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Josh Allen, Bills edge Ravens to set up AFC title showdown with Chiefs: Key takeaways

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With assistance from a dropped two-point conversion try, the Buffalo Payments held on to defeat the Baltimore Ravens, 27-25, on Sunday within the ultimate divisional spherical sport of the weekend.

Ravens tight finish Mark Andrews was open on the game-tying two-point attempt with 1:33 to go however couldn’t haul within the cross from quarterback Lamar Jackson. Buffalo recovered the following on-side kick and secured the victory.

The win places Buffalo within the AFC Championship Sport for the second time in 5 seasons and units up a matchup subsequent weekend with the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs — a nemesis that quarterback Josh Allen and coach Sean McDermott have but to conquer within the playoffs.

Allen emerged victorious over Baltimore and Jackson, a fellow MVP candidate, to enhance to 7-5 within the postseason. Allen rushed for 2 scores, whereas finishing 16 of twenty-two cross makes an attempt for 127 yards (a season low in passing yards in a sport the place he tried a cross). Rookie operating again Ray Davis added a dashing landing because the Payments totaled 147 yards on the bottom on the league’s top-ranked dashing protection (80.1 yards per sport allowed within the common season).

go-deeper

The Payments compelled three turnovers — an interception and two fumbles. Buffalo’s secondary took a success when Taylor Rapp was carted to the locker room within the second quarter with a hip damage and didn’t return.

The Payments will tackle the Chiefs within the AFC Championship Sport subsequent Sunday (6:30 p.m. ET on CBS). In three of the previous 4 seasons, Kansas Metropolis has eradicated Buffalo from the playoffs — within the 2020 AFC Championship Sport and the 2021 and 2023 AFC divisional rounds. Through the 2024 common season, Buffalo was the one group to defeat the Chiefs with Patrick Mahomes beginning at quarterback in a 30-21 house win in Week 11.

go-deeper

GO DEEPER

‘It is not regular’: Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs make it 7 straight AFC title video games

Opportunistic protection delivers takeaways

In a sport headlined by MVP co-favorite quarterbacks, Buffalo’s protection stole the present, rising with a number of essential stops and takeaways.

Regardless of the harrowing end, Buffalo’s protection quashed Jackson and Derrick Henry for a lot of the evening. Baltimore’s best weapon by way of three quarters was backup tailback Justice Hill, who completed with six carries for 50 yards. Jackson threw an interception to Rapp within the first quarter and fumbled whereas being sacked by security Damar Hamlin within the second. Von Miller scooped up the free ball and ran 39 yards to the Ravens’ 24-yard line. The Payments scored a TD 4 performs later.

Later, with the Ravens down 5 factors and marching late, Payments linebacker Terrel Bernard peanut-punched the ball away from Andrews after a 16-yard achieve and recovered the fumble, a pivotal play. It was Andrews’ first misplaced fumble since 2019. Buffalo turned that takeaway right into a subject aim and an eight-point lead with 3:29 to go.

Linebacker Matt Milano delivered three quarterback hits, waylaid receiver Rashod Bateman on a third-down play to drive a subject aim and deflected Jackson’s cross on a two-point conversion try and tight finish Isaiah Possible late within the third quarter. Edge rushers Greg Rousseau and A.J. Epenesa mixed for 3 tackles behind the road of scrimmage. — Tim Graham, Payments senior author

Buffalo’s floor sport comes up massive

The Payments’ offense definitely didn’t have their finest day, however when the opportunistic Payments’ protection gave them some probabilities, they held up their a part of the discount. The Payments targeted on the operating sport, and surprisingly so, given how stout the Ravens’ protection had been in opposition to the run all season. The Payments discovered success early within the sport with their trio of James Prepare dinner, Ty Johnson and Davis. The Ravens put up a greater battle to start the second half, however the Payments saved with it into the fourth quarter which helped arrange what wound up being the pivotal subject aim from Tyler Bass to place them up eight.

The Payments have the most effective offensive strains within the NFL this 12 months, and so they believed in them a lot in opposition to this Ravens’ protection that they put the sport of their palms, and so they responded properly. And to place the exclamation level on the day, Johnson gained 17 yards and went right down to seal the sport, sending the Payments to the AFC Championship Sport for the primary time because the 2020 season. — Joe Buscaglia, Payments beat author

A date with the Chiefs awaits

The Payments had some nervy moments late within the sport, however ultimately, they booked their ticket to the AFC Championship Sport for the primary time because the 2020 season. The Payments completed the 12 months with an ideal document at house and now get an opportunity to move to the Tremendous Bowl for the primary time because the early Nineteen Nineties. And, as a result of, in fact, it’s them, the Payments will transfer on to face the Chiefs, the very group that has stood of their means over a number of playoff runs.

The final time the Payments have been within the AFC Championship Sport, the Chiefs turned them away at Arrowhead Stadium. The Payments are actually a a lot completely different group and have definitely discovered their classes within the playoffs and in any other case. Now they get the prospect to beat the ultimate boss on the finish of the online game, and at last, for the primary time since McDermott grew to become head coach, advance to a spherical within the playoffs additional than the Chiefs. — Buscaglia

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(Photograph: Timothy T Ludwig / Getty Photographs)



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