ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Josh Allen‘s big first half in an AFC wild card matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers included some personal and NFL playoff history.
Allen’s 52-yard touchdown run — which came on the heels of a pair of touchdown passes to Buffalo Bills tight ends earlier in the game — was the second-longest scoring run by a quarterback in NFL playoff history (Colin Kaepernick vs. the Seahawks in the 2013 NFC Championship) and the longest run, touchdown or otherwise, of Allen’s career. The TD staked Buffalo to a 21-0 lead.
.@JoshAllenQB turned on the BURNERS for the 52-yard rushing TD 🗣️
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The touchdown run was also the longest in Buffalo’s playoff history, surpassing a 45-yarder by Joe Cribbs against the Jets in 1981.
Earlier in the game, at the conclusion of the Bills’ first drive , Allen marched the offense downfield and finished with a 9-yard touchdown pass to tight end Dawson Knox for a 7-0 lead.
Allen to Knox and the @BuffaloBills take the early lead!
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The drive followed an opening possession by the Steelers that lasted five plays and went for 19 yards. The Bills’ responded with their 10-play, 80-yard drive that included six first downs. Allen threw the touchdown with pass rusher Alex Highsmith closing in. In the regular season, Allen threw 11 TDs under duress, second most in the league (Russell Wilson, 13).
Moments later, after a George Pickens fumble for the Steelers, Allen was back at it again with a 29-yard scoring play to another tight end, rookie Dalton Kincaid.
A frozen rope, literally.
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