Buffalo Bills wide receiver Amari Cooper (18) catches a pass in the end zone for a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans, on Oct. 20 in Orchard Park, N.Y.Jeffrey T. Barnes/The Associated Press
Amari Cooper scored the go-ahead touchdown in his debut with Buffalo and Josh Allen overcame a sluggish first half to throw two touchdown passes in his 100th career start to help the Bills rally from a 10-point deficit and beat the Tennessee Titans 34-10 on Sunday.
Cooper’s 12-yard TD catch was his first reception for the Bills and came five days after being acquired in a trade with the Cleveland Browns. Ty Johnson also scored on a four-yard catch, and James Cook and Ray Davis rounded out the rout with touchdown runs.
After being limited to 4 of 11 for 65 yards in the first half, Allen finished 21 of 33 for 323 yards. It marked his 26th career 300-yard game and first this season. And Allen did so against a Titans defence that entered ranked first against the pass and had yet to allow 200 yards passing this season.
Allen improved his career record to 68-32 as a starter, matching four players – Joe Montana, Terry Bradshaw, Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers – for the sixth-most wins in a quarterback’s first 100 starts.
The AFC East-leading Bills (5-2) broke it open by scoring points on each of their first four second-half possessions to overcome a 10-7 halftime disadvantage and after falling behind 10-0 to open the game.
The game turned in the opening moments of the second half, beginning with the Titans turning the ball over on downs when rookie DeWayne Carter stuffed Tony Pollard for a three-yard loss on fourth-and-two.
Allen needed six plays to cover 41 yards while capping the drive by hitting a wide-open Cooper over the middle – and after the receiver appeared to get advice on what the play was from rookie receiver Keon Coleman.
After failing to bring in his first attempt on a contested catch along the sideline, Cooper finished with four catches for 66 yards and showed glimpses of the field-stretching abilities to a patchwork receiver group experiencing difficulty gaining separation. Coleman finished with four catches for a career-best 125 yards and had a TD called back when replays showed his toe was out of bounds.
The Titans continued their free fall in dropping to 1-5 – their worst start to a season since opening 2015 at 1-6. And a change in quarterback didn’t help an offence that entered the weekend ranking among the worst in the NFL in numerous categories, including scoring in having now failed to top 17 points for the fifth time this season.
Backup Mason Rudolph got the start with Will Levis bothered by an injury to his right throwing shoulder. CBS reported coach Brian Callahan informed its broadcast crew of making the decision to rest the second-year player on Saturday, after Levis was limited in practice both Wednesday and Friday.
The Titans started strong with Rudolph’s four-yard TD pass to Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and Nick Folk’s 25-yard field goal giving them a 10-0 lead before they were shut out on their final eight drives.
Rudolph finished 25 of 40 for 215 yards with a touchdown, interception and lost fumble.
The Bills play at the Seattle Seahawks next Sunday.