ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — It took some time for the Buffalo Bills offense to get revving, but it warmed up just in time.
Quintin Morris caught a 15-yard touchdown pass from Josh Allen with 3 minutes, 48 seconds left to play as Buffalo came away with a hard-fought 14-9 victory against the New York Giants at Highmark Stadium.
That game-winning drive spanned 12 plays, 75 yards, and nearly seven minutes.
And then the Bills and their fans everywhere sweat out the final minutes, when the Giants threw an incomplete pass in the end zone with no time left on the clock.
The Bills led 7-6 early in the fourth quarter, but New York regained the lead on a 29-yard FG from Graham Gano to cap a 79-yard drive in the fourth quarter. Giants running back Saquon Barkley, back in the line-up coming off an ankle injury, rushed for 78 yards on that drive after the Bills defense had held him in check for most of the game.
The Bills finally got on the board as the fourth quarter began. Josh Allen connected with Deonte Harty on a three-yard touchdown pass to cap a 17-play, 89-yard drive that gave Buffalo a 7-6 lead over the New York Giants.
New York held Buffalo off the scoreboard for the first time in 60 halves of football prior. Elias Sports Bureau reported that as the longest streak in franchise history.
The Giants had a first and goal at the Buffalo one-yard line with :14 left in the half. Buffalo stopped Saquon Barkley on what was certainly a questionable run call given the situation with no timeouts. New York could not get another play off before time expired, losing a golden opportunity to add to a 6-0 lead before halftime.
Josh Allen was intercepted on a deflected ball by New York's Micah McFadden late in the second quarter.
Bills running back Damien Harris was taken off the field in an ambulance in the second quarter after suffering an apparent head/neck injury taking an initial and clean hit on a first down run. Trainers tended to him for a good deal of time while placing him in a neck immobilizer and backboard.
Harris gave a thumbs-up with his left hand as he was loaded into the ambulance. The team announced that he did have movement in his arms and legs and was taken to the hospital for testing.
The Giants did a good job of pressuring Josh Allen with a variety of defensive packages. It would seem at least partially the impact and knowledge of Giants head coach Brian Daboll who was Bills offensive coordinator up until two seasons ago.
Bills kicker Tyler Bass missed a 52-yard field goal wide right in the second quarter.
The Bills got off to a sluggish start offensively with New York holding them off the board in the first quarter. A Gabe Davis fumble near midfield allowed the Giants to drive into field goal range with Graham Gano giving New York the early lead connecting from 29 yards out.