ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — As the lights went out at Highmark Stadium for the first player introductions in the new $2.2 billion palace’s history, every Buffalo Bills fan in attendance waited for the moment, fittingly saved for the 17th of September.

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They were first served some appetizers in the form of the offensive line, before the running backs and wide receivers entered. Then Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox, who both drew cheers, albeit paltry compared to what was to come. Those doing simple math knew the main course would begin after Knox.

Even the mere anticipation of their superhuman, once-in-a-generation quarterback running onto the field created more than a murmur, with the volume going up after the last cheer for Knox.

At last, Josh Allen was announced. No. 17 on the 17th. The crowd’s pop was instant and overwhelming.

The moment had arrived.

And in the 60 moments that followed during the game, it left something even more overwhelming than that pregame pop.

The quarterback engineered one touchdown drive after another in Buffalo’s 41-31 victory over the Detroit Lions on Thursday night. They left the Lions in the dust with four straight and on five of their first six possessions.

They moved the ball any way they pleased, with each possession ending the same way: Allen getting credit for a touchdown of some kind. It was reminiscent of his perfect game against the New England Patriots in the 2021 postseason.

Even with all his accolades and accomplishments over the first eight years of his career, the 30-year-old Allen might be on to something even bigger.

“I’ve never seen him start out like this. This is like mid- to late-season form of him,” said Bills center Connor McGovern. “I think this can be the chance to put his statement on, like this is going to be a career year.”

For the 2024 Most Valuable Player, someone who has routinely put up silly touchdown numbers that have him in elite historical company, that’s really saying something.

But to McGovern’s point, Allen has started the year hotter than the simultaneous sparks needed to engulf the circumference of Highmark Stadium in its gaudy display of pregame fireworks.

Allen and the Bills have averaged 38.5 points in their first two games. The quarterback has accounted for 90 percent of the team’s touchdowns, and 79 percent of their yardage. The Bills are only the third team in NFL history to start 2-0 despite giving up 30-plus points in each game.

That’s the Allen difference — especially the 2026 version.

“When you ask everybody on the team to empty the tank, you can watch how he plays,” head coach Joe Brady said. “And it’s like, how does everybody else not feel like they need to empty it out? Because he literally gave everything he had out there. He put the team on his back in a lot of those situations.”

For the season, Allen has 674 total yards and nine total touchdowns, with no turnovers. He is the first player in NFL history with five touchdown passes and three-plus rushing touchdowns through two games of a season in NFL history.

He is besting even his own numbers. To begin the 2026 season, Allen has done his best Thanos impression. He is inevitable.

Through two games, one against one of the best defenses in the NFL and one against one of the worst, the song remained the same. There was Allen, punishing whatever got thrown at him.

“It’s ridiculous. He’s a freak. He’s an alien back there.” McGovern said. “He can make anything happen out of nothing. You give him enough time and he will find someone open, or f— it, he’s just gonna run it.”

Over the last two seasons, even when the Bills posted high point totals, it never felt like this. It’s been the perfect combination of timing in many respects.

One down note about the last two years of the Bills’ offense was their glaring need for a field-stretching No. 1 wide receiver. Enter DJ Moore. The Bills have also kept the light on for tight end Dalton Kincaid to realize his immense potential. Enter a completely healthy Kincaid, who after two games is already well on his way to the best tight end season in franchise history. Plus they still have 80 percent of their offensive line from the last two seasons, and that James Cook guy, too.

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“The most dangerous? I think every position is dangerous,” Bills wide receiver Joshua Palmer said. “We have a dangerous running back room. We have a dangerous tight end room. We have a dangerous wide receiver room. We have an actually dangerous quarterback with a dangerous O-line. So don’t ask about dangerous.”

With all the added and healthy artillery on offense, head coach and offensive play caller Joe Brady has managed to stay a step ahead, whether it was against the vaunted Texans or the vulnerable Lions.

“It feels like Madden,” left tackle Dion Dawkins said. “He knows exactly what play to call, knows exactly where to do it. It’s just cool. I’m telling you, like, it’s just a different feeling.”

It all ultimately comes back to Allen playing at this level. The Bills quarterback doesn’t often major in sentimentality.

But even on the first night at the stadium that will secure future generations of Bills fans in Buffalo, Allen couldn’t help but be moved.

“I think at the national anthem, I caught myself taking it all in and understanding how cool of what I get to do,” Allen said. “My job is the coolest thing in the world. It’s everything I’ve ever wanted to be the quarterback of an NFL franchise. I’m just very fortunate I ended up here in Buffalo, and got to be the first quarterback to open this stadium which is… it’s a special spot.”

Allen is already challenging to be the best player in franchise history, with several seasons still ahead of him. And if his start to the 2026 season is any indication of what might be in store for the 2-0 Bills in a wide-open AFC, it could become one of the most memorable years in franchise history.

Moore’s injury

Despite all the offensive success on Thursday night, the Bills still experienced one very stark moment. On their fourth touchdown drive, Allen sent a low pass into the end zone intended for Moore. The Bills No. 1 receiver dove for it, only for a Lions defender to land on him. Moore stayed on the ground for a few moments.

As the game went to a commercial break, five Bills staffers, including athletic trainers and doctors, went over to Moore to check him out. Brady and Allen approached him, too. Moore was in clear discomfort and eventually went to the locker room for X-rays, which came back negative for a shoulder injury. But Moore was ruled out shortly after halftime.

The Bills don’t yet know how long Moore could be out, or if the injury will cost him any time at all. Allen, even when asked about Keon Coleman stepping up on Thursday, couldn’t help but underscore Moore’s importance to the Bills.

“Hate to see 2 go down,” Allen said. “Hopefully we get him back soon because what he does for our offense is…. you can’t really measure it.”

What Moore gives to the Bills offense is precisely what they had been lacking over the last two seasons. Without a true deep threat, the ability to be explosive was zapped, limiting Allen from providing more big plays downfield.

That hasn’t been a problem with Moore on the field, given all the attention he draws. What happened to the Bills’ offense Thursday after Moore left the game proves Allen’s point even more.

Befor Moore suffered the injury, the Bills were averaging 9.1 yards per play, and gained 10 or more yards on 37.5 percent of their plays. They gained 20 or more yards on 15.6 percent of plays with Moore available.

The Bills’ yards per play dropped to a 5.0 once Moore left the game. The style of offense — lower depth of targets that focused on run after catch — looked a bit closer to how they tried to move the ball the last two seasons.

Moore’s presence opens up the middle of the field and creates far more spacing for all of the Bills’ other targets, while helping to unlock the explosive Allen of old.

The Bills will hope that extra time off before their Week 3 home game against the Los Angeles Chargers will be enough for Moore to be ready. If he isn’t, it could change the complexion of the Bills’ offense.

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