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The Jacksonville Jaguars won their second London matchup in two weeks as Trevor Lawrence and Co. upset Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills, 25-20. You couldn't tell from this matchup that the Bills were the red-hot team favored by six points, as Jacksonville set the tempo early and answered every time Buffalo attempted to close the gap.
The Jags made the decision to remain overseas after their London matchup last week, and it was a great call. Lawrence completed 25 of 37 passes for 315 yards and one touchdown, while Travis Etienne Jr. rushed for 136 yards and two touchdowns. Calvin Ridley got back on track with a big performance, as he led all receivers with 122 yards on seven receptions.
The Bills offense took too long to get going. It mounted a solid comeback in the fourth quarter with 13 points scored, but the Jaguars did not relent. Allen completed 27 of 40 passes for 359 yards, two touchdowns and one interception, while Stefon Diggs caught eight passes for 121 yards and one touchdown and Gabe Davis caught six passes for 100 yards and a touchdown. Buffalo had just 29 total yards rushing.
Injuries were unfortunately a headline for Buffalo on Sunday, and what happened in London will likely have ramifications for the Bills moving forward. DaQuan Jones suffered a pectoral injury, while Matt Milano suffered a leg injury that's worth being worried about.
Let's take a look at what went down in London.
Why the Jaguars won
Do the Jaguars have the Bills' number? They are the only team to upset Josh Allen twice as an underdog of five or more points. This was a good team win for the Jaguars. The secondary didn't allow many explosive plays in the first half, forcing Allen to keep things underneath early, and then the offense was able to orchestrate long drives -- which ulitmately was the deciding factor.
Lawrence and the Jags went 10 of 18 on third downs. That's impressive. Whether it was Christian Kirk or Calvin Ridley, Jacksonville's weapons came up big when it mattered. The Bills certainly put together quite the comeback with back-to-back touchdown drives in the fourth quarter, but Jacksonville wasn't rattled by the moment. They were the better team from beginning to end Sunday.
Why the Bills lost
The Bills did not look like the team that had won three straight games by 28-plus points and the one that toppled the high-flying Miami Dolphins just one Sunday earlier. Did jet lag play a factor? Buffalo scored just seven points in the first half, but ultimately got it together in the second half with two touchdowns scored in the fourth quarter. Ultimately, it was just too little too late.
You hate to blame injuries for anything, but the Bills defense did not pack the same punch this week. They didn't have Tre'Davious White or Christian Benford, and then DaQuan Jones and Matt Milano exited early. Whether it was on offense or defense -- the team did not look like the dominant squad we had been watching over the past few weeks.
Play of the game
After forcing a Lawrence fumble and recovering on the second play of the fourth quarter, the Bills had momentum. Down four points with 15 minutes remaining in the game, it was possible Buffalo was going to pull off this comeback despite the slow start. However, on a third-and-15, this happened:
Ten plays and 93 yards later, Etienne punched in a touchdown from six yards out to extend the lead to 11 points.
Turning point
Etienne had a monster game. His 184 scrimmage yards are the third-most in an NFL international game all-time, and he became the first player to record 150-plus scrimmage yards in multiple international games. After the Bills cut the Jags' lead to four points once again, Etienne delivered the final blow with a 35-yard touchdown.
What's next
The Jaguars will finally return to the United States, but they won't get a bye week. Next Sunday, the Jags host the rival Indianapolis Colts, who they defeated, 31-21, in Week 1. As for the Bills, they return to Buffalo to host the New York Giants on "Sunday Night Football."
