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          Josh Allen, Dawson Knox produce fireworks for Buffalo Bills in freezing weather vs. Patriots

          • Alaina Getzenberg, ESPNJan 16, 2022, 01:40 AM
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              Alaina Getzenberg is a staff writer who covers the Buffalo Bills and the NFL. She joined ESPN in 2021. Alaina was previously a beat reporter for the Charlotte Observer and has also worked for CBS Sports and the Dallas Morning News. She is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley. You can follow her via Twitter @agetzenberg.

          ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- The Buffalo Bills started off Saturday night's wild-card matchup against the New England Patriots with a bang with the temperature in single digits. Quarterback Josh Allen found tight end Dawson Knox for an impressive score in the back of the end zone.

          Allen was given plenty of time to scramble behind his offensive line (9.64 seconds), but initially it looked like none of his options downfield were open. The quarterback moved to his right and appeared to be throwing it out of bounds, but Knox made an impressive toe-tap grab for the score. The 32.1 run yards traveled before passing are the most on any touchdown of Allen's career. The pass had a completion percentage of 18.4%, per NFL Next Gen Stats, the second-most-improbable passing touchdown of his career.

          It was the first passing touchdown in the past five playoffs in which a quarterback took at least nine seconds to throw, per Next Gen Stats.

          The score capped a nine-play, 70-yard drive that included Allen rushing for 41 yards on two carries.

          On the Patriots' ensuing drive, quarterback Mac Jones moved the ball downfield and appeared to have a touchdown pass to wide receiver Nelson Agholor. Safety Micah Hyde, however, had other ideas and jumped in front of Agholor for an impressive interception in the end zone.

          Buffalo kept the momentum, getting a second TD pass to Knox -- this one for 11 yards -- late in the first quarter and a 3-yard TD run by Devin Singletary midway through the second. The scores pushed Buffalo's lead to 20-0.

          Allen's third touchdown of the night came on a 34-yard bomb to wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders in the third quarter. The score was the first postseason touchdown of Sanders' career coming in his 14th playoff game with his fifth different team. He entered the game with 49 postseason receptions.

          Buffalo's barrage continued on its next possession with Allen's fourth TD pass -- a 19-yard strike to Gabriel Davis pushing the lead to 40-10.