Bills Central

Buffalo Bills vs. Los Angeles Chargers Live Updates: Josh Allen, Ed Oliver, Tyler Bass Heroics Lead to Buffalo's 3rd Straight Win

The Buffalo Bills look to continue their playoff push vs. the Los Angeles Chargers.

Nathaniel Marrero

In this story:

Have the Buffalo Bills weathered the storm? 

They'll look to extend their win streak to three and increase their chances of reaching the playoffs for a fifth straight season when they face the Los Angeles Chargers on Saturday at SoFi Stadium. 

Buffalo is coming off its best win of the season with a dominant 31-10 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday at Highmark Stadium. Running back James Cook had the best game of his NFL career with 25 carries for 179 yards and a touchdown to go along with two catches for 42 yards and a score, earning AFC Player of the Week honors. 

The Buffalo Bills offense celebrating after a James Cook touchdown.
The Buffalo Bills offense celebrating after a James Cook touchdown :: Jamie Germano/USA Today

Buffalo's defense also put together one of its best performances of the season, not allowing a touchdown to a potent Cowboys offense until there were two minutes left in the game. 

Bills quarterback Josh Allen will have a chance to make history against the Chargers. If he scores three touchdowns, Allen will become the first player in NFL history with at least 40 touchdowns in four consecutive seasons. 

Los Angeles is playing its first game under interim head coach Giff Smith. The Chargers fired former head coach Brandon Staley and general manager Tom Telesco on Dec. 15 after their 63-21 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.

Former Chargers GM, Bills Intern Tom Telesco Bids Farewell After Firing

Buffalo will be without safety Micah Hyde (stinger). The Chargers have already ruled out receiver Keenan Allen (heel) and defensive end Joey Bosa (foot).

WHAT: Buffalo Bills (8-6) at Los Angeles Chargers (5-9)

WHERE: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, Calif. (71,500)

WHEN: Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, 8 p.m. ET.

TELEVISION: Peacock (here's the link for the subscription)

RADIO: WGR550-AM

TICKETS: SI Tickets

BETTING: SI SportsBook

SPREAD: Bills -12.5

TOTAL: 43.5

MONEYLINE: Bills -800, Chargers +540

Stay here for live updates throughout the game. 

1ST QUARTER:

Buffalo gets the ball to start the game and it's a touchback. 

Josh Allen throws a short pass to Stefon Diggs and it goes for no gain. Diggs has to come off the field after the play. A short pass to Khalil Shakir turns into a 13-yard gain. 

James Cook runs for 2 yards and Allen throws back-to-back incompletions to end the drive. 

Sam Martin's punt goes to the Chargers' eight-yard line where receiver Derius Davis calls for a fair catch.

End of possession

Austin Ekeler catches a pass for 7 yards and then he runs for 8 to move the chains. 

Ekeler only gains a yard and then Easton Stick's pass to rookie receiver Quentin Johnston gains 21 yards.

Johnston is stopped for no gain, and Stick's pass to Joshua Palmer gains 3. On 3rd and 7, Stick finds Palmer for a 20-yard gain to extend the drive at the Bills' 33-yard line.

Stick runs for a yard, and then he goes deep for Johnston on 2nd down but it falls incomplete to make it 3rd and 9. Stick's pass to  Stone Smartt gains 23 yards to set up 1st and goal at the 9-yard line. 

Stick runs for 3 yards and Ekeler gains 4. On 3rd and goal from the 2-yard line, Stick's pass to Palmer is broken up by Taylor Rapp. 

Cameron DIcker's 20-yard field goal is good with 6:32 left in the 1st quarter.

Chargers 3, Bills 0

End of possession

Leonard Fournette returns the kickoff to Buffalo's 28-yard line, but holding moves the ball back to the 16-yard line.

Fournette runs for 3 yards and Allen finds Gabe Davis for 17 yards to move the chains. 

Allen keeps it and runs for 6 yards, and then Cook is stopped for a 1-yard loss. On 3rd and 5, Allen's pass is incomplete. 

Martin's punt goes to the Chargers' 15-yard line where Davis calls for another fair catch. 

End of possession

Ekeler runs for a yard, and Stick's 5-yard pass to Gerald Everett is negated by an illegal shift. On 2nd and 14, Stick is picked off by Christian Benford, but he's flagged for defensive holding. 

Terrel Bernard is down on the field with a lower-body injury.

Back-to-back runs only gain a yard apiece for the Chargers. On 3rd and 8, Cam Lewis sacks Stick to end the drive.

Deonte Harty gains a couple on the punt return and then he fumbles and it's recovered by the Chargers at the Bills' 27-yard line. 

Stick's pass to Everett gains 16 yards on the final play of the 1st quarter.

End of the quarter

2ND QUARTER:

Stick completes back-to-back passes to Everett and that sets up 1st and goal. 

Stick keeps it and runs it into the end zone to capitalize on the turnover. 

Dicker's extra point is good.

Chargers 10, Bills 0

End of possession

Dicker's kickoff goes through the end zone for a touchback.

Cook runs for 5 yards and then gains 10 to move the chains.

Cook gains 3 more on the ground. Allen scrambles for 6 yards, but offensive holding on Mitch Morse negates the run and makes it 2nd and 17. Allen's pass to Dawson Knox gains 7 yards. On 3rd and 10, Allen's pass is dropped by Dalton Kincaid. 

Martin's punt goes out of bounds at the Chargers' 4-yard line with 10:43 left in the 1st half.

End of possession

Ekeler runs for 4 yards. Stick's pass is incomplete on 2nd down. On 3rd and 6, Stick's screen to Palmer is blown up by Bernard and 3 yards short of a 1st down.

Harty gains 3 yards on his punt return to the Bills' 43-yard line.

End of possession 

Allen is under pressure, scrambles to his right and throws on the run to connect with Davis and he runs it in for a 57-yard touchdown. 

Tyler Bass' extra point is good with 9:02 left in the 1st half.

Chargers 10, Bills 7

End of possession

Davis muffs Bass' kickoff and falls on the ball at the Chargers' 8-yard line. 

Ekeler runs for 5 yards, and then Stick runs for 2 on 2nd down. On 3rd and 3, Ekeler takes the snap and fakes the pitch to Stick and runs for 7 yards to extend the drive. 

Ekeler runs for 10 yards to move the chains again.

Stick's pass is incomplete and then Tyrel Dodson stops Joshua Kelly for a 2-yard loss. On 3rd and 12, Stick escapes pressure and runs for 11 yards. Offensive holding negates the run and makes it 3rd and 22. Stick's pass to Everett is stopped for no gain after he slips before the catch. 

Harty returns the punt 10 yards to the Bills' 37-yard line with 4:29 left in the 1st half.

End of possession

Allen's pass to Knox gains 9, and then Cook runs across midfield for a 6-yard run to the Chargers' 48-yard line. 

Cook runs for 4 yards. Allen's pass to Davis turns into a 20-yard gain to the Chargers' 24-yard line. The game has reached the two-minute warning.

Cook runs for 8 yards and then Fournette runs for 5 for a 1st down at the Chargers' 11-yard line. 

Fournette runs for 9 yards, and then Buffalo calls its first timeout with 41 seconds left in the half. Allen keeps it and runs it into the end zone for a 2-yard touchdown. 

Bass' extra point is good with 38 seconds left in the 1st half. 

Bills 14, Chargers 10

End of possession

Bass' kickoff is a touchback. 

Ekeler runs for 6 yards and that's the final play of the 1st half.

HALFTIME: Bills 14, Chargers 10

3RD QUARTER:

Davis muffs the kickoff again but this time it's in the end zone for a touchback.

Stick checks it down to Everett for 4 yards and he takes a hit to the helmet from Taron Johnson, which draws a personal foul penalty. Everett is down on the field.

The Chargers have the ball at their 44-yard line. Sticks pass to Ekeler gains 13 yards. 

Ekeler runs for 2 yards and Stick throws it away on 2nd down. On 3rd and 8, Rasul Douglas sacks Stick for a 10-yard loss.

Harty calls for a fair catch at the Bills' 10-yard line.

End of possession

Cook runs for 3 yards and fumbles, but the Bills recover it. Allen rolls right and throws it across his body for Diggs and it's intercepted by safety Alohi Gilman at the Chargers' 42-yard line.

End of possession

Ekeler runs for 9 yards and then gains 3 more to the Bills' 46-yard line for a first down.

Davis gets the ball on an end around and runs for 8 yards. Stick keeps it and runs for 21 yards to the Bills' 17-yard line.

A 13-yard run by Johnston is negated by an illegal formation by the rookie receiver. On 1st and 15, Stick's pass to Ekeler gains just 2 yards. Stick checks down again, this time to Isaiah Spiller for 4 yards. Before 3rd and 9, Los Angeles calls a timeout with 8:05 left in the 3rd quarter. Stick is sacked by Poona Ford to force 4th down. 

Dicker's 40-yard field goal is good with 7:22 left in the 3rd quarter.

Bills 14, Chargers 13

End of possession

Buffalo begins the drive at its 25-yard line after the touchback. 

Cook runs for 4 yards and gains 3 more on 2nd down. On 3rd and 3, Allen's pass to Diggs gains 4 yards. 

Cook gets stopped for no gain. Allen's pass to Diggs gains 6 yards. On 3rd and 4, Allen finds Shakir for a 17-yard gain to the Chargers' 42-yard line.

Allen goes deep and finds Davis for a 36-yard gain to the 6-yard line. 

Cook runs for 5 yards on 1st and goal. Fournette is stopped for no gain. On 3rd and goal, Allen sneaks it in for a touchdown. Allen is now the first player with 40 touchdowns in four straight seasons. 

Bass' extra point is good with 1:28 left in the third quarter.

Bills 21, Chargers 13

End of possession

Bass' kickoff is a fair catch. 

After an incomplete pass, Stick finds Johnston for an 8-yard gain to set up 3rd and 2. Stick's pass to Alex Erickson gains 3 yards to move the chains. 

Ekeler runs for 3 yards on the final play of the 3rd quarter. 

End of the quarter

4TH QUARTER:

Stick's pass to Jalen Guyton gains 12 yards to midfield for a 1st down. 

After an incomplete pass intended for Palmer, Stick fins him for an 18-yard gain. 

Stick runs for 2 yards and Ekeler only gains 1. Stick's pass to Palmer on 3rd and 7 is broken up. 

DIcker's 47-yard field goal is good with 12:36 left in the game.

Bills 21, Chargers 16

End of possession

The Bills begin the drive at their 25-yard line after the touchback. 

Cook runs for 5 yards. Allen's pass to Cook gains 6 yards, but tripping on Spencer Brown moves Buffalo back 15 yards. On 2nd and 20, Allen escapes pressure and finds Davis for a 28-yard gain, but holding on Morse moves the Bills back 7 yards. 

On 2nd and 27, Allen runs for 4 yards. On 3rd and 23, Allen is sacked by a group of Chargers. 

Buffalo calls a timeout before the punt with 9:28 left in the game. A false start by Siran Neal moves Buffalo back half the distance to the goal. Martin gets the punt off and Davis returns the punt 12 yards to the Bills' 48-yard line with 9:16 left in the game.

End of possession 

Stick's pass is dropped by Guyton. Stick's pass to Erickson gains 23 yards and Benford is hurt for the Bills.

It's 1st and 10 from the Bills' 25-yard line. Stick's pass intended for Palmer is incomplete, but an illegal shift on Los Angeles makes it 1st and 15. Stick is sacked by Ed Oliver for a 7-yard loss. Stick's pass to Everett gains 4 yards. On 3rd and 18, Stick checks it down to Davis for 7 yards.

Dicker's 45-yard field goal is good with 7:19 left in the game.

Bills 21, Chargers 19

End of possession

Buffalo begins the drive at its 25-yard line after the touchback. 

Cook runs for 6 yards and then he fumbles and it's recovered by the Chargers. 

End of possession

Ekeler is stopped for no gain, then Stick's pass to Everett gains 9 yards. Before a quarterback sneak on 3rd and 1, a false start on Brenden Jaimes moves the Chargers back 5 yards. On 3rd and 6, Bernard sacks Stick. 

The 53-yard field goal by Dicker is good with 5:26 left in the game. 

Chargers 22, Bills 21

End of possession

Dicker kicks it through the end zone for a touchback.

Allen's pass to Knox gains 18 yards. 

Cook runs for 2 yards. Allen's pass to Diggs gains 9 yards to move the chains at the Chargers' 47-yard line.

Cook gains 2 on the carry. Allen goes deep for Diggs and it's incomplete. On 3rd and 8, Allen threads the needle to Diggs for 12 yards to extend the drive. 

Cook runs for 4 yards and gets out of bounds with 2:45 left in the game. Cook runs for 2 yards and the Chargers call their second timeout with 2:32 left to play. Allen escapes pressure and he heaves it to an open Shakir and he runs it into the end zone for a touchdown. The play is under further review. After review, Shakir is ruled down at the Chargers' 13-yard line.  

The Chargers call their last timeout with 2:29 left in the game.

Fournette runs for 3 yards on the final play before the two-minute warning. Cook is stopped for a 3-yard loss. Allen keeps it and runs for 2 yards. Buffalo calls its second timeout with 31 seconds left in the game.

Bass' 29-yard field goal is good with 28 seconds left in the game. 

Bills 24, Chargers 22

End of possession

Kelly returns the kickoff to the Chargers' 30-yard line with 23 seconds. Oliver sacks Stick. Stick heaves the ball down the field and it's nearly intercepted before falling incomplete. Buffalo calls its final timeout with one second left in the game. 

The Chargers try to lateral it up the field but are stopped short and that's the ballgame. 

FINAL: Bills 24, Chargers 22

Published
Nathaniel Marrero
NATHANIEL MARRERO

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