Lead: Josh Allen became the first NFL player to record two games with three passing and three rushing touchdowns as the Buffalo Bills defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 44-32 on Sunday. The Bills improved to 7-3 after Allen’s rugged nine-yard touchdown run with 2:35 left sealed the victory in a game that featured nine lead changes. In Pittsburgh, the Steelers beat the Cincinnati Bengals 34-12 but lost veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers to a left-hand injury late in the first half. Across the league, multiple contests produced overtime finishes, late-game heroics and renewed questions about injuries and playoff positioning.
Key Takeaways
- Buffalo Bills 44, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 32: Josh Allen finished 19-of-30 for 317 yards, threw three touchdown passes (all 25+ yards) and added a nine-yard rushing TD to become the first player with two 3-pass/3-rush-TD games; Bills now 7-3.
- Pittsburgh Steelers 34, Cincinnati Bengals 12: Two defensive touchdowns helped Pittsburgh pull away; Aaron Rodgers exited with a left-hand injury and did not return; Mason Rudolph threw for 127 yards and a late TD to seal the win; Steelers 6-4.
- Chicago Bears 19, Minnesota Vikings 17: Devin Duvernay’s 56-yard kickoff return set up Cairo Santos’s 48-yard, game-winning field goal as time expired; Bears improved to 7-3 under coach Ben Johnson.
- Carolina Panthers 30, Atlanta Falcons 27 (OT): Bryce Young threw for a franchise-record 448 yards and set up a Ryan Fitzgerald 28-yard overtime field goal; Panthers completed a season sweep of the Falcons, now 6-5.
- Jacksonville Jaguars 35, Los Angeles Chargers 6: Jacksonville responded from a brutal Week 10 collapse with three rushing TDs and a dominant showing; Jaguars 6-4 while Chargers managed only 135 total yards and eight first downs.
- Miami Dolphins 16, Washington Commanders 13 (OT): In the NFL’s first regular-season game in Spain at Santiago Bernabéu, Jack Jones intercepted Marcus Mariota in OT and Riley Patterson kicked the winner; Dolphins 4-7.
- Houston Texans 16, Tennessee Titans 13: Davis Mills threw for 274 yards and a late drive set up Matthew Wright’s 35-yard, game-winning field goal; Texans improved to 5-5 and swept the season series with Tennessee.
Background
The NFL enters its midseason stretch with playoff races tightening across both conferences and injury reports shaping short-term forecasts. Quarterback durability and depth have become central themes after several teams were forced to rely on backups in recent weeks. Aaron Rodgers’s move to Pittsburgh this season brought immediate attention to the Steelers’ title window, but his late-game injury underscores the risk teams take when investing in aging veterans.
Josh Allen’s dual-threat profile has been a defining element of Buffalo’s offense since he entered the league, and his recorded milestones now sit alongside traditional passing metrics in MVP conversations. At the same time, the league’s continued international expansion—highlighted by Sunday’s Madrid game—reflects the NFL’s push to globalize regular-season play and grow new markets.
Main Event
Buffalo vs. Tampa Bay was a back-and-forth contest featuring nine lead changes and momentum swings. Allen overcame two first-half interceptions to engineer multiple long touchdown drives; each of his three touchdown passes traveled at least 25 yards. The Bills also benched receiver Keon Coleman during the game in an attempt to revive the passing attack. Allen’s final, gritty nine-yard rushing TD with 2:35 remaining ended Tampa Bay’s comeback hopes.
In Pittsburgh, the Steelers capitalized on turnovers and defensive scores to build a decisive advantage. Rodgers appeared to injure his left hand late in the first half and did not return, prompting backup Mason Rudolph to direct two lengthy scoring drives. Rudolph finished with 127 passing yards and threw a five-yard touchdown to Kenny Gainwell with under four minutes remaining to close out the game.
Other late-game dramas included Chicago’s special-teams heroics and Carolina’s prolific aerial performance. Devin Duvernay’s 56-yard kickoff return with under a minute remaining set up a 48-yard field goal for the Bears as time expired. In Carolina, Bryce Young’s 448 passing yards—both a career high and a franchise record—culminated in a 54-yard strike that set up the overtime winner.
Analysis & Implications
Allen’s historic performance does more than add to his highlight reel; it influences Buffalo’s offensive identity and playoff calculus. Games in which he accounts for multiple rushing scores shift defensive planning for opponents, who must allocate resources to contain both his arm and legs. That versatility can tilt close games in Buffalo’s favor, but the two interceptions in the first half illustrate a persistent risk-reward balance.
Rodgers’s left-hand injury is a significant short-term variable for Pittsburgh. The Steelers’ front office prioritized veteran leadership this offseason, but loss of availability at quarterback exposes the team to the upper limits of its depth charts. Mason Rudolph’s competent relief work steadied the club on Sunday, yet a prolonged absence by Rodgers would test Pittsburgh’s ability to sustain the AFC North lead.
Special teams and turnover margins continued to decide close games this Sunday, with Chicago’s kick-return TD setup and Miami’s overtime interception in Spain as prime examples. These outcomes highlight roster construction priorities: depth at returner, consistent kicking units, and defensive players capable of generating turnovers can swing single-score games and therefore playoff seeding.
Comparison & Data
| Game | Score | Notable stat |
|---|---|---|
| Bills vs. Buccaneers | 44–32 | Allen: 317 pass yards; 3 pass TDs; 3 rush TDs |
| Steelers vs. Bengals | 34–12 | Rodgers left with left-hand injury; Rudolph 127 pass yards |
| Panthers vs. Falcons (OT) | 30–27 | Young: 448 pass yards (franchise record) |
The table highlights how individual performances and single plays correlate with outcomes. Allen’s multi-dimensional scoring and Young’s passing output both directly created scoring opportunities, whereas Pittsburgh’s defensive touchdowns reduced the offense’s dependency on long drives. These contrasts show multiple viable paths to victory in today’s NFL: explosive offense, opportunistic defense, or special-teams swings.
Reactions & Quotes
“He made plays with his arm and his legs when it mattered most,”
The Guardian (media report on Bills game)
This summary comment—reported by The Guardian—captures the narrative around Allen’s impact on the outcome, noting his ability to deliver in crucial moments despite earlier turnovers.
“We’ll evaluate the injury and determine the next steps,”
Pittsburgh Steelers (postgame status, as reported)
That team statement (reported in media coverage) reflects the immediate focus on clarifying Aaron Rodgers’s availability after he exited with a left-hand injury late in the first half.
“The return set the stage for a walk-off field goal,”
The Guardian (special teams note)
Coverage emphasized Devin Duvernay’s kickoff return as the pivotal turning point in Chicago’s victory over Minnesota, underlining the game-changing nature of special teams plays.
Unconfirmed
- The long-term prognosis and specific diagnosis of Aaron Rodgers’s left-hand injury remain pending official medical clearance and were not released at the time of reporting.
- Any explicit link between Keon Coleman’s benching and longer-term roster changes has not been confirmed by team management as of this report.
Bottom Line
Sunday’s slate showcased the NFL’s volatility: historic individual performances, sudden injuries to franchise quarterbacks and special-teams plays that decided close contests. Josh Allen’s milestone elevates his standing and illustrates how a single player’s dual-threat capability can alter opponents’ strategic approaches.
Meanwhile, Aaron Rodgers’s exit injects uncertainty into Pittsburgh’s short-term outlook and highlights the premium on quarterback depth. As the season progresses, teams that combine reliable health management, depth at key positions and situational playmaking—turnovers, returns and clutch kicking—will have the clearest path to stable playoff positioning.
Sources
- The Guardian — Media report summarizing Sunday NFL games and postgame notes.
- NFL.com — Official league game summaries and injury reports (official).
- ESPN — Sports news and box-score aggregation (media).