Josh Allen, DJ Moore connection is live in Highmark Stadium opener

The Bills opened the Joe Brady era and the gates of the new Highmark Stadium with a 29-14 preseason victory over the Carolina Panthers on Saturday. One of the most important developments of the afternoon came in the form of two brief series from the franchise quarterback on Buffalo's offensive drives. Allen completed 6 of 8 passes for 111 yards and one touchdown on two scoring drives in his preseason debut. Though some of the numbers that pop are that of newly acquired receiver DJ Moore, who had three catches for 61 yards, including an 18-yard sideline conversion on third-and-15 that moved the chains and set up Coleman's score. He also waived on a defender and put a hit on him while getting a first down. The Allen to Moore connection has officially hard launched. The first instance was a 32-yard crossing route where Moore was left wide open over the middle, a sign that the Panthers' secondary already has trouble tracking him and that the Bills will find ways to get him the ball in space. Allen told the press that Moore is exactly the kind of target he has been waiting for. "I'm going to go out and make an assumption that it's going to be awesome to do that every single game, to get him the ball early and often," Allen said. "Teams are going to obviously know that, but we feel like we have other guys that we feel comfortable with. You see Khalil have the first catch today (for 21 yards), handing it off to Jimbo, with Dalton and Dawson, Keon making plays. When everything is firing, we can be two-dimensional, that's when we feel like we're in a good spot." The acquisition of Moore from Chicago in March was designed to give Buffalo a true WR1 on the outside, a player who can win one-on-one and keep the offense afloat when the structure breaks down. Allen and Moore have spent the summer building that chemistry, and on Saturday it showed up in a situation that mattered — a long third down, a tight window, a contested catch along the sideline. Khalil Shakir has seen that connection up close all camp. "Absolute insane ball by Josh, and then DJ to catch and get the first down," the dynamic slot receiver shared with the media. "The awareness to do that is amazing. It's like football art, right? It's beautiful." Allen added that he already plans to make Moore a foundational part of the game plan. "I'm going to go out and make an assumption that it's going to be awesome to do that every single game, is getting him the ball early and often. He's a heck of a football player and we're lucky to have him." The Bills have rotated through external receivers during the Sean McDermott years. Moore, at 29, is not a developmental project. He is the player Allen has been needed since Stefon Diggs left Buffalo. The only moment that sucked the air out of the stadium came after Moore's third catch, when he came up limping and required attention from trainers and a team doctor for his right foot and lower right leg. He eventually put his shoe back on but did not return with the starters. The second half he watched in shorts and running shoes, and he did not speak to reporters afterward. Brady said on the sideline he checked in with Moore, who "told me he was good to go." That is not a medical diagnosis, but it is the best possible news after a visual that could have derailed the entire season before it started. The offense's ceiling is very directly tied to his presence. Brady acknowledged that the offense still has room to grow after settling for field goals on two of the first three possessions. "I was pleased how the guys offensively came out and went down the field and got points. But I'd like for us to be able to finish on some of those red zone opportunities. Defense coming out with three straight three and outs was a lot of fun to see so I was pleased with that." The next stop is Cleveland for joint practices and another preseason game against the Browns on Aug. 22. The real tests will start three weeks later, but early returns have the franchise's new era looking promising. This article originally appeared on Bills Wire: Josh Allen, DJ Moore connection is live in Highmark Stadium opener