The Buffalo Bills host the Jacksonville Jaguars tonight, marking only the second prime-time game in the history of matchups between the two clubs. Of course, it’s not the first time they’ve played each other in a window where a lot of eyes would be on them — the Jaguars have beaten the Bills twice in playoff matchups, and twice in London — but it’s only the second time the two teams have played a night game.

The first time? Well, surprisingly enough, it happened on a Thursday night in 2001, when the Bills defeated the Jaguars in a riveting 13-10 game. Rob Johnson hit Eric Moulds for a 27-yard touchdown pass in the first, and kicker Jake Arians drilled two field goals as the Bills recorded one of their three victories that year.

Times have certainly changed, as the 2024 Buffalo Bills are 2-0 and host an 0-2 Jacksonville club, which is definitely better than their record would suggest. Any team with Trevor Lawrence at the helm has a chance to win, and Lawrence was very good the last time Buffalo and Jacksonville met. For Buffalo, Josh Allen has a chance to win against Jacksonville for the first time since his rookie season, which also marks the last time these two teams met in Orchard Park, NY.

Your first half game thread is here, friends. Remember to be polite to each other. Set the comments to “oldest” for that classic game thread feel. And most importantly, enjoy the game wherever you look.

Come on, Bills!