Despite a rough second half offensively, the Buffalo Bills used their exceptional first half to collect a win over the Green Bay Packers, 27-17, on their home turf Sunday night.
It was a game where Josh Allen didn’t really light up the stat sheet, but an all-around performance on both sides of the ball showed a better Bills team, as the Packers continue to struggle to get their offense going.
Allen finished the game with 218 yards on 13-for-25 through the air, while rushing for 49 yards on six carries. His favorite target, Stefon Diggs, had himself a night, though.
Diggs was the game’s leading receiver after hauling in six receptions for 108 yards, as he set the tone especially in the first half.
It was a three-and-out for the Bills to begin the game, but eight plays and 61 yards for a touchdown to Dawson Knox was the result after Buffalo’s defense got the Packers to turn the ball over on downs. From there, Allen and the offense got rolling.
The defense forced a three-and-out on the Packers, and the Bills needed just four plays to make it 14-0 with Allen finding Diggs for a 26-yard score over Packers top corner Jaire Alexander, who Diggs was talking trash to before the game.
The Packers would follow up with their own touchdown to make it a one score game, as Rodgers found rookie Romeo Doubs in the back right of the end zone on an impressive snag with a defender draped all over him.
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Buffalo would follow up with their third touchdown of the half, as Isaiah McKenzie was extra patient before speeding his way into the end zone. And despite there being less than a minute left, Allen found Diggs on a 53-yard strike that set up a field goal to end the half with a 24-7 lead.
The second half was a bit sloppier for both teams offensively. There was a stretch of three interceptions, two by the Bills and one by the Packers, that would eventually lead to Rodgers finding Samori Toure for a 37-yard touchdown. It was Toure’s second career catch and first career touchdown.
The Packers would get another chance to push down the field at the end of the game, but it was all for naught as Mason Crosby missed a 55-yard field goal to give the Packers a chance at an onside kick and some late-game magic.
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Rodgers would finish the game with 203 yards, two touchdowns and one interception on 19-for-30 through the air. A bright spot for Green Bay was Aaron Jones, who was running his tail off, totaling 143 yards on the ground on 20 touches.
Buffalo will move on to face an AFC East opponent, the New York Jets, on the road next Sunday.
Rodgers and the Packers will hope they can dig themselves out of their current rut against the Detroit Lions, who are 1-6 now on the season.
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