Josh Allen scored two touchdowns as the Buffalo Bills punished a series of mistakes to defeat the Baltimore Ravens 27-25 and set up a blockbuster NFL playoff clash with the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.
Bills quarterback Allen erupted for two first-half rushing touchdowns at a snowy Highmark Stadium in New York as his Ravens counterpart, Lamar Jackson, and the Bills found themselves ruining a series of costly mistakes.
The Ravens had a golden chance to tie the game with less than two minutes remaining, but tight end Mark Andrews made a simple catch while attempting a two-point conversion to effectively seal the victory for the Bills.
“What about that Buffalo Bills defense?” Allen said afterwards. “All year we’ve heard that this team has no talent, that we’re too small, that we can’t stop the run? We’re not good enough to compete.
“We just put our heads down and worked hard. I’m so proud of our defense.”
The AFC Divisional Round battle was billed as a duel between two of the NFL’s most dynamic quarterbacks, pitting this season’s Most Valuable Player, Allen, against the Ravens’ reigning MVP, Jackson. .
But the quarterback shootout largely failed to materialize in a hard-fought contest that ultimately hinged on the Ravens’ mistakes at key moments.
A Jackson fumble following a Damar Hamlin sack led to Allen’s first touchdown of the second quarter that put the Bills ahead 14-7.
Allen then scored his second rushing touchdown in the waning moments of the first half to help the Bills lead 21-10 at the break.
The Ravens threatened to come back with a Derrick Henry field goal and touchdown in the third quarter that cut the Bills’ lead to three points.
But another Ravens turnover in the fourth quarter, with Andrews fumbling under pressure, led to a Bills field goal that increased the hosts’ lead to 27-19.
Baltimore answered back with a stunning Isaiah Likely touchdown run on Jackson’s 24-yard pass, but with overtime looming, Andrews botched the two-point conversion attempt.
The Bills will now meet Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City in next week’s AFC Championship Game, with the winner advancing to the Feb. 9 Super Bowl in New Orleans.
It will be the latest installment in a fierce rivalry between the two teams, who have met three times in the playoffs since 2021 – with the Chiefs winning them all.
The Bills were one of only two teams to beat the Chiefs in the regular season this year, however.
“We’re going to take advantage of this tonight and then turn our attention to the Chiefs tomorrow,” Allen said. “They are the longevity of what you want to be in the NFL. You have to beat them to surpass them.”
– Barkley hits the Rams –
In Sunday’s other playoff game, running back sensation Saquon Barkley rushed for two long-range solo touchdowns as the Philadelphia Eagles beat the Los Angeles Rams 28-22 to reach the game. NFC championship.
The Eagles will host their NFC East division rivals, the Washington Commanders, next Sunday for a spot in the Super Bowl.
The Eagles’ strength in the ground game proved decisive in a game played in heavy snow with Barkley, a candidate for league MVP, rushing for 205 yards on 26 carries.
Even before the snow began to fall late in the first quarter, the Eagles exposed the Rams’ run defense, opening the scoring on the game’s first drive when quarterback Jalen Hurts broke out and sprinted 44 yards for the touchdown.
The Rams responded quickly, however, with quarterback Matthew Stafford leading a 13-play, 67-yard drive that ended with a four-yard touchdown pass to tight end Tyler Higbee.
The Rams will have spent all week preparing for Barkley’s threat but they still couldn’t stop him when he found a gap and sprinted 62 yards to give the Eagles a 13-7 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The Eagles extended their lead with two field goals in the fourth before Barkley fired up the turbochargers again with 4:36 remaining, the snow providing no obstacle to his power and speed as he exploded 78 yards for his second touchdown.
The Rams threatened a remarkable comeback with a rushing touchdown run from Colby Parkinson, but a final gasp for a go-ahead touchdown fell short.
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