Josh Allen willed the Bills to a season-opening 34-28 victory over the Cardinals on Sunday. The Bills defense held onto it.
Kyler Murray got the Cardinals to the Bills 29, where they faced a fourth-and-seven, but his final pass fell incomplete at the 2 with 26 seconds left.
Allen completed 18 of 23 passes for 232 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 39 yards and two touchdowns on nine carries. He lost a fumble on a strip-sack on the third play of the game but was money after that.
Rookie first-round pick Keon Coleman caught four passes for 51 yards, and James Cook rushed for 71 yards on 19 carries.
Murray gave the Cardinals a 17-3 lead early, but the Bills scored touchdowns to end the first half and to start the second half. Buffalo seemed to have put it away on Allen’s 6-yard touchdown run with 8:44 left, giving Buffalo a 31-20 lead, but the Bills decided to kick it deep.
Cardinals returner DeeJay Dallas scored the NFL’s first touchdown on the dynamic kickoff. He went 96 yards to the end zone, running through two attempted tackles at the 40 and then diving into the end zone ahead of kicker Tyler Bass. The Cardinals converted the two-point conversion on a James Conner run, cutting the lead to 31-28.
Allen led the Bills back down the field, and Bass’ 39-yard field goal with 1:56 left had the Cardinals in need of a touchdown to win.
Murray went 21-of-31 for 162 yards and a touchdown and ran for 57 yards on five carries. Rookie first-round receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. caught one pass for 4 yards, while Greg Dortch had six receptions for 47 yards.
Cardinals returner DeeJay Dallas scored the first touchdown on the dynamic kickoff.
He went 96 yards to the end zone, running through two attempted tackles at the 40 and then diving into the end zone ahead of kicker Tyler Bass.
It was a miscue by Buffalo to kick the ball deep, with the Bills holding a 31-20 lead with 8:44 remaining. The Cardinals converted the two-point conversion on a James Conner run, cutting the lead to 31-28.
Josh Allen has the Bills in the lead, going 16-of-20 for 214 yards and two touchdowns. Rookie first-round pick Keon Coleman has four receptions for 51 yards.
The Bills scored with 19 seconds left in the first half on a Josh Allen run. They opened the second half with a 10-play, 60-yard drive that ended with Allen’s first touchdown pass of the season.
The Bills quarterback found Mack Hollins for an 11-yard score to tie the Cardinals 17-17 early in the second half.
The team benefitted from good field position after Matt Prater’s kickoff fell short of the landing zone, putting it at the 40 to start.
Allen now is 10-of-11 for 134 yards and a touchdown. He has three rushes for 20 yards and a touchdown but also lost a fumble on a strip sack on the team’s first possession.
The Cardinals scored on all three possession of the first half, not counting on a one-play kneel down to end the half.
Kyler Murray looks like Kyler Murray again.
Thus, the Cardinals could be better than what the oddsmakers expect.
Arizona scored on all three possessions of the first half, taking a 17-10 lead into the locker room at halftime.
The Cardinals scored on their three possessions of the first half other than a one-play kneel down to end the half.
Murray is 16-of-19 for 131 yards and a touchdown, a 5-yard throw to Michael Wilson. Rookie first-rounder Marvin Harrison Jr. has one catch for 4 yards, but running back James Conner has three catches for 33 yards and a 3-yard rushing touchdown.
The Cardinals limited the Bills to only three possessions in the first half. Josh Allen fumbled on the first one, a strip sack Roy Lopez at the Arizona 29, and he had a 4-yard touchdown run wiped out by a facemask penalty on offensive lineman O’Cyrus Torrence and had to settle for a field goal.
The Bills had three penalties for 15 yards on their third drive but overcame them for a 7-yard touchdown run by Allen with 19 seconds remaining in the first half.
Allen is 5-for-5 for 76 yards and ran for 20 yards.
The Cardinals have outgained the Bills 190 yards to 141.
The Saturday reports regarding the anticipated absence of Packers quarterback Jordan Love weren’t especially consistent. Here’s what we’ve learned on Sunday.
Per a source with knowledge of the situation, Love is expected to be back in Week 4, Week 5, or Week 6.
That means he’ll miss Week 2 against the Colts, Week 3 against the Titans, and return for Week 4 against the Vikings or Week 5 against the Rams or Week 6 against the Cardinals.
The MRI, we’re told, was as good as the Packers could hope for it to be, given what they knew on Friday night, after the injury happened.
For now, they’ll ride with Malik Willis. Dianna Russini of TheAthletic.com reported earlier today that the Packers have reached out to Ryan Tannehill. Given the short-term nature of the assignment, Tannehill could end up waiting for a better opportunity.
Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray missed nine games last season while working his way back from a torn anterior cruciate ligament. He is fully healthy, and he is showing it.
Murray went 4-for-5 for 44 yards on the Cardinals’ first drive.
He gave the Cardinals a 7-0 lead with a 5-yard touchdown pass to Michael Wilson.
Murray also had a 6-yard run and a cheap 10-yard unnecessary roughness penalty in the red zone. After Murray slid, cornerback Ja’Marcus Ingram did nothing more than touch Murray, avoiding a hit on him.
The Bills returned the ensuing dynamic kickoff 53 yards to give Josh Allen good field position.
Every week we bring you all the inactives from the 1 p.m. ET games in one post, constantly updated with the latest information.
Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase’s status for Sunday’s game has been closely watched all week because the wideout has reportedly been on the fence about playing without a contract extension in place. Chase warmed up on the field before the home game against New England on Sunday morning and he is active for the season opener.
That suggests Chase will play, but there have been a lot of twists and turns with the receiver since the start of training camp so we’ll see if he has his usual role. The Bengals will take as much as they can get with Tee Higgins out and the chance to start the year with a win on the line against the Patriots.
Bengals at Patriots
Bengals: WR Tee Higgins, WR Kendric Pryor, EDGE Cedric Johnson, T Amarius Mims, TE Tanner McLachlan, DT Kris Jenkins
Patriots: QB Joe Milton, WR Javon Baker, LB Curtis Jacobs, G Sidy Sow, T Zachary Thomas, T Demontrey Jacobs, DT Eric Johnson
Cardinals at Bills
Cardinals: WR Xavier Weaver, TE Travis Vokolek, OL Jon Gaines, DB Darren Hall, LB Jesse Luketa
Bills: T Ryan Van Demark, DE Dawuane Smoot, S Cole Bishop, LB Joe Andreessen, LB Eddie Ulofoshio, C Sedrick Van-Pran Granger, DE Javon Solomon
Vikings at Giants
Vikings: CB Fabian Moreau, DB Dwight McGlothern, WR Trishton Jackson, DT Levi Drake Rodriguez, DT Jalen Redmond, T Walter Rouse, QB Brett Rypien
Giants: S Anthony Johnson, CB Tre Hawkins, LB Boogie Basham, G Jake Kubas, QB Tommy DeVito
Titans at Bears
Titans: S Jamal Adams, LB Otis Reese, OL John Ojukwu, TE David Martin-Robinson, TE Thomas Odukoya, LB Ali Gaye
Bears: WR Tyler Scott, RB Roschon Johnson, OL Kiran Amegadjie, OL Bill Murray, DT Zacch Pickens, LB Noah Sewell, DE Dominique Robinson
Panthers at Saints
Panthers: S Jammie Robinson, CB Shemar Bartholomew, C Andrew Raym, G Jarrett Kingston, TE Tommy Tremble, TE Messiah Swinson, DE LaBryan Ray
Saints: WR A.T. Perry, QB Spencer Rattler, DT Khalen Saunders, LB D’Marco Jackson, LB Jaylan Ford, TE Dallin Holker, DT John Ridgeway
Steelers at Falcons
Steelers: QB Russell Wilson, WR Roman Wilson, DB Jalen Elliott, OL Isaac Seumalo, DL Dean Lowry
Falcons: RB Jase McClellan, CB Antonio Hamilton, DL Brandon Dorlus, OL Jovaughn Gwyn, WR Casey Washington, DL Ruke Orhorhoro
Jaguars at Dolphins
Jaguars: S Daniel Thomas, OL Javon Foster, OL Cole Van Lanen, DT Esezi Otomewo, DT Jordan Jefferson, DT Jeremiah Ledbetter
Dolphins: RB Jaylen Wright, CB Ethan Bonner, LB Channing Tindall, LB Mo Kamara, OL Andrew Meyer, WR Malik Washington
Texans at Colts
Texans: WR John Metchie, RB Cam Akers, S M.J. Stewart, LB Jamal Hill, G Nick Broeker
Colts: C Tanor Bortolini, WR Josh Downs, QB Sam Ehlinger, CB Dallis Flowers, T Blake Freeland, K Matt Gay, TE Will Mallory
Bills defensive end Dawuane Smoot was added to the practice report Friday as a non-participant with a toe injury. The team listed him as questionable.
On Saturday, the Bills downgraded Smoot to out.
Casey Toohill is expected to see increased reps in the rotation.
The Bills also announced two roster elevations: Defensive end Kameron Cline and offensive lineman Will Clapp were elevated from the practice squad for Sunday’s season opener against the Cardinals.
Cline has seen action in five career games since joining the NFL in 2020. If he plays on Sunday, it’ll be his first appearance for the Bills.
After playing his college football at South Dakota, he joined the Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2020.
Clapp joined the Bills in March as a free agent. He’s in his seventh NFL season and spent the past two seasons with the Chargers.
He started 11 games at center in 2023.
Clapp was a seventh-round pick of the Saints in 2018.
The Bills will have backup quarterback Mitchell Trubisky available if they need him on Sunday.
Trubisky’s knee injury kept him off the field for a while in August, but he practiced every day this week and moved up to full participation the last two days. Trubisky did not receive an injury designation on Friday’s injury report, which puts him on track to be in the lineup against Arizona.
Wide receiver Curtis Samuel (toe) is also off the report and on track to play.
Defensive ends Javon Solomon (oblique) and Dawuane Smoot (toe) did not practice on Friday. Solomon has been ruled out and Smoot is listed as questionable.
The outlook for Bills backup quarterback Mitchell Trubisky being available for Sunday’s game against the Cardinals is looking better.
Trubisky missed the last stretch of summer work with a knee injury that cast doubt on his status for the season opener. Trubisky was able to practice on a limited basis on Wednesday, however, and he moved up to full practice on Thursday.
Former Dolphins and Jets quarterback Mike White is on the practice squad and would be called up if Trubisky can’t play.
Defensive end Javon Solomon (oblique) remained the only player out of practice for Buffalo. Safety Cole Bishop (shoulder), tight end Quintin Morris (shoulder), and wide receiver Curtis Samuel (toe) were full participants.