Josh Allen became the first quarterback since 1970 to score a rushing touchdown, pass for a touchdown and have a scoring reception in the same game and the Buffalo Bills clinched the AFC East for the fifth consecutive season with a convincing 35-10 victory over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday night at Orchard Park, N.Y.
Allen threw two touchdown passes, including one to himself, while joining four other players in the touchdown hat trick category.
James Cook rushed for 107 yards and a touchdown as Buffalo (10-2) joined the Kansas City Chiefs as AFC teams to clinch postseason berths. Ray Davis rushed for a touchdown and Mack Hollins caught one for the Bills, who thrived in game-long snowy conditions.
Brock Purdy (shoulder) returned from a one-game absence and completed 11 of 18 passes for 94 yards for the 49ers (5-7). Isaac Guerendo rushed for a touchdown for San Francisco, which lost its third straight game.
The 49ers lost star running back Christian McCaffrey in the second quarter due to a knee injury. McCaffrey had 53 yards on seven carries and caught two passes for 14 yards before exiting.
The Bills were leading 21-3 in the third quarter and had first-and-goal at the San Francisco 7-yard line when Allen tossed a short pass to Amari Cooper, who was tied up by Renardo Green of the 49ers. Cooper then lateraled the ball to Allen, who ran toward the corner of the goal line and dove in to make it a 25-point margin with 5:58 left in the period.
Allen later tacked on an 8-yard TD run to make it 35-10 with 12:31 left in the game. He was 13-of-17 passing for 148 yards.
The other players to have a rushing, passing and receiving touchdown in the same game since 1970 are McCaffrey (2022), LaDainian Tomlinson (2005), David Patten (2001) and Walter Payton (1979).
Defensive lineman Nick Bosa (hip, oblique) missed his second straight game for the 49ers.
The Bills led 21-3 at halftime, as they scored three touchdowns on drives of 70, 65 and 97 yards in the slippery conditions.
San Francisco’s Jake Moody opened the scoring with a 33-yard field goal about midway through the first quarter.
Davis then capped a drive that erased 7:38 off the clock with a 5-yard touchdown run with three seconds left in the opening quarter.
Buffalo made it 14-3 with 8:38 left in the first half when Cook broke free and scored on a 65-yard run on the first play of a drive.
The Bills added to the lead with the 97-yard excursion that was capped by Allen’s 7-yard touchdown pass to Hollins with 41 seconds left in the half.