Mark Andrews’ drop in the late fourth quarter helped doom the Ravens in the Bills’ 27-25 victory in the AFC divisional round. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
The Buffalo Bills have had some playoff heartbreaks. They were due for a break.
The Baltimore Ravens scored a touchdown with 1:33 to go and had a two-point conversion set up perfectly for the tie. But tight end Mark Andrews had a stunning drop on a pass that hit him in the hands, it fell incomplete and the BIlls were moving on to the AFC championship game with a 27-25 win.
It wasn’t some great defensive play that won the game for the Bills. It was just a stroke of luck that Andrews, one of the NFL’s best tight ends, dropped a pass he almost always catches. And Buffalo won’t turn down a lucky break.
The Bills are getting another shot at the Kansas City Chiefs. The Bills are 0-3 against Kansas City in the playoffs this decade. They lost in the AFC championship game at the end of the 2020 season. They had the infamous “13 seconds” loss in a divisional round classic three seasons ago and had some bad flashbacks when kicker Tyler Bass missed wide right in a loss to Kansas City last season.
On a day in which Josh Allen had a relatively quiet game by his standards, passing for just 127 yards and not having a massive impact on the ground either, the Bills stepped up around him to meet the challenge of a very good Ravens team. The defense made some big plays. The running backs controlled the game on the ground. The Bills had a good all-around performance.
And then they got one massive break that the Ravens will think about all offseason.
Bills have a big 1st half
One of the Ravens’ problems in past playoff disappointments was untimely turnovers. That popped up again right away against the Bills.
In the first quarter Jackson threw an odd interception that Bills safety Taylor Rapp was waiting on, after Rashod Bateman either slowed down on his route or Jackson rushed the throw. Either way, it was the type of interception Jackson almost never threw in the regular season. He had just four all season.
Then in the second quarter there was an even bigger mistake. With the Ravens driving, there was a mishandled snap. Jackson was about to get tackled for a loss by Damar Hamlin when he lost the ball. Von Miller picked up the ball and returned it 39 yards. That set up an Allen touchdown on a quarterback sneak and the Bills led 14-7.
Baltimore had just 11 turnovers in the regular season, third-fewest in the NFL. They didn’t turn it over in the wild-card round. Then in the first 19 minutes of game action on Sunday night the Ravens turned it over twice.
Give the Bills defense credit. They were finding ways to fluster Jackson and also to mostly keep the Ravens out of the end zone. The Ravens scored 10 points in the first half, and given how explosive their offense is, that wasn’t a bad outcome for Buffalo.
The first half went as well as the Bills could have hoped. A touchdown in the final minute of the first half put Buffalo ahead 21-10 going into halftime, and they were set to get the ball first in the second half. .
Buffalo couldn’t have scripted it much better. But the Ravens weren’t just going to go away easily.
Bills let Ravens get back in it
The Bills’ offense stalled in the third quarter. A couple of punts led to a Ravens field goal and then a Derrick Henry touchdown. The 2-point conversion after Henry’s touchdown was batted down, but the Ravens had cut Buffalo’s lead to 21-19. A comfortable lead was far from comfortable any longer.
The Bills have been good running the ball, but there started to be questions over why their MVP quarterback wasn’t a bigger focal point. Allen didn’t even have more than 100 yards passing until the fourth quarter. It seemed like that was keeping the game close.
But the Bills defense came up with a huge momentum-turning play. Andrews caught a pass over the middle for a first down, with the Ravens trailing 24-19, but linebacker Terrel Bernard punched it out for a fumble. The Bills recovered. It was only the second lost fumble of Andrews’ career, and the first since 2019.
Buffalo had a clock-chewing drive after that, and Allen was a big part of it, keeping the chains moving through some short passes and a big quarterback sneak on third down. Allen was stopped on third-and-goal but the Bills got a field goal to push their lead to 27-19.
That meant Jackson still had a chance with 3:23 left, needing a touchdown and 2-point conversion to tie it. Jackson started the drive with a big pass rolling to his right, hitting Tylan Wallace for 27 yards to get the Ravens past midfield at the two-minute warning. Then Jackson hit a long pass to Andrews got the Ravens to Buffalo’s 24-yard line. The Bills dropped into coverage on the play after that, and Jackson stood in the pocket waiting for something to come open, and he hit Isaiah Likely for a touchdown with 1:33 left.
That set up a 2-point conversion for the tie. Jackson rolled out and had Andrews, but Andrews dropped it. That’s a heartbreak for the Ravens. The Bills are used to that feeling.
The Bills had a huge challenge against the Ravens on Sunday night, and found a way to advance. The Chiefs have been the final boss they can’t get past on their way to the franchise’s first Super Bowl in 31 years. Maybe fortune is finally on their side.
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Manning vs. Brady 🤝 Mahomes vs. Allen
….And also Aikman vs. Young and Kelly vs. Marino and Bradshaw vs. Stabler.
Seems like every generation has one rivalry thats just….special.
The Ravens didn’t punt in this game and are the first team to not punt and lose a playoff game since the Patriots lost Super Bowl 52 to the Eagles without a punt
ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK – JANUARY 19: Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens warms up prior to the game against the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Divisional Playoff at Highmark Stadium on January 19, 2025 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Bills move on to the AFC title game, will head to Kansas City
The Buffalo Bills are back in the AFC title game, and they’ll have to dethrone the kings of the mountain, the two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs. The Bills beat the Chiefs in Orchard Park earlier this year. The Chiefs have knocked the Bills out of the playoffs in three of the previous four seasons.
Rasul Douglas recovers for the Bills
MARK ANDREWS DROPS THE TWO-POINT TRY
This is devastating for the Ravens. They’ll need to recover an onside kick now.
JACKSON TO ISAIAH LIKELY for the score!
Jackson had ALL DAY to throw on this one.
Jackson to Mark Andrews for a big gainer
Andrews got out of bounds inside the 25. First down with 1:44 left. Pickup of 19.
Lamar Jackson with an MVP play to get the Ravens into plus-territory
Don’t ever throw late and across your body to the middle of the field…unless you’re one of the best to ever do it. (Hey, two MVP awards is two MVP awards…and he might have a 3rd on the way)
This one to Tylan Wallace gets Baltimore into Buffalo territory at the two-minute warning and still with a timeout in their pocket.
Ravens pick up a first down, but now Rashod Bateman is down
Bateman was hit by Greg Rousseau on the 1st down reception, and now the Ravens face a 2nd and 7 as the snow starts to pick up in Buffalo
Lamar escapes for 8
Baltimore now facing a 3rd and 2 on their own 20
Huge penalty on the kickoff
Ravens flagged for holding, and that means the drive will start at the 12-yard-line
Bills opt for field goal try, take eight point lead on 21-yard field goal
3:29 left. Baltimore has one timeout and is down by eight. They’ve turned the ball over three times, and had a kneel down on the final possession before halftime. They have’t punted yet, and as it stands, it doesn’t look like they’ll punt in regulation. We’re in for a chance at a BIG finish in Buffalo.
Bills facing 4th down on the 3-yard-line
Buffalo takes a timeout, up 24-19 with 3:31 to go. Huge decision coming up for Sean McDermott and the Bills.
Bills on the move
Knocking on the door of the 10-yard-line now, the Bills have gone 47 yards on eight plays after the turnover, bleeding the clock, which is now at about four minutes.
Baltimore turns it over again!
A disaster for the Ravens as Mark Andrews coughs it up. Terrel Bernard on the strip and the recovery, and the Bills now have a chance to get some distance in this game. A Buffalo touchdown would make it a two-possession game once again — a tall task for the Ravens at this point in the 4th quarter.
Mark Andrews converts a 4th down on a QB sneak
The Ravens’ tight end is their sneak specialist and keeps the drive a live in their own end on a BIG 4th donw conversion right around the 10-minute mark.
It’s been some tough sledding for the two leading MVP candidates today
Tyler Bass from 51 yards
And in some cold weather. It is 17 degrees and the ball doesn’t carry as far in the frigid temps. It’s now 24-19 with just over 12 minutes to play in the 4th quarter and Baltimore has been a buzzsaw in the run game over the offense’s last couple of trips on to the field.
End 3rd quarter: Bills 21, Ravens 19
Buffalo has a little momentum on offense heading into the 4th quarter with a couple of first downs on their current drive after doing very little on offense in the 3rd quarter. A Quarter that was controlled by the Baltimore run game with 89 yards on the ground just in that quarter, and outscoring the Bills 9-0 to get the game back to a one-score affair.
ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK – JANUARY 19: Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens hands the ball off to Justice Hill #43 against the Buffalo Bills in the first quarter during the AFC Divisional Playoff at Highmark Stadium on January 19, 2025 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Derrick Henry punches it in for the Ravens from the 5
Baltimore had 68 rushing yards on this drive and now the Ravens are down by two at 21-19 after missing on the two-point conversion attempt. Derrick Henry has 58 yards rushing in the 3rd quarter and the Ravens are up to 162 yards on the ground on 6.5 yards per attempt.
