ORCHARD PARK, NY – It was rough, wild and one-sided.
Really rough and Really one-sided.
The Jaguars were outplayed early and never recovered in their prime-time debut in 2024. The Buffalo Bills scored touchdowns on all five possessions in the first half to win 47-10 on Monday Night Football in front of a cheering crowd at Highmark Stadium.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen threw four touchdown passes – all in the first half – and Buffalo scored on its first six possessions, with the Jaguars never reaching double digits after the first quarter.
The Bills led 13-0 after the first quarter and 34-3 at halftime. They outscored the Jaguars 140-19 in the first quarter and 288-70 in the first half.
Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence completed 21 of 38 passes for 178 yards and one touchdown, with one interception. Bills safety Damar Hamlin’s interception in the second quarter was Lawrence’s first turnover of the season and led to a Bills touchdown that gave them a 24-point lead late in the first half.
Allen completed 23 of 30 passes for 263 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions. Buffalo fans chanted “MVP, MVP, MVP” after the Bills scored multiple touchdowns in the second quarter.
The Bills, four-time defending AFC East champions, climbed to 3-0. The Jaguars, who finished 9-8 each of the last two seasons, are 0-3 and have a road game next Sunday against the AFC South-leading Houston Texans (2-1).
The Jaguars did not record a sack or a turnover on Monday. They have not forced a turnover this season.
Step by step:
- The Bills took control quickly and with dominance. Running back James Cook’s six-yard run on the game’s first drive gave them an early 6-0 lead that held even after defensive lineman Roy Robertson-Harris blocked the extra point. The Bills converted a fourth down and a third down from the Jaguars’ 44-yard line when wide receiver Khalil Shakir caught a 12-yard swing pass from Allen. The Bills were equally impressive on their next drive. Allen threw a six-yard pass to tight end Dalton Kincaid, capping a 65-yard drive that gave them a 13-0 lead with 3:25 left in the first quarter.
- Jaguars kicker Cam Little’s 41-yard field goal with 10:39 left in the second quarter cut the Bills’ lead to 13-3. This was the Jaguars’ second drive of the game, with the Bills having controlled time of possession with two extended touchdown drives in the first quarter. The Bills dominated the rest of the quarter, with Allen capping the next three drives with touchdown passes – a 24-yard pass to rookie wide receiver Keon Coleman, a 27-yard pass to Shakir and a 16-yard pass to running back Ty Johnson.
- Tight end Brenton Strange’s 8-yard touchdown on a pass from Lawrence capped the first drive of the second half and cut the Bills’ lead to 34-10 with 11:15 left in the third quarter. The Bills scored for the sixth straight time on the next series when kicker Tyler Bass kicked a 27-yard field goal with 5:03 left in the third quarter to give Buffalo a 37-10 lead.
- The Jaguars drove to the Bills’ seven on the first drive of the fourth quarter, but linebacker Von Miller sacked Lawrence from the 17-yard line on fourth down, ending the threat. Bass’ 43-yard field goal with 7:45 left put the Bills ahead 40-10. Bills running back Ray Davis’ three-yard touchdown run with 4:04 left increased the Bills’ lead to 47-10.
- Safety Darnell Savage and tight end Evan Engram were among the seven Jaguars players inactive on Monday. Engram missed a Week 2 loss to the Cleveland Browns with a hamstring injury and Savage missed that game with a quadriceps injury. Other Jaguars players inactive on Monday: rookie defensive end Myles Cole, rookie offensive lineman Javon Foster, offensive lineman Cole Van Lanen, defensive tackle Esezi Otomewo and rookie defensive tackle Jordan Jefferson.
- Jaguars rookie cornerback Jarrian Jones suffered a shoulder injury on the first drive of the game and did not return. Jaguars veteran linebacker Foye Oluokun suffered a foot injury in the second quarter and did not return. Right tackle Anton Harrison suffered a knee injury in the second half.
