Bills quarterback Allen barged over for two first-half rushing touchdowns at a snowy Highmark Stadium in New York as Ravens opposite number Lamar Jackson and the Bills were left ruing a string of costly errors.
The Ravens had a golden chance to tie the game with less than two minutes remaining, but tight end Mark Andrews fluffed a simple catch attempting a two-point conversion to effectively seal the Bills win.
“How about that Buffalo Bills defense?” Allen said afterwards. “All year we heard this team has no talent, we’re too small, we can’t stop the run? We’re not good enough to compete.
“We just put our head down and worked hard — I’m so proud of our defense.”
The AFC divisional round battle had been hyped as a duel between two of the most dynamic quarterbacks in the NFL, pitting this season’s Most Valuable Player front-runner Allen against the Ravens’ reigning MVP Jackson.
But the quarterback shoot-out largely failed to materialise in a gritty contest that ultimately pivoted on the Ravens’ mistakes at key times.
A Jackson fumble following a sack by Damar Hamlin led to Allen’s opening touchdown in the second quarter that put the Bills 14-7 ahead.
Allen then scored his second rushing touchdown in the closing moments of the first half to help put the Bills 21-10 up at the break.
The Ravens threatened a comeback with a field goal and a Derrick Henry touchdown in the third quarter that cut the Bills lead to three points.
But another Ravens turnover in the fourth quarter, Andrews fumbling under pressure led to a Bills field goal that stretched the hosts lead to 27-19.
Baltimore hit back with a superb Isaiah Likely touchdown from Jackson’s 24-yard bullet 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 February 9 Super Bowl in New Orleans.
It will be the latest instalment of a fierce rivalry between the two teams, who have met three times in the playoffs since 2021 — the Chiefs winning them all.
The Bills however were one of only two teams to beat the Chiefs in the regular season this year.
“We’re going to enjoy this tonight and then turn our attention to the Chiefs tomorrow,” said Allen. “They’re the perennial of what you want to be in the NFL. You’ve got to beat them to get past them.”
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