Josh Allen turned the new Highmark Stadium into his stage Thursday night, accounting for five touchdowns as the Buffalo Bills christened their $2.1 billion home with a 41-31 win over the Detroit Lions.
The Bills superstar scored the first regular-season touchdown in the venue on a 1-yard plunge just 5:51 into the opening quarter. He added two more rushing scores and three passing touchdowns, finishing 20-of-31 for 248 yards while scrambling 14 times for 69 yards. James Cook piled up 135 rushing yards on 21 carries and punched in the clinching 1-yard run with 2:50 left.
Buffalo scored touchdowns on its first four possessions and never looked back after racing to a 21-0 lead. The offense rolled for 446 total yards, including 203 on the ground, going 5-for-5 in the red zone and converting 9-of-12 third downs. They punted just twice all night. Dalton Kincaid hauled in seven catches for 95 yards and a score, while Allen's 43-yard strike to Joshua Palmer highlighted an early barrage.
Detroit's Jared Goff threw for 327 yards and four touchdowns, with Amon-Ra St. Brown catching nine balls for 142 yards and two scores. The Lions twice trimmed the deficit to 10 points but couldn't stop the Bills when it mattered. Allen now owns four career games with at least three passing TDs and two rushing TDs — more than anyone else in NFL history.
The performance lifted Buffalo to 2-0 and dropped Detroit to 1-1 in a night that felt like a statement from a Super Bowl contender. The house that Allen built is officially open for business, and the MVP chants started early and never stopped.