The Buffalo Bills defeated the Baltimore Ravens 27-25 in the NFL divisional round game and will visit the champion Kansas City Chiefs next Sunday in the American Conference (AFC) final.
It will be the third time in history that the Bills face the AFC title with the Chiefs, in the first they won in the 1993 season, in the most recent they lost in 2020.
Bills defeat Ravens and meet in the AFC final with the champions Chiefs
In the Josh Allen-Lamar Jackson duel, the favorites to obtain the Most Valuable Player award of the NFL season, Allen was decisive for Buffalo’s victory.
He passed for 127 yards and had two rushing touchdowns.
Bills defeat Ravens and meet in the AFC final with the ChiefsNFL champions
Jackson struggled to escape the pressure of the opposing defense that sacked him twice, fumbled him and intercepted him once. He had 254 yards and a touchdown pass.
Bills dominated the first half despite the fact that the Ravens took the lead in the first quarter with a touchdown reception by Rashod Bateman, a blow from which Buffalo immediately recovered with a touchdown run by Ray Davis that tied the game at 7- 7.
In the second quarter the local defense was decisive. Damar Hamlin penetrated the line, pressured Jakcson and caused a fumble that Von Miller recovered, a success that the Bills offense capitalized on with a touchdown run by Josh Allen that put his team ahead 14-7.
Baltimore got within 14-10 with a field goal, but before halftime the attack of coach Sean McDermott’s team once again showed the power of its running attack with Allen’s second touchdown of the game that distanced them 21-10.
In the third quarter the roles changed. The dominance passed to the Ravens who cut it to 21-13 with a 47-yard field goal by Justin Tucker and a series later they went up to 21-19 with a rushing score by Derrick Henry.
Buffalo came out of its lethargy at the start of the fourth quarter with a 51-yard field goal by Tyler Bass that made the score 24-19.
Ravens returned to the attack, reached midfield and in full offensive that threatened to come back from a punch by Terrel Bernard caused a fumble by Mark Andrews that Bernard recovered to return the momentum of the game to the Bills who capitalized with a field goal that he moved away 27-19.
Baltimore recovered from the mistake. He forged a scoring drive with a pass to Rashod Bateman, which put them within 27-25, but he missed the two-point conversion that would have sent the game to overtime.
In the final of the National Conference, the Washington Commanders, who beat the Detroit Lions 31-45 last Saturday, will face the Philadelphia Eagles, who earlier beat the Los Angeles Rams 28-22, this Sunday.
