Game Recap

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Bills 27, Ravens 25 | Final score, stats to know + game highlights

Jan 19, 2025 at 09:35 PM

Dorian Alerte

Contributing Correspondent

Location: Highmark Stadium

Final score: Bills 27, Ravens 25

Records: Bills (15-4), Ravens (13-6)

Next opponent: Sunday, January 26 - Bills at Chiefs, 6:30 pm on CBS

For the first time since the 2020 season, the Buffalo Bills advanced to the AFC Championship Game after defeating the Baltimore Ravens 27-25 on Sunday night.

On offense QB Josh Allen completed 16-of-22 passes for 127 yards and added two rushing touchdowns. RB James Cook led the ground game with 67 yards rushing and RB Ray Davis had a rushing touchdown of his own. WR Khalil Shakir led all Bills receivers with six catches for 67 yards.

The defense forced three takeaways, including two forced fumbles and an interception. S Damar Hamlin led the defense in tackles and had 1.0 sacks. DE Greg Rousseau had 1.0 sacks for the defense as well. S Taylor Rapp caught the interception, while Hamlin and LB Terrel Bernard each had one forced fumble.

Additional notes from the win:

Bills advance to their first AFC Championship game since 2020 – seventh time in team history
Bills are 10-0 at home including postseason for second time in team history (1990)
Bills are 17-5 at home in the postseason all-time
Bills are 7-2 at home in the postseason under Sean McDermott
Bills are 30-8 December/January record including playoffs since 2020
Bills have 68 wins since 2020 including postseason – second-most in the NFL (KC has 78)
Sean McDermott is 15-2 all-time in games 32 degrees and under – the best record in the NFL since 1991 (minimum 10 games)

👍1. Bills respond after Ravens strike first

The Bills won the opening toss and elected to defer to the second half, giving the Ravens the opening possession of the game. QB Lamar Jackson and the Ravens offense made their way down the field in eight plays and ended their drive with a 16-yard touchdown pass to WR Rashod Bateman.

After the Ravens took the 7-0 lead, the Bills offense, led by QB Josh Allen had a touchdown drive of their own, tying the game on an 11-play drive. Allen connected with WR Khalil Shakir on a 34-yard completion down the middle of the field that set the Bills up in Ravens territory.

Facing a fourth-and-two, Allen called his own number and ran up the middle for seven yards, setting up a first-and-10 in the red zone. Four plays later, RB Ray Davis punched it in from the goal line, tying the game at 7-7.

⛄2. Shnow Plow

The Bills were forced to punt following a S Taylor Rapp interception and sent the ball back to the Ravens.

As the Ravens were driving down the field, Jackson received a high snap and S Damar Hamlin wrapped up Jackson by his right leg, jarring the football loose. DE Von Miller picked up the football and ran it back to the Ravens' 24-yard line.

The offense took four plays to punch it in the end zone, which Allen did on a sneak from the one-yard line, giving the Bills their first lead of the game 14-7.

💪3. Defense stands strong

On the Ravens ensuing drive, Jackson connected with Bateman one more time, delivering a 42-yard strike down the field to set the Ravens up in the red zone.

On the next play LB Dorian Williams and the defense stopped RB Derrick Henry for a loss of one yard. On the following play, DE Greg Rousseau sacked Jackson for a loss of five yards. The defense then forced an incomplete pass, forcing the Ravens to settle for a field goal, bringing the score to 14-10.

😤4. Getting points before half

Following the Ravens' field goal, the Bills received the football with 3:43 left on the clock before halftime. Allen and the offense executed a nine-play 70-yard drive that capped off with a touchdown to expand their lead to 11 points.

The drive started with a 16-yard rush by Davis, who ran for another 9 yards before the two-minute warning.

On third-and-five from the Ravens 30-yard line, WR Keon Coleman drew a pass interference penalty on Ravens CB Tre-Davious White that gave the Bills a fresh set of downs at the Ravens' 12-yard line. Three plays later, Allen called his own number again, carrying the pile and breaking through into the end zone for the four-yard touchdown, bringing the score to 21-10.

😠5. Holding the Ravens to 3

The Bills were forced to punt on their first drive of the second half, giving the Ravens possession of the football. Jackson led his offense down the field but found themselves in a third-and-12 situation that became third-and-17 after a delay of game. On the ensuing play, Jackson threw a pass to his left to Bateman, but LB Matt Milano stuffed him short, forcing the Ravens to settle for 3, bringing the score to 21-13.

🔙6. Ravens creep back

The Bills offense punted once again and the Ravens took advantage, executing an 80-yard drive that ended in a touchdown. RB Derrick Henry and RB Justice Hill combined for 68 of the 80-yards on the ground including Henry's five-yard touchdown to bring the Ravens to within two points.

On the two-point try, Milano broke up the pass, leaving the score at 21-19 in favor of the Bills.

👊7. Punch out

On the Ravens next drive, Jackson and the offense found themselves with a second-and-11 after an Ed Oliver tackle for loss. Jackson completed a pass to TE Mark Andrews for 16 yards, but LB Terrel Bernard punched the ball loose and recovered his own forced fumble.

☀️8. Mr. Brightside

The Bills went up by eight points with 3:29 to go in the fourth quarter after a K Tyler Bass 21-yard field goal. The Bills used 5:12 of the clock on their drive as Allen and the run game brought them down the field to the Ravens two-yard line. On fourth-and-goal from the two they settled for the field goal to bring the score to 27-19.

The Ravens took the ball down the field on their next drive and punched in a 24-yard touchdown to TE Isaiah Likely. On the two-point conversion attempt, Jackson rolled to his right and found Andrews but the ball was dropped, resulting in the score remaining at 27-25.

RB Ty Johnson took the next run for a first down, rushing for 17 yards and slid to use the Ravens final timeout. The Bills were then able to kneel the ball, ending the game and securing their victory.

Lineup Notes: Taylor Rapp left the game in the first half with a hip injury

🔑Key Stats and Facts:

Bills have now scored 9 opening-drive TDs this season (reg & post), most in the NFL.
Josh Allen became the third-youngest NFL quarterback to reach 3,000 passing yards in the postseason (behind Mahomes, Favre).
Taylor Rapp intercepts Lamar Jackson for Rapp's first career playoff INT.
Ray Davis is the fourth Bills rookie with a rushing TD in the postseason, joining Thurman Thomas (01/01/1989 vs Houston), Darick Holmes (12/30/1995 vs Miami) and James Cook (01/15/2023 vs Miami).
Bills have now had a takeaway in 17 different games this season (reg & post), their most in a season since 1995 (17).
Josh Allen rushes it in for his 6th career postseason rushing TD, tying him with Jalen Hurts, John Elway and Steve McNair for the third most all-time by a QB.
Josh Allen has now posted 30 touchdowns in 12 postseason games – tied for the second-fastest player to reach that mark (Kurt Warner).
This is the second time in Bills history they had 3 rushing TD in a single half of a playoff game.
Tyler Bass is the fifth kicker in NFL postseason history with four 50-yard field goals (Harrison Butker, Adam Vinitieri, Robbie Gould, Matt Prater).

🏈Scoring Plays:

10:46 1Q | BUF 0 BAL 7 | Lamar Jackson pass short middle to Rashod Bateman for 16 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

04:46 1Q | BUF 7 BAL 7 | Ray Davis right guard for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.

08:54 2Q | BUF 14 BAL 7 | Josh Allen left guard for 1-yard, TOUCHDOWN.

03:46 2Q | BUF 14 BAL 10 | Justin Tucker 26-yard field goal is GOOD.

00:20 2Q | BUF 21 BAL 10 | Josh Allen right guard for 4 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

09:51 3Q | BUF 21 BAL 13 | Justin Tucker 47-yard field goal is GOOD.

01:37 3Q | BUF 21 BAL 19 | Derrick Henry right guard for 5 yards, TOUCHDOWN. TWO-POINT CONVERSION ATTEMPT. Lamar Jackson pass to Mark Andrews is incomplete. ATTEMPT FAILS.

12:08 4Q | BUF 24 BAL 19 | Tyler Bass 51-yard field goal is GOOD.

03:31 4Q | BUF 27 BAL 19 | Tyler Bass 21-yard field goal is GOOD.