The Bills rolled into their Week 3 matchup against the Dolphins looking to keep a perfect start alive. Josh Allen, the reigning MVP, had plenty on the line beyond the win. He had never lost to Miami at Highmark Stadium, and history was right within reach. Needing just two touchdowns to pass Patrick Mahomes as the fastest player ever to 300 total scores, Allen carried the weight of both the streak and the milestone under the bright Thursday night lights in Orchard Park.

By the second quarter, the record was his. Allen flipped a score to rookie Jackson Hawes, his first NFL touchdown, and later connected with Dalton Kincaid to tie things at seven after Miami struck first. Mahomes once held the crown, hitting 300 in 128 games. Allen shaved it down to 127 with a performance that had analysts in awe.

On This is Football, co-host Domonique went all in, saying, “Josh Allen ruining the league. He’s just, he’s convinced all of you that it’s possible to do what he did to start off Rocky and then turn into the best quarterback in football. It ain’t going to happen for the rest of y’all.” His point was clear—Allen’s rise isn’t something just any QB can copy.

So the question is, why do teams keep trying? Domonique pointed to the Allen–Stefon Diggs connection as the model franchise’s dream. Allen struggled against man coverage early on, with accuracy issues included. But then Diggs arrived and elevated the whole thing. Now front offices chase that same formula, thinking their guy can be “the next Allen.” The reality? Most rosters don’t have that luxury, and most quarterbacks aren’t built like him.

So in the game, Allen went 22-of-28 for 213 yards, three touchdowns, no picks, and added 25 rushing yards on four carries. He even recovered his lone fumble. The Bills walked away with a 31-21 win, and Allen walked off with a 134.1 passer rating. He spread the ball to nine different targets, but the connection with Jackson Hawes might have been the real story.

Josh Allen produces highlights with Jackson Hawes

The Dolphins landed the first punch on Thursday night, but the Bills answered quickly. After Miami jumped ahead 7-0, Josh Allen settled in and led Buffalo on back-to-back touchdown drives. Suddenly, Highmark Stadium was rocking, and Bills Mafia saw their team move the ball with ease against a banged-up Miami defense. The momentum swung fast, and Allen looked every bit the MVP quarterback.

Then came the play that lit up the highlight reel. With the score tied, Allen delivered a touchdown that will be replayed all season long. The throw not only gave Buffalo a 14-7 lead in the second quarter, but it also handed rookie Jackson Hawes a moment he will never forget. The ball from that snap may not stay in circulation much longer—it has the makings of a keepsake destined for his mantle.

Here’s how it went down. On 1st-and-goal from the Miami 5, Allen faked right before rolling out left into space. He had time, he had options, and he baited two Dolphins players into closing in. Then, with a flick only he could pull off, Allen fired a no-look, underhand flip to Hawes in the end zone. The crowd erupted, and the Dolphins’ defenders could only look around in disbelief.

For Hawes, it was more than just six points. Drafted in the fifth round back in April, the rookie tight end is already carving out a role behind Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox. His first NFL touchdown came in style, courtesy of a quarterback who thrives on making the impossible look casual.