The Sports Xchange
Sep 24, 2017
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Tyrod Taylor threw for 213 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Buffalo Bills to a 26-16 win over the Denver Broncos on Sunday at New Era Field.
Stephen Hauschka kicked four field goals and became the first Bills kicker to convert twice from 53 yards or further in the same game as Buffalo improved to 2-1 under new coach Sean McDermott.
LeSean McCoy was limited to 21 rushing yards on 14 carries, but was Buffalo's leading receiver with seven catches for 48 yards. He also became the third active player with at least 9,000 rushing yards and 400 receptions in his career.
Trevor Siemian was 24 of 40 passing for 259 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions for the Broncos (2-1). Jamaal Charles rushed for 56 yards and a touchdown.
Denver's comeback hopes ended when Siemian threw an incomplete pass on fourth down with 1:47 remaining.
Hauschka's 53-yard field goal extended Buffalo's lead to 23-16 after Denver failed on a fake punt from its own 31 early in the fourth quarter. Hauschka hit from 27 yards to make it a nine-point game with 3:14 left after rookie Tre'Davious White made his first career interception and the Bills ran 7:30 off the clock with a 16-play drive.
The Bills took possession twice inside the Denver 32 in the second half, but failed to capitalize on their first opportunity following an E.J. Gaines interception.
Taylor tossed a 6-yard touchdown pass to Charles Clay that put the Bills up 20-16 midway through the third quarter. Taylor completed passes for 38- and 25-yard gains and McCoy broke off a 31-yard run on the four-play drive that followed a 28-yard tiebreaking field goal by Brandon McManus.
Hauschka booted a 55-yard field goal to tie the game at 13-13 just before halftime. Hauschka also connected from 49 yards earlier in the second quarter.
McManus opened the scoring with a 38-yard field goal near the end of the first quarter and made a 35-yarder that put the Broncos in front 13-10 in the final minute of the first half.
Denver went ahead 10-7 early in the second quarter when Jamaal Charles scored his first touchdown as a Bronco on a 12-yard run up the middle. Unsportsmanlike conduct penalties on Buffalo defenders Micah Hyde and Jerry Hughes aided Denver on its 79-yard drive.
After going three-and-out on their first two possessions, the Bills drove 74 yards and took a brief 7-3 lead on Andre Holmes' 2-yard touchdown reception that bounced off the hands of teammate Zay Jones.
NOTES: Denver DT Domata Peko started in his 114th straight game, extending the longest active streak of any NFL defensive tackle. ... The Bills were without their two highest-paid players, DT Marcel Dareus (ankle) and LT Cordy Glenn (ankle). ... Broncos rookie LT Garett Bolles (lower leg) started after being listed as questionable. ... Temperature at kickoff (85 degrees) was the warmest for a regular season game regular season since 2002. ... Denver has led at the end of the first quarter in all three games this season.