Josh Allen quickly put his stamp on the Buffalo Bills’ new stadium, which has been dubbed “The House that Allen built.”
asserted
Allen → put → that
Allen threw three touchdown passes and ran for two scores, and the Bills beat the Detroit Lions 41-31 on Thursday night in the first regular-season game at Highmark Stadium.
asserted
Bills → throw → Stadium
It was Allen’s fourth five-TD outing, and followed a four-touchdown outing (two passing, two rushing) in Buffalo’s season-opening win at Houston.
asserted
It → follow → Houston
“[We won in a] short week against a really good team who kept us fighting until the last second there,” Allen said after the game.
asserted
Allen → win → game
Allen followed the pregame fireworks celebration with more of his own by overseeing touchdown drives on each of Buffalo’s first four possessions.
asserted
Allen → follow → possessions
He scored the first regular-season TD in the stadium on a one-yard run 5:51 into the opening quarter.
asserted
He → score → quarter
He followed that with a 43-yard scoring pass to a wide-open Josh Palmer.
asserted
He → follow → Palmer
Tight ends Dalton Kincaid, with a 16-yard catch, and Dawson Knox, with a one-yarder, also scored for Buffalo in the first half.
asserted
Kincaid → score → half
Allen finished the night 20 of 31 for 248 yards, and added 72 yards rushing.
asserted
Allen → finish → yards
James Cook had 134 yards rushing and put the game away with a one-yard TD run late in the fourth quarter.
asserted
Cook → have → quarter
“I got a little emotional during the national anthem, feeling super blessed and lucky to do what I do.
asserted
I → get → what
This is a great spot, we’re going to be here for a long time, hopefully the fans enjoyed it,” said Allen.
asserted
Allen → go → it
Allen’s two rushing TDs upped his career total to 83, moving him into a tie for 18th on the NFL list with Jim Taylor.
asserted
TDs → up → Taylor
He also picked up his 90th regular-season victory, becoming one of just four quarterbacks to reach that milestone through their first nine seasons.
asserted
He → pick → seasons
The Lions were undone by their injury-depleted defense, and a banged-up offensive line that had difficulty opening holes for Jahmyr Gibbs and protecting Jared Goff.
asserted
that → undo → 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.
asserted
offense → rally → 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.
asserted
Gibbs → back → gain
Goff finished 26 of 38 for 327 yards and four touchdowns.
asserted
Goff → finish → yards
Amon-Ra St Brown had nine catches for 142 yards and two scores.
asserted
Brown → have → yards
Gibbs also scored on an 11-yard catch but was limited to 52 yards rushing.
asserted
Gibbs → score → yards
Sam LaPorta scored on a one-yard catch.
asserted
LaPorta → score → catch
The Lions’ defense got off to a dreadful start, allowing the Bills to score 27 points and gain 299 yards in the first half alone.
asserted
Bills → get → half
The struggles carried over from a season-opening 31-30 overtime win over New Orleans, in which the Saints rallied from a 21-0 first-half deficit and lost only after their two-point conversion failed in overtime.
asserted
conversion → carry → overtime
The Lions’ troubles began on Buffalo’s second drive when two defenders converged on DJ Moore, allowing Allen to find Palmer wide open deep for a 43-yard touchdown.
asserted
Allen → begin → touchdown
On Buffalo’s next drive, a holding penalty against Rock Ya-Sin, negated Skyler Gill-Howard’s interception of a tipped pass.
asserted
penalty → negate → pass
The Lions’ offense had its own sputters, with Goff sacked twice and also having a snap go over his head on Detroit’s first two series.
asserted
snap → have → series
The $2.1bn Highmark Stadium that officially opened last month was built across the street from the Bills’ former home.
asserted
that → open → home
The new stadium has a capacity of just over 60,000, about 12,000 less than the old facility.
asserted
stadium → have → facility
What’s different is the layout, with the new facility’s seating structure built steeper, placing viewers more on top of the action.
asserted
structure → ’ → action
The new building also features a canopy, which helps project crowd noise directly on to field.
asserted
which → feature → field
Bills fans began arriving two and three days earlier, with a private lot nearly filled with RVs by Tuesday.
asserted
lot → arrive → Tuesday
The Aporia
