The wait for regular-season football at the Buffalo Bills’ new home ended Thursday night, when Highmark Stadium hosted its first regular-season game.
Right on cue, Buffalo’s star quarterback Josh Allen orchestrated a picture-perfect first half as the home team raced to a 27-10 halftime lead over the Detroit Lions. Allen threw three touchdown passes and ran for two scores to power the Bills to a 41-31 victory.
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Allen recorded the fourth five-touchdown game of his career Thursday, one week after throwing two touchdown passes and running for two more in a 36-31 season-opening win over the Houston Texans.
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The $2.1 billion stadium that officially opened last month was built across the street from the Bills’ former home.
Allen followed the pregame fireworks celebration with more fireworks of his own by overseeing touchdown drives on each of Buffalo’s first four possessions. Bills running back James Cook had 134 yards rushing and put the game away with a 1-yard TD run with just under three minutes remaining.
Allen’s two rushing touchdowns upped his career total to 83, moving him into a tie for 18th on the NFL list with Jim Taylor. He also picked up his 90th regular-season victory, becoming one of just four quarterbacks to reach that milestone in their first nine seasons.
The Lions were undone by an injury-depleted defense, and a banged-up offensive line that had difficulty opening holes for Jahmyr Gibbs and protecting Jared Goff.
After rallying from a 21-0 deficit to cut Buffalo’s lead to 34-24, the Lions’ offense stalled midway through the fourth quarter. Backed up at their own 10, the Lions went three-and-out and were forced to punt after Goff had two passes tipped by Deone Walker, and Gibbs was stopped for no gain.
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Goff finished 26 of 38 for 327 yards and four touchdowns, while Amon-Ra St. Brown had nine catches for 142 yards and two scores. Gibbs scored on an 11-yard catch but was limited to 52 rushing yards, and Sam LaPorta added a 1-yard touchdown reception.
Despite being an open-air facility, the Bills’ new home was designed to withstand Buffalo’s weather. Underground heating coils keep the natural-grass field from freezing, while roof sensors monitor snowfall and activate the world’s largest stadium snow-melt system.
The new stadium will also shield most fans from the wind with its 360-degree canopy.
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Highmark Stadium seats 60,108 fans, about 10,000 fewer than its predecessor.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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