4 Observations: Allen's response to INT helped 'snowball' game-changing series of events in Bills win vs. Seahawks

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) – Josh Allen threw two touchdown passes in the first half and James Cook ran for two scores in the second half to power the Bills to a dominant 31-10 victory over the Seahawks on Sunday at Seattle's Lumen Field.

The win lifted the Bills to 6-2, matching their best record through eight games under coach Sean McDermott.

Here are 4 Observations on the game.

Allen throws first INT, but sets up game-changing swing

Allen entered the game without an interception this season, a key reason why the Bills owned the league's best turnover differential.

That streak ended in the second quarter Sunday when Allen's pass for Amari Cooper was picked off by Josh Jobe deep in Bills territory. Cooper appeared to lose his footing on the play amid wet conditions.

But Allen tackled Jobe before he could reach the end zone, setting a key series of events in motion while the score was still tight at 7-3.

"Hate throwing turnovers, but made the tackle – and Coach talks about it all the time," Allen said. "Something like that, not to put your head down and go to the sideline; go make a tackle and let your defense come back out on the field because you never know what's going to happen."

The Bills stopped three consecutive runs to set up fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line. Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith tripped over his lineman's feet on fourth down and the Bills took over. Allen then orchestrated a 12-play, 93-yard scoring drive that put the Bills up 14-3 with 18 seconds remaining before halftime.

"They went out there and had four consecutive plays of a stop that allowed us to snowball that into something really good," Allen said.

With that touchdown pass to Dalton Kincaid, Allen tied Bills Wall of Famer Joe Ferguson for the second-most passing touchdowns in franchise history (181). Only Jim Kelly had more (237).

Khalil Shakir keeps trending up

Shakir set a career high with nine receptions and led the team with 107 receiving yards, giving him his third career 100-yard game.

Coach Sean McDermott said the third-year Boise State product is making strides in his recovery from an ankle injury suffered a month ago against the Ravens.

"What you saw the last couple weeks with Khalil was, he was out there playing injured," McDermott said. "And finally this week I think he started to get back to, closer to 100%."

Shakir missed the Bills' Week 5 game with the injury and played a reduced role in Week 6 before posting seven receptions for 65 yards last week against Tennessee.

Shakir said he's feeling the best "since that happened, yeah. We're still getting there, still dealing with a little bit of it."

Allen, McDermott tip caps to Bills Mafia

McDermott has worked in the NFL since 1999, but felt the presence of Bills fans at Lumen Field on Sunday was unlike anything he had ever seen at the notoriously loud stadium.

"Did you hear them out there?" McDermott asked rhetorically during his press conference. "I've never heard this place like that in all my years in the NFL. Been out here a number of years; I've never heard that. That's a testament to the Bills, a testament to Bills fans, and the organization, really, for the tradition they've built over the years."

On the field after the game, Allen politely interrupted a question from Fox Sports' Erin Andrews to acknowledge the fans who stayed through wet weather and were cheering him on during his interview.

"I'm so sorry – shout out Bills Mafia, man. I mean, this is unbelievable," Allen said. "We got a thousand-plus fans here. This is crazy, they're the best."

The Bills are running away with the AFC East

The Bills are now 6-2. That's as many wins as the Dolphins (2-5), Patriots (2-6) and Jets (2-6) have combined.

The Bills host Miami next week with an opportunity to move at least four games ahead of every team in the division. At this rate, the Bills could have the division locked up before Western New Yorkers even bring out the Christmas decorations.

Next game

Miami at Buffalo, 1 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 3, broadcast locally on WIVB. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa returned for Miami on Sunday after suffering a concussion against the Bills in Weel 2, but the Dolphins lost to the Cardinals on a last-second field goal.