Josh Allen MVP watch is officially on. During the Buffalo Bills’ Thursday Night fixture against the Detroit Lions, Allen orchestrated five total touchdowns as the Bills improved to 2-0 for the season.
Allen threw 3 touchdown passes to Dalton Kincaid, Josh Palmer, and Dawson Knox and set up James Cook for one rushing score. The 30-year-old further added two scores using his feet. Buffalo won 41-31.
According to ESPN Insight, ‘Josh Allen is the third player all-time with 9+ Pass/Rush TD and no turnovers over his team’s first two games of a season.’
On opening day, Allen threw two passing touchdowns and scored two rushing touchdowns against the Houston Texans. The Bills won by five points, finally winning a game at Texas.
After two games, Josh Allen has completed 40 of 60 passes (66.7%) for 582 yards, 5 passing touchdowns, and 4 rushing touchdowns. According to ESPN’s research, only Peyton Manning and Patrick Mahomes have had 9+ touchdowns and zero turnovers in their first two games.
In 2013, Manning (Denver Broncos) and in 2018, Mahomes (Kansas City Chiefs) threw 9+ TDs, both won the league MVP award that year. Additionally, Mahomes won his . Allen is on the same trajectory. Then again, matching Manning’s 7 passing touchdowns (against the Ravens on opening day of the 2013 season) to start his MVP could be a step too far, even for Allen.
Bills PR tweeted that Allen is the first player in NFL history with 5+ pass TDs and 3+ rush TDs through the first two games of the season.
Allen won his first MVP award in 2024 by edging Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson. That year, he had 307 completions for 3731 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions. He also rushed 102 times for 531 yards and scored 12 touchdowns.
The Bills went 13-4 in the regular season. In the wild card, the Bills overcame the Broncos. Allen threw two touchdowns to pass legendary Bills quarterback Jim Kelly’s postseason touchdown record. In the divisional round, he rushed for two TDs in a two-point win over the Ravens. In the conference title game, the Bills faced the Kansas City Chiefs. Despite throwing a couple of TDs, the Bills lost 32-39. Allen dropped to 0-4 against Mahomes in the postseason.
While the Bills improved to 2-0 after Thursday’s victory over the Lions, the AFC East franchise also suffered a big blow. Star wide receiverDJ Moore left the game in the first half with a shoulder injury.
With three minutes left before halftime, the Bills led the Lions 21-7. On 2nd 3, Allen threw a dart to Moore inside the Lions’ end zone. A Detroit defender threw himself at Moore, forcing an incomplete pass.
Moore hit the turf hard. Replays showed the 29-year-old falling on his left shoulder. He stayed down.
The Bills took Moore off, and he did not return in the second half. Dr. Tom Christ gave a quick analysis of the nature of Moore’s possible injury.
Lands directly on his left shoulder, then defender lands on him. Common mechanism for an AC joint or even SC joint injury, was grabbing at his collarbone so I was initially concerned he broke it but he seemed to walk off without arm support which makes a fracture less likely.
Dr. Tom Christ tweeted
Moore’s second Bills game ended without ever catching a single pass. In his first game, Moore had 5 receptions for 100 yards and one touchdown. The Bills acquired Moore and a for a 2026 second-round pick.