The Lords of London: Jaguars improve to 2-0 on English soil this season with 25-20 win over the Bills as Buffalo’s Super Bowl hopes take another hit

THE BUFFALO BILLS flew into London looking like a Super Bowl team. They left it battered, defeated and missing key defensive pieces for the second straight week.

It was tense, engaging and featured four fourth-quarter touchdowns, four turnovers, 10 points, five sacks, but Jacksonville won a London thriller to put both teams up 3-2.

Jacksonville was electric at the start and looked fully acclimated to their home away from home. They were in England for nine nights, and it showed initially as Trevor Lawrence looked competent in the opening stages.

He went on to win another duel against Josh Allen, but to do so he needed help from his supporting cast. Travis Etienne put in a shift, with his two touchdowns and 136 yards on the ground helped by the gaps in the normally swarming Bills defense. Calvin Ridley was also an effective safety blanket, his 122 yards coming off seven receptions, several in pressure situations.

But Jacksonville did it the hard way. Despite dominating the first half, they only took an 11-7 lead into the break with self-inflicted wounds preventing them from opening up a lead that adequately reflected their dominance.

Trevor Lawrence threw for 315 yards and a touchdown as the Jags improved to 2-0 in London

Josh Allen had 359 passing yards and a touchdown, but also threw an interception in London

A general view of British and United States flags at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Forget the battle of Josh Allen v Josh Allen. The Bills quarterback said he was afraid of his namesake before this game. The Jags pass rusher was held quiet – a fourth quarter sack was erased for a questionable roughing the passer call.

But AJ Epenesa will give Lawrence sleepless nights for years to come. Lawrence was harassed by the Bills linebacker and had to rely on the timely interceptions of safety Darious Williams – his third in London after two against Atlanta last week – to put Buffalo away in the final.

After the debilitating season-ending injury to Tra’Devious White, the Bills entered the game without defensive ends Shaq Lawson and Greg Rousseau as well as cornerback Christian Benford.

The injury list grew in the first quarter. Linebacker Matt Milano was carted off with a serious leg injury and left the field with a towel over his head after his leg got caught in a pile of players on Jacksonville’s second drive. And their defensive line took another hit in the first quarter with DaQuon Jones suffering a pectoral injury.

The Jags welcomed receiver Zay Jones back from a knee injury. He missed the last two games but bounced right back and provided a threat in the red zone that was sorely missed. He beat Dane Jackson by knocking down Lawrence’s six-yard pass to cap a 73-yard drive.

A Buffalo Bills fan holds up a sign referencing Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence

Jacksonville Jaguars’ Travis Etienne scores one of his two touchdowns at Tottenham Stadium

With an offense that has outscored its last three opponents by a combined 90 points, the Jags went for two. And understand, Etienne rushes to the right. They jumped ahead further after Brandon McManus’ field goal.

In a half that saw Buffalo hit four times – they had hit just seven times in the four games before landing in London – they ended it on a high.

Allen used his head, legs and arm to orchestrate an 11-play, 86-yard drive that ended with an easy catch for Stefon Diggs. Cornerback Tyson Campbell was nowhere to be seen when Diggs reeled in his fifth touchdown of the season.

But the Jags must have been out of sight. Lawrence found several targets – Jones, Kirk and Etienne to put them in field goal range.

But he didn’t see Epenesa coming off the rim after hitting past returning left tackle Cam Robinson. The Bills linebacker forced a sack and fumble to stop the drive.

Stefon Diggs celebrates after scoring a TD

Self-inflicted wounds cost the Jags dearly – they led just 11-7 at the half despite dominating most of it. Cornerback Ronnie Harrison took two penalties – one for holding, the other for being ineligible – and Jones had a key fall on third down.

A chaotic third quarter began as the second ended, as Epenesa tormented Lawrence.

With Jacksonville backed up after another penalty – this time on Robinson – Epenesa got his hand on Lawrence’s pass on second down.

The Jags appeared to have some respite after a soft flag for roughing by Jordan Poyer on Ridley, but then the fray turned up a notch.

First, Epenesa sacked Lawrence. Then he forced a fumble. With Tottenham Hotspur Stadium shaking under the anticipation of fans – most of them Bills Mafia – Lawrence couldn’t take a high jump, nor a sack, and lost 15 yards.

Lawrence seemed to steady the ship by using Ridley as a comfort blanket – STAT – but after a scoreless third quarter, Lawrence was rattled once again. The ball was sacked by Ed Oliver and recovered by Tyrel Dodson.

But Buffalo couldn’t maintain possession either. Williams beat Diggs after Allen’s pass, his third takeaway in London after his two against Atlanta last week.

Finding Ridley again first, a false start and a pass interference call further eased the pressure on Lawrence. Somehow, Jacksonville was within touching distance of a two-score lead.

Lawrence and Diggs greet each other on their way off the field in London after Sunday’s game

Etienne darted down to the right and led 18-7.

Buffalo struck back with a score of their own, with Gabe Davis completing Allen’s 19-yard touchdown pass.

But they failed on a two-point conversion and when Etienne attempted a 35-yard score, it looked done and dusted. But still, Buffalo wasn’t done. Allen marched up the field and darted over from three yards out to make it 25-20.

It caps off a perfect week for Jags owner Shahid Khan, with Fulham and the Jaguars both winning twice. But for Buffalo, they have to lick their wounds and count the cost of what could be a pivotal afternoon in their season.