EditorsNote: changed to “6” and “five” in 8th graf and “1” in 9th graf. Added “27-yard” in 10th graf
Josh Allen threw for two touchdowns and ran for two others, Stefon Diggs had 11 receptions for 147 yards, and the visiting Buffalo Bills clinched the AFC East with a 48-19 win over the Denver Broncos on Saturday night.
Allen was 28-for-40 passing for 359 yards and rushed for 33 more to lead the Bills to their first division title since 1995.
Devin Singletary ran for 68 yards and a score, Cole Beasley had eight receptions for 112 yards, Dawson Knox and Jake Kumerow each had a touchdown catch and Jerry Hughes had a fumble recovery for another score for Buffalo (11-3).
Drew Lock was 20-for-32 passing for 132 yards and a touchdown, Melvin Gordon III rushed for 61 yards and two scores and Noah Fant had eight receptions for 68 yards and a touchdown for the Broncos (5-9).
Denver signed former XFL kicker Taylor Russolino when kicker Brandon McManus was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list earlier this week for close contact with someone that tested positive for the coronavirus. Russolino missed a field goal and two extra points.
Allen gave Buffalo a 7-0 lead with his 9-yard pass to Knox in the first quarter. The quarterback then finished a 95-yard drive with a 24-yard scramble to give the Bills a two-score lead.
The Broncos cut the lead to 14-7 on Gordon’s 10-yard run but Allen restored the two-touchdown lead when he hit Kumerow with a 22-yard scoring strike with 1:49 left in the half.
Denver answered with a 75-yard drive capped by Lock’s 6-yard TD pass to Fant with five seconds left in the half. Russolino missed the extra point, making it 21-13 at intermission.
Allen ran for a 1-yard touchdown on the opening drive of the second half, and 17 seconds later, Hughes scooped up Lock’s fumble at the Broncos 21 and took it in to make it 35-13.
Tyler Bass kicked two 27-yard field goals for Buffalo, Gordon had an 8-yard touchdown run with 1:52 left for Denver and Singletary answered with a 51-yard TD run after the Bills recovered an onside-kick attempt.
