Orchard Park, N.Y. — The Baltimore Ravens almost came back from a two-score first-half deficit when quarterback Lamar Jackson threw a late-game touchdown to tight end Isaiah Likely.
But on the two-point conversion attempt, Jackson threw the ball to tight end Mark Andrews and he dropped the ball near the goal line. He was wide open. Cornerback Rasul Douglas recovered an onside kick and the Buffalo Bills secured a 27-25 win, advancing to the AFC Championship game for the first time since the 2020 season.
They’ll face the two-time defending Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs.
Here are some instant takeaways.
Terrel Bernard makes play of the year
The Ravens were driving in the fourth quarter down by five points. Their previous drive had ended in a touchdown and it seemed like their run game was starting to heat up. Lamar Jackson found a wide-open Andrews for what looked like a first down in Bills territory.
That’s when Bernard came flying into the picture. As Bernard was closing in, he reached out his right arm and knocked the ball out of Andrews’ hand. Bernard recovered the fumble and gave the Bills the ball back at a critical moment in the game.
Bernard’s play brought back memories of Taron Johnson’s pick-six in the 2020 playoffs. Jackson threw it into traffic in the end zone, and Johnson came away with it and took it all the way to the house. Bernard’s turnover didn’t put the game away, but it was a massive play when the Ravens were driving and threatening.
Bills’ run game reigns supreme in first half
Offensive coordinator Joe Brady leaned into his run game and the Ravens struggled to stop it. Baltimore ranked No. 1 in the NFL during the regular season against the run, allowing just a 31.5% success rate to opposing teams. The Bills had a 60% success rate in the first half on Sunday night.
The Bills’ collective ran for 87 yards on 20 carries, and starter James Cook led the way with 35 yards. Rookie Ray Davis, who was questionable for the game after a concussion knocked him out last week, scored his first playoff touchdown. He had a few key runs to help move the Bills in the right direction on their three first-half touchdown drives.
Josh Allen was a battering ram. He finished the last two drives of the half with touchdown runs and helped give the Bills a commanding 21-10 lead at halftime. The Ravens’ rushing attack received all the buzz heading into the game, and rightfully so. Derrick Henry ran for 199 yards against the Bills back in Week 4. But Henry averaged just 2.6 yards in the first half on his eight carries that went for 21 yards.
Bills defense takes ball away early
Lamar Jackson was erratic in the first half, throwing a bad interception to safety Taylor Rapp late in the first quarter. He wasn’t on the same page with receiver Rashod Bateman, who earlier had scored the game’s opening touchdown on a wide-open 16-yard pass play. On the interception, Bateman turned right and Jackson seemed to think he was turning inside. Rapp had a beat on the throw regardless and helped turn the momentum for the Bills.
Buffalo couldn’t cash in on the turnover but the defense wasn’t done there. After a Bills punt, Jackson committed his second turnover when he fumbled on a sack by safety Damar Hamlin. Bills edge rusher Von Miller picked it up and ran it to the Ravens’ 24-yard line.
The expectation was that Sean McDermott and defensive coordinator Bobby Babich must change what they usually do to try and limit Jackson and Henry. According to Next Gen Stats, the Bills blitzed on 46.7% of Jackson’s dropbacks in the first half. That’s the most blitzes in a first half by the Bills in any game this season and the most since Week 12 of 2022. The strategy also included playing almost 50% man coverage, and it worked. Buffalo pressured Jackson on all seven rushes when it played man coverage.
King Henry wakes up in third quarter
The Bills did a good job on Henry early in the game, but he erupted for 46 yards on Baltimore’s third-quarter touchdown drive. He had two runs of 10-plus yards, and the Ravens front created massive holes for him to run through. The Bills offense didn’t help matters in the quarter, managing only nine plays that led to a pair of punts. Henry averaged just 5.3 yards per rush in the game, and backup Justice Hill was more effective at times, rushing for eight yards a carry.
The Ravens are now 2-6 in games when Henry doesn’t rush for at least 90 yards. He was held to 84.
Taylor Rapp exits game
Bills starting safety Taylor Rapp sustained a hip injury in the second quarter and didn’t return to the game. Rookie Cole Bishop, who started four games in his first season, entered the game in a prominent spot. Safety Damar Hamlin made a few significant plays in the game but also had a few errors that could have been more costly than they ended up being. Hamlin, not known for his run defense, had a tackle for a loss early in the game that helped the Bills set the tone.
