With a hot start and a relentless passing game, the Buffalo Bills pulled off an upset win over the Seattle Seahawks 44-34. The win moves the Bills to 7-2 on the year, with a 2.5 game lead in the AFC East.
Quarterback Josh Allen led the way for the Bills on offense with 415 passing yards, three touchdown passes and a rushing touchdown, helping the Bills score their most points in a game since 2016.
The defense, although giving up 34 points, made a lot of big plays in route to the win. Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson threw two interceptions, fumbled twice and was sacked five times, as the Bills pressured Wilson relentlessly throughout the game, forcing his mistakes.
The Bills game plan from the get-go was obvious: throw the ball and throw it all over the field. The Bills threw the ball 38 times, compared to only 19 rushing attempts.
The Bills game plan on offense was a surprise to the Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, who said, “we didn't think they would totally abandon the running game. We had a real nice plan for how they were gonna run it. We have to be able to adapt better.”
Allen spread the ball around, completing a pass to eight different receivers during the game. Wide receiver Stefon Diggs led the Bills in receiving with nine catches for 118 yards followed by wide receiver John Brown with eight catches for 99 yards.
Linebacker A.J. Klein, facing heavy criticism the last few weeks, had a huge performance for the Bills, registering two sacks and recovering a fumble he forced from Wilson in the fourth quarter.
All throughout the game, the Bills made timely plays in route to the win. Trailing 14-0 the Seahawks went for it on 4th and 1 from the Bills four-yard line; however, the pass was intercepted by safety Jordan Poyer, to preserve the Bills two touchdown lead.
Early in the fourth quarter, the Bills faced a 3rd-and-16 from the Seattle 35, leading 27-20. Allen threw a screen pass to Brown who picked up the first down and took the ball all the way down to the Seattle two-yard line.
On the next play, running back Zack Moss scored on a rushing touchdown to give the Bills a 34-20 touchdown lead. The Seahawks would play catch up the rest of the game and never got the Bills lead to within one score.
The decisive win by the Bills silences some doubt over the Bills performance versus top opponents after losses to the Chiefs and Titans. The win was especially emotional for Allen whose grandmother died the night before the game.
In response, members of the Bills Mafia have been donating money to Oishei Children's Hospital, most of which is in $17 increments, honoring Allen’s jersey number. The hospital even made a special donation button $17 in red and blue honoring Allen.
In response Allen posted on Twitter, “At a loss for words. Buffalo, I love you.” To date, over $350,000 has been raised for Oishei Children’s Hospital by Bills fans.
Next week the Bills head out west to face the Arizona Cardinals, who sit at 5-3 after their loss against the Miami Dolphins 34-31. The Cardinals also defeated the Seahawks this year by a score of 37-34.
The Bills will look to slow down Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray, who is having a breakout season and leads the Cardinals in passing and rushing. The Cardinals offense has plenty of weapons including one of the best wide receivers in the NFL, wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins.
The game has a lot of promise for fans of offensive football, with both teams averaging over 26 points per game. The game will be a shootout that is going to go down to the wire.
I’d give the Bills a slight advantage because of their ability to take the ball away on defense. I have the Bills winning a close one, 34-31.