this year. The question is whether he’ll eventually be chasing Derrick Henry. We’ll see.”
Allen entered Week 2 with 4,721 rushing yards, good for sixth-most among QBs in NFL history. He’s 1,801 yards behind Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson for the most among QBs.
Bills Make Historic Josh Allen Announcement During 1st Game at New Highmark Stadium