Allen lights up the Bills' new stadium with a 41-31 victory over the Lions

Josh Allen delivered a perfect opening for the new stadium of the NFL in Buffalo, as the Bills comfortably defeated the Detroit Lions 41-31 on Thursday.

In the first regular-season game at the Highmark Stadium, valued at $2.2 billion, Allen threw for 248 yards and three touchdowns, and rushed for 69 yards and two more touchdowns.

Both teams entered the game with a 1-0 record after their high-scoring offenses secured victories in the final minutes of the season's opening weekend.

But Detroit couldn't keep up with Allen and the Bills in the first half on Thursday, as Buffalo scored touchdowns on each of its first four offensive drives, building a double-digit lead it never relinquished.

On the first offensive drive of the game, Allen recovered an unusual fumble, before running several plays and reaching the end zone.

The Bills' next touchdown was scored by Joshua Palmer, who had caught a pass in the final seconds of last Sunday's game in Buffalo's victory over Houston. This time, he was completely open and caught a 43-yard pass from Allen.

At the start of the second quarter, the score was 21-0. After several penalties by an increasingly desperate Lions defense, Allen passed the ball to tight end Dawson Knox for another touchdown.

Detroit got on the board when star running back Jahmyr Gibbs made several running plays before turning receiver to catch a touchdown pass from Jared Goff.

Buffalo's talented running back, James Cook III, came alive, gaining 62 yards on three consecutive carries. Allen connected with Dalton Kincaid for the fourth touchdown, though the play was marred by an injury to rookie wide receiver DJ Moore, who did not return to the game.

A field goal and a touchdown by Amon-Ra St. Brown, one before and one after halftime, briefly quieted the raucous Bills Mafia.

But Allen scored a fifth touchdown to get the celebration back on track.

Tight end Sam LaPorta and St. Brown scored consolation touchdowns for Detroit, sandwiched between one by Buffalo's Cook, who rushed for 135 yards on a productive night.