Allen leads Bills to 14-13 win over Lions

A heralded first-round draft pick and an undrafted free agent combined to rally the Buffalo Bills to a 14-13 victory over the Detroit Lions on Sunday in Orchard Park, N.Y. Quarterback Josh Allen, the No. 7 overall selection in 2018, connected with unheralded wide receiver Robert Foster for a 42-yard touchdown that proved to be the game-winner early in the fourth quarter. "It was a deep over. He's just going to throw the ball somewhere where I can go and get it," Foster said. "You really can't describe it. It's a system. He always just puts the ball somewhere where I can run and go get it. "It was beautiful. It was a perfect pass. That's what practice is for. We practice that play over and over and over again, and we came down with it in the game and it played a big factor." Earlier in the second quarter, Allen ran three yards to give the Bills a 7-6 lead. Allen completed 13 of 26 passes for 204 yards and the one score to Foster. He also rushed nine times for 16 yards. "I'm proud of the guys and the way that they battled," Bills coach Sean McDermott said. "I thought the character of our football team, the men in our locker room was on display today." Foster finished with four receptions for 108 yards for Buffalo (5-9), his second consecutive 100-yard receiving game. "It's how hard Robert works," Allen said. "In practice, he's always on top of the speed charts and extremely competitive. Obviously being an undrafted rookie free agent, he's got a lot to prove. And the last four weeks have kind of shown what he's capable of." Detroit (5-9) was eliminated from playoff contention with the loss. Matthew Stafford went 22 of 29 for 208 yards and one touchdown. "It's frustrating," Stafford said. "You play this game for the opportunity for the playoffs and a chance to win the whole thing, so any time that gets taken away from you right now or the championship game, whatever it is, it's disappointing." Theo Reddick rushed for 47 yards for the Lions and Zack Zenner ran for a score as the Lions were held to 105 yards on the ground. "There's a lot of plays in there that we're going to have to talk about, so it's not just (one)," Lions coach Matt Patricia said. "It's a team game. That's what's great about it. It starts with the coaching and the playing and all of it, and we'll all take blame and we'll all move forward. There's a lot of plays in there we could have changed." After a scoreless first quarter, the Lions drew first blood when Stafford directed a nine-play, 75-yard drive that culminated with a four-yard touchdown pass to Andy Jones. A botched snap doomed the Lions' extra-point attempt. Allen answered, taking less than three minutes to direct a five-play, 87-yard drive that put Buffalo ahead 7-6. The rookie quarterback took it the final three yards for the score. Not to be outdone, Stafford engineered a 77-yard drive with Zenner bursting in for a score. Matt Prater's extra point was good this time for a Detroit 13-7 lead. The score remained the same until Allen found Foster for the game-winner. "Early on in the year, he wasn't making these types of plays, but he's put his head down and went to work," Allen said of Foster. "He's a great story. He works his tail off. He gives me everything he's got in practice and then in the games he produces." Stafford did drive the Lions on the next possession into field-goal territory, but Prater's 48-yard attempt to give the Lions the lead was wide right. "I just didn't hit it," Prater said. "Didn't hit it where I wanted to hit it. Don't have an excuse. I let everyone down, including myself. I expect to make those kicks that I have in the past, so it's frustrating any time that you don''t come through when you get a big opportunity for your team."