ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — With the outcome still in doubt midway through the fourth quarter, and Buffalo facing third down at midfield, Bills defensive tackle Jordan Phillips could sense it was Josh Allen's time.
Sure enough, the quarterback delivered.
Allen put his head down, broke one tackle, eluded another defender and had three more chasing him before finally being bumped down for a 27-yard gain. On the next play, Allen hit a wide-open Dalton Kincaid for a 28-yard touchdown to secure a more-difficult-than-expected 31-19 victory over the winless New Orleans Saints on Sunday.
“As soon as we get in predicaments like that, I think the defense all goes, ‘Here comes the MVP moment,’” said Phillips, who made his season debut in his fourth stint with the Bills. “And sure enough, he shows up every time.”
The Bills put aside some sloppy moments to move to 4-0 and extend their regular-season home winning streak to 14 — one short of the team record.
Buffalo's defense limited the Saints to 19 points despite New Orleans’ first nine drives ending in Bills territory.
Allen, the reigning MVP, combined for three touchdowns — two passing and one rushing — and oversaw an offense that had several lulls despite finishing with 356 yards and topping 30 points for a fourth straight game.
“We weren’t doing ourselves many favors. A couple of boneheaded penalties, boneheaded mistakes,” said Allen, who went 16 of 22 for 209 yards and threw his first interception of the season. “Throwing a pick doesn’t help.”
And yet, with Buffalo clinging to a 21-19 lead, Allen delivered once again.
“Just decided to tuck it,” he said of his rumbling run up the middle. “Just trying to do what I can do to help this team win football games and you get a first down there.”
James Cook had 117 yards rushing and a touchdown. Khalil Shakir scored by breaking two tackles on a 43-yard catch-and-run on Buffalo’s opening drive.
The Saints opened a season 0-4 for the ninth time in team history and first since 2012, but showed resolve following a 44-13 drubbing at Seattle.
“We put ourselves in position. I felt like we were competing. We were playing the right way. We just came up short,” rookie coach Kellen Moore said. “We didn’t make enough plays when it mattered most.”
Spencer Rattler finished 18 of 27 for 126 yards, including a 3-yard touchdown to Chris Olave. Kendre Miller scored on an 18-yard run and finished with 65 yards rushing.
Lack of finish was the difference for the Saints, who entered the game as 16 1/2-point underdogs.
On four possessions beginning on Buffalo’s side of the midfield, New Orleans came away with two field goals. The two others ended in a punt and a trick play that went wrong when Olave threw an interception on a pass intended for Rattler. Safety Cole Bishop picked off Olave’s lob at the goal line.
“It’s frustrating, because we are in these games, we just got to close them out,” said Rattler, who turned 25 on Sunday while falling to 0-10 as an NFL starter. “You want a birthday W. You want a W every time. But this is the game we play.”
The Saints have spent much of the season playing from behind. They’ve led just once — in the opening minutes of their 20-13 season-opening loss to Arizona. Ever since, New Orleans has not taken a lead over 220 minutes, 5 seconds of play.
Buffalo’s defense secured the win in the final minutes. Following Kincaid’s TD, the Saints turned the ball over on downs at midfield when Alvin Kamara was stopped for a 2-yard gain by Tre’Davious White on fourth-and-4 with 5:36 remaining.
The Saints’ chances of getting the ball back 30 seconds later ended when linebacker Naphi Sewell — a practice squad call-up — was flagged for running into Buffalo punter Cameron Johnston’s plant leg at midfield. The Bills got the ball back and Matt Prater hit a a 35-yard field goal with 2:09 left.
Saints DE Cameron Jordan made his 229th career start, breaking the franchise record he shared with Drew Brees. ... Cook extended his streak of games with a rushing TD to eight, breaking the Bills record previously held by Cookie Gilchrist, O.J. Simpson and Robb Riddick. ... Allen had his 45th outing with TDs passing and rushing, tying Cam Newton for the NFL record.
Saints: Host the New York Giants next Sunday.
Bills: Face New England in prime time next Sunday to complete a three-game homestand.
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