Allen scores five times as Bills christen new Highmark with 41-31 win over Lions

The Buffalo Bills gave their new home a proper opening party, beating the Detroit Lions 41-31 on Thursday night in the first regular-season game at Highmark Stadium.

Josh Allen did almost all of it. He threw three touchdown passes and ran for two more, finishing 20 of 31 for 248 yards through the air with another 72 yards on the ground The Guardian. It was the fourth five-touchdown game of his career.

Buffalo came out fast and stayed there. The Bills scored touchdowns on each of their first four possessions to build a 21-0 lead. They put up 27 points and 299 yards in the first half alone.

Allen scored the building's first regular-season touchdown himself, on a one-yard run 5:51 into the opening quarter. He added a 16-yard scoring throw to Dalton Kincaid and a one-yard toss to Dawson Knox before halftime, then hit Josh Palmer for a 43-yard strike.

The night also moved Allen up the history charts. His two rushing scores raised his career total to 83, tying Jim Taylor for 18th on the NFL list. The win was his 90th in the regular season, making him one of four quarterbacks to reach that mark through their first nine seasons.

Detroit did not go quietly. Jared Goff finished 26 of 38 for 327 yards and four touchdowns. Amon-Ra St. Brown caught nine passes for 142 yards and two scores, Jahmyr Gibbs was held to 52 rushing yards but scored on an 11-yard catch, and Sam LaPorta added a one-yard touchdown grab.

That push cut Buffalo's early 21-0 cushion to 34-24 and kept the second half tight. James Cook answered it. He ran for 134 yards and closed the door with a one-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter.

What makes this stand out is how complete Buffalo looked in a new setting. The operation was clean early, the stars delivered late, and the crowd got a shootout for its first real night.

The $2.1 billion Highmark Stadium officially opened last month across the street from Buffalo's former home. It holds just over 60,000 fans, about 12,000 fewer than the old building, and it was loud from the start.

Both teams arrived with Week 1 wins. Buffalo had beaten Houston on the road behind two passing and two rushing touchdowns from Allen, while Detroit outlasted New Orleans 31-30 in overtime after leading 21-0 in the first half. Buffalo now backs up that opener with a statement at home, while Detroit heads home with plenty of offense and plenty to fix on defense.