ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Perennial MVP candidate Joe Burrow and reigning MVP Josh Allen dueled as advertised amid snow showers Sunday at Highmark Stadium. Burrow tossed four touchdowns, but a pair of fourth-quarter interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown by Buffalo’s Christian Benford to give the Bills their first lead, ultimately won the game for the home team.
Cincinnati staged a late scoring drive as Burrow found Tee Higgins for his second touchdown of the day, which pulled the Bengals back within a score. The Bills were able to salt away the clock to clinch the 39-34 victory.
The Bengals extended their lead to 10 in the fourth quarter when Burrow beat a blitz and old friend Larry Ogunjobi as he stepped up into the pocket and feathered a 12-yard touchdown pass to tight end Mike Gesicki with 8:44 left.
Cincinnati converted nine of its first 11 third downs of the game, and Burrow hit two of them on that drive. In his second game back from a toe injury, he finished 25 of 36 for 284 yards with the four touchdowns and two picks, good for a 106.7 passer rating.
Allen matched the effort by completing 22 of 28 passes for 251 yards and three touchdowns, while also rushing for 78 yards which was spearheaded by a 40-yard sprint to the end zone midway through the fourth quarter.
Burrow defied the elements from the get-go when he led the Bengals to touchdowns the first three times they had the ball. He finished the first half with a 129.4 passer rating on 13 of 18 passing for 130 yards despite All-Pro wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase getting one catch for eight yards.