ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — The start to this Bills season was far from ideal.
Penalties and turnovers just part of the equation that put them in a 17-3 hole with 2 minutes, 40 seconds to go in the second quarter against the Cardinals.
Then came the double-dip that flipped things around for the home team.
Josh Allen using his legs and arm to pull the Bills even before the defense getting into the mix to grab victory in the home opener against Arizona, 34-28.
Allen starting the game with nine straight completions en route to finish 18 for 23 for 232 yards and two touchdowns. He added nine carries for 39 yards and two more touchdowns.
The star on defense was Greg Rousseau.
The Cardinals jumped out in front, taking the opening drive 70 yards in 13 plays, capping with a 5-yard touchdown pass from Kyler Murray to Michael Wilson. That set up by a questionable personal foul penalty on the Bills Ja'Marcus Ingram. The call was made on an Ingram tackle of Murray, who had begun to slide to the ground. While replay appeared to show Ingram avoid contact, the flag remained.
It was a 10-3 Arizona in the 2nd quarter when James Conner finished off a 13 play, 71 yard drive with a 3-yard TD run to extend the lead to 14.
That's when Allen and the offense responded.
The Bills went 70 yards on seven plays in 2 minutes, 22 seconds to find the end zone for the first time this season, a 7-yard Allen run.
Then to open the second half, Allen hitting Mack Hollins for an 11-yard TD to tie the game at 17.
Enter Rousseau's game-changing moment, getting a strip-sack of Murray that was recovered by Dorian Williams.
Five plays later, Khalil Shakir took an Allen pass and followed his blockers, slipping and powering his way for an 11-yard TD to give the Bills a 24-17 lead.
Later it's our first Air Allen moment of the 2024 campaign, with the Bills QB going airborne at the goal line to score a 6-yard TD run.