ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Buffalo Bills right tackle Spencer Brown put it simply when asked about quarterback Josh Allen's performance Sunday.
"He had two turnovers, I think, tonight, and then he went and had six touchdowns," Brown said. "So, I think that's fine with me."
After some early struggles, which included two interceptions, against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Allen finished with three passing touchdowns and three rushing TDs to lead the Bills to a 44-32 win.
Only three times in NFL history, including the postseason, has a quarterback had three passing and three rushing touchdowns. Allen has done it twice, and Otto Graham did it in 1954.
"Dude's a dog. He's just a dog. That's what it is," Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir said of Allen. "... There's no need to overthink it. I mean, he's unreal at everything he does. The best player in the league by far, and he's going to show that every game day."
Allen accounted for three touchdowns in each half. He completed 19 of 30 passes for 317 yards and rushed for 40 yards on six carries. And he tied Cam Newton's record for the most regular-season rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in NFL history (75).
"You guys know Josh. He's hard to stop," coach Sean McDermott said. "We all know how last week went. The Josh that I know, he will not be denied. That's the type of competitor, type of person, type of teammate that he is."
The downfield passing game was key for the Bills (7-3) on Sunday.
Allen's 43-yard pass in the first half to wide receiver Tyrell Shavers, who had a team-high 90 receiving yards, was Allen's first TD pass of 40-plus air yards since the 2022 regular-season finale vs. the New England Patriots. Since 2023, Allen had zero touchdowns and five interceptions on throws of 40-plus air yards.
The Bills had multiple passing touchdowns of 40 or more yards in a game for the first time this season. They had two such touchdowns this season before Sunday. Running back Ty Johnson turned Allen's short pass into a 52-yard score. Allen also threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to running back James Cook.
"I think at the end of the first quarter, just the way how things were going," Allen said after being asked when he realized the game would be high scoring. "Just knowing that we're going to have to put our hard hats on and go to work. I thought we made some plays today."
On a day the running game was held under 100 yards -- 23 carries for 97 yards -- the Bills had 13 first downs on passes from Allen, who went 5-for-8 for 134 yards and 2 touchdowns on throws of 15-plus air yards.
"I feel like typically, Tampa plays with pretty low safeties," wide receiver Gabe Davis said. "So, there's some more deep opportunities than normal. But obviously, we had some today with Shavers down the field on the 43-yarder, Josh's scramble ability to make some throws down the field. But I think it's a week-by-week thing."
A variety of players made contributions, including Davis and returner Mecole Hardman, who made their season debuts with the team. Davis caught three passes for 40 yards, including a key fourth-down conversion in the final quarter. Hardman had a 61-yard kick return, but he left the game because of a calf injury after fumbling a punt return in the third quarter.
The Bills' kick return game, led by running back Ray Davis, set up the offense pretty well, as five of their drives started at their 40-yard line or better.
The Bills won't have a lot of time to celebrate this win because they travel to Houston for "Thursday Night Football" this week. But Buffalo's offense can still take something from the game.
"Yes, if you use it the right way," Allen said. "We got a game Thursday night, so it's a completely different team that we're facing, completely different defense. Not sure what the game plan is going to look like, but we got to start fast, really wipe this one and start tomorrow on getting to Houston."