Credit: Imagn
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen scored his second rushing touchdown of the game on Sunday, leaping over Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker to extend the team’s lead in the fourth quarter. However, Allen appeared to injure his left hand on the landing.
As Allen jumped into the end zone, he braced for impact by wrapping his hands around the ball. Defensive lineman Justin Jones attempted to push him back, causing Allen to land awkwardly with his left, non-throwing hand underneath him.
“The first rushing touchdown, I kind of lowered the shoulder, knowing that was a corner,” Allen said. “Second time, I knew it was Budda, and Budda’s a good player and he’ll lay the boom on you, so I decided to go up and over, but probably can’t make a living doing that, but here we are.”
Downplays Injury, X-rays Expected
Allen played the rest of the game, and his hand was wrapped by the Bills’ trainers on the sideline. When asked about his hand, Allen downplayed the concern, saying it was “fine” but added he would likely get X-rays. After the game, Allen briefly visited the X-ray room, but his hand was no longer wrapped by the time he returned to the locker room.
“Again, we’ll find out — I’m not quite sure,” Allen said. “I’m not a doctor. But just kind of landed on it, I guess.”
Buffalo Rallies for Win
The Bills rallied from a 17-3 deficit late in the first half to win 34-28. Allen completed 18 of 23 passes for 232 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for 39 yards and two rushing touchdowns. With this performance, Allen became the fifth player in NFL history to throw and rush for multiple touchdowns in a season opener, joining Troy Aikman (1998) and tying Steve Young for the most career games with multiple passing and rushing touchdowns.
Coach Concerned About Injury
Buffalo faces a quick turnaround with a Thursday Night Football game against the Miami Dolphins in Week 2. Head coach Sean McDermott did not provide an immediate update on Allen’s condition but acknowledged concern.
“Yeah, always concerned anytime anybody is hurt,” McDermott said. “In this case, for sure Josh. I’ll know more, again, hopefully in the next couple of hours. Maybe even when I walk back through the hallway here, so always concerned.”
Key Defensive Players Step Up
Aside from Allen’s injury, the Bills also lost nickel cornerback Taron Johnson early in the game to a forearm injury. Defensive back Cam Lewis filled in, while Ja’Marcus Ingram stepped up in the dime package, including defending the Cardinals’ final fourth-down pass to secure the win.
Allen’s strong finish after an early fumble set the tone for Buffalo’s comeback. McDermott praised his quarterback, saying, “I’m always trying to keep my eyes on [Allen], “We were talking at my locker room after and someone was saying, ‘Hey, Josh had this guy over on this play?’ And I’m like, ‘I just keep my eyes on him most of the time just to make sure he’s doing all right and making sure that he’s not hit late or whatever.'”
The Bills will await further news on Allen’s hand as they prepare for their divisional matchup against the Dolphins.
This report used information from ESPN.
