Add The New York Post on Google It didn’t take long for Josh Allen to christen the Bills’ new stadium.
Allen and the Bills got off to a red-hot start against the Lions on Thursday in the first game at Buffalo’s Highmark Stadium, jumping out to a 27-10 lead at halftime.
The Week 2 matchup was lopsided from the start, with Allen rushing for a touchdown early in the first quarter.
At the end of the quarter, Allen found wide receiver Joshua Palmer on a 43-yard pass for the Bills’ second touchdown of the game.
Allen, 30, then made history when he opened the second quarter with a touchdown pass to tight end Dawson Knox, extending the lead to 21-0.
With that touchdown, Allen became the first quarterback since 1960 to record at least three passing and three rushing touchdowns in his team’s first two games, according to ESPN.
In Buffalo’s 36-31 Week 1 win against the Texans, Allen finished with two rushing and two passing touchdowns.
Buffalo continued to pile on Detroit, with Allen throwing his third passing TD of the night late in the second quarter, this time to Dalton Kincaid, putting the Bills up 20.
The Lions kicked a field goal to end the second quarter, which cut the Bills’ lead to 17.
At the end of the first half, Allen finished with a total of four touchdowns and 164 passing yards on 12 of 19 attempts.
James Cook III led the way on the ground for the Bills, rushing for 101 yards on 11 carries.
Buffalo’s stellar performance comes as the team plays its first game at Highmark Stadium, a long-anticipated move for the Bills.
The project, which cost a total of $2.2 billion, was the center of negative feedback over the summer, with many pointing out that some seats in the stadium had obstructed views.
Buffalo also replaced the field late last month, after one player told The Athletic that “the field is ass right now.”
Nevertheless, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell had nothing but praise for the new stadium ahead of Thursday’s game.
“This is something spectacular. I think it’s going to make the people of Buffalo really proud,” Goodell said on the Amazon Prime broadcast. “This community loves the Bills, loves football and has such great pride in it.
“And I think this is gonna be their new home, their building, their stage. And I just think they’re gonna love this. And it’s gonna be a fun night to see them react to it.”
