The Buffalo Bills were waiting … and waiting … and waiting for something good to happen Sunday against the New Orleans Saints at Highmark Stadium.
It took a while, but ultimately, Josh Allen happened.
Needing a first down in the fourth quarter, Allen took off running on a third-and-5 play from the Bills’ 45-yard line. He juked his way down to the Saints’ 28-yard line, a gain of 27 yards.
On the next play, Allen used play-action to freeze the Saints’ defense, then fired a perfect pass to tight end Dalton Kincaid down the right sideline for a touchdown. It was an MVP sequence from Allen, and it came at a time the Bills needed it most, putting the Bills on the path to a 31-19 win.
The Saints had cut the Bills’ lead to two points on the possession before Allen’s heroics. That created plenty of nervous energy for the home crowd, which was expecting a blowout victory over a winless Saints team that came into the game as 15½-point underdogs.
It looked early like that would be the case as Allen started the game 5 of 5 for 102 yards and a touchdown. He surpassed 100 yards passing in the first quarter for the 16th time in his career (including the playoffs). The Bills improved to 15-1 when Allen throws for 100-plus yards in the first quarter.
In the third quarter, Allen rushed for a 5-yard touchdown, his 70th career touchdown from scrimmage, moving past O.J. Simpson for the third-most in team history, trailing only Andre Reed and Thurman Thomas, who are tied for the franchise lead with 87 each.
Allen now has 45 career games with a rushing and passing touchdown, tying Cam Newton for the most such games in NFL history.
1. James Cook sets a record
The Bills’ running back rushed for a 1-yard touchdown with 2:29 left in the first quarter. In so doing, Cook rushed for a touchdown in his eighth consecutive game in the regular season, establishing a new franchise record. The previous mark of seven had been shared by Cookie Gilchrist (1962), O.J. Simpson (1975) and Robb Riddick (1988).
Since the start of the 2024 regular season, Cook has 21 rushing touchdowns, which leads the NFL. He entered Week 4 with 284 rushing yards, which was second in the NFL behind the Colts’ Jonathan Taylor (338).
Cook hit 100 rushing yards for the day against the Saints in the third quarter during a nine-play, 80-yard touchdown drive. On the drive, he rushed five times for 42 yards.
Cook added a 12-yard reception on the final play of the third quarter. He was the only running back on the team to log a carry against the Saints through the first three quarters. Second-year veteran Ray Davis got a carry in the first minute of the fourth quarter – his first in two games.
Cook finished the game with 117 yards on 22 carries.
The Bills are 4-0 for the first time since 2020 and the second time in Sean McDermott’s nine seasons as coach. They overcame 10 penalties and a turnover to avoid the dubious distinction of becoming the first 3-0 team to lose to a 0-3 team in 17 years.
2. Cameron Johnston avoids injury
The Bills were able to ice the victory thanks in part to a roughing-the-kicker penalty called on Saints linebacker Nephi Sewell in the fourth quarter. Sewell ran directly into Bills punter Cameron Johnston’s plant leg, and the ensuing 15-yard penalty put Buffalo’s offense back on the field.
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Johnston – whose 2024 season with Pittsburgh ended because of a knee injury on a similar play – threw off his helmet in frustration. He stayed down on the field as trainers came out, then led him to the sideline medical tent. Johnston was signed after the Bills released punter Brad Robbins after Week 1.
Fortunately, Johnston was cleared to return to the game a short time later. At the end of the same series, he held for kicker Matt Prater, who drilled a 35-yard field goal to push the Bills past the 30-point mark for the fourth straight game to start the season.
Wide receiver Josh Palmer and offensive lineman Alec Anderson also spent some time in the medical tent during the game, but were able to return to action.
The Bills have now won 14 straight games at home in the regular season, trailing only a 15-game streak over the 1990-91 seasons for the longest in franchise history.
3. Cole Bishop steps up
Safety play has been a hot topic for the Bills from the time training camp started. After a tough showing for Bishop and Taylor Rapp in Week 1 against Baltimore, it was perhaps the team’s biggest area of concern.
To their credit, Bishop and Rapp have been better since that time. In the second quarter, Bishop made one of the best plays of his young career. The second-year veteran leaped to make an interception on a trick play by the Saints, as wide receiver Chris Olave was attempting to throw back to quarterback Spencer Rattler near the goal line.
Bishop read the play and jumped in front of Rattler to make the interception at the Bills’ 3-yard line on a third-and-goal play, preventing the Saints from getting points while they were trailing, 14-10. Bishop’s interception was the first for a Bills off a player other than a quarterback since Chris Draft intercepted Miami’s Ricky Williams during a game on Nov. 29, 2009.
It was the first interception of Bishop’s career in his eighth regular-season start. The Bills’ defense will get some reinforcements soon as it gets healthier – tackle Ed Oliver and linebacker Matt Milano had to sit out again – and a pair of suspended players, Michael Hoecht and Larry Ogunjobi, return after Week 6. If Bishop can grow into a quality starter, it will be a major benefit for the entire group.
4. Curtis Samuel makes his debut
The veteran wide receiver was active for the first time this season. Samuel got involved early for the Bills, running a beautiful route on a third-and-5 play on Buffalo’s opening drive. Samuel turned Saints cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry inside out, and Allen hit Samuel for a 9-yard completion that converted third down and kept the drive alive.
Two plays later, Khalil Shakir took a short completion 43 yards to the end zone to open the scoring. It was the fourth straight game in which the Bills scored a touchdown on their opening drive – the only team in the NFL to do that.
Samuel had been inactive for the first three weeks of the regular season, a disappointing development for a player with a $9 million cap hit – eighth-highest on the team. He missed extended time during the summer because of a hamstring injury, which allowed the team’s other receivers to pass him on the depth chart. The Bills had six wide receivers active Sunday, with Samuel and Shakir joined by Keon Coleman, Joshua Palmer, Elijah Moore and Tyrell Shavers.
Samuel also contributed on special teams at kick returner, gaining 26 yards on his attempt in the second quarter.
5. Spencer Brown sits out
The Bills’ starting right tackle missed Sunday’s game because of a calf injury. Brown questionable on the final injury report. He practiced on a limited basis Friday after having sat out Wednesday and Thursday.
The Bills have enjoyed remarkable continuity along the offensive line. Brown missed one game last year against Kansas City because of an ankle injury, but outside of that, the team has had the same five starters in place since the start of the 2024 season.
Ryan Van Demark got the start in Brown’s place against the Saints. It was the second start of Van Demark’s career after he also stepped in for Brown last year against the Chiefs. With Brown out, rookie offensive lineman Chase Lundt was active for the first time in his career.
Returner/cornerback Brandon Codrington was a healthy inactive for the first time this season. Cornerback Ja’Marcus Ingram and rookie defensive end Landon Jackson were also healthy inactives.
Oliver (ankle) and Milano (pectoral) were previously declared out for the Bills because of injuries. Oliver missed his third straight game, while Milano sat for the second time since getting hurt in Week 2 against the Jets.
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Jay Skurski
News Sports Reporter
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