Josh Allen pounds Bills past Ravens, into AFC Championship Game

Josh Allen rushed for two touchdowns, Terrel Bernard and Von Miller made big defensive plays and the Buffalo Bills earned a spot in the AFC Championship Game with a 27-25 victory over the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday night at Orchard Park, N.Y.

Ray Davis rushed for a touchdown and the second-seeded Bills forced three turnovers while defeating the third-seeded Ravens in cold and icy conditions. The temperature was 19 degrees, with a feel-like temperature of 12 at kickoff.

Buffalo will visit the top-seeded Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game on Jan. 26. It is a rematch of the 2020 season AFC title game when the Chiefs posted a 38-24 victory over Buffalo.

A dropped two-point conversion pass to Mark Andrews prevented the Ravens from tying the score with 1:33 remaining.

Lamar Jackson completed 18 of 25 passes for 254 yards and two touchdowns for the Ravens but also was responsible for two turnovers (one interception, one lost fumble). Baltimore’s Derrick Henry rushed for 84 yards and a touchdown and Rashod Bateman and Isaiah Likely had scoring receptions.

Allen completed 16 of 22 passes for 127 yards while gaining the victory over Jackson. The two are the leading NFL MVP candidates.

Jackson finished strong by driving the Ravens 88 yards on eight plays and hit Likely on a 24-yard touchdown catch to bring Baltimore within two with 1:33 left. On the two-point play, Jackson rolled right and tossed the ball to a wide-open Andrews, who dropped the ball in the end zone.

Buffalo’s Rasul Douglas recovered the ensuing onside kick and Ty Johnson cemented the victory with a 17-yard run.

Baltimore trailed by 11 points at halftime before controlling the third quarter.

Justin Tucker kicked a 47-yard field goal to bring the Ravens within 21-13 with 9:47 left in the third quarter.

Henry scored on a 5-yard rush with 1:37 remaining in the third. The Ravens went for a tying two-point conversion but Buffalo’s Matt Milano tipped away Jackson’s pass.

Tyler Bass made a 51-yard field goal to increase the Bills’ lead to 24-19 with 12:04 left in the game.

Later, Jackson hit Andrews for 16 yards to the Buffalo 44-yard line. But Bernard punched the ball out of Andrews’ hands and jumped on it at the Bills’ 46 with 8:41 remaining.

Allen rushed for two first-half touchdowns as Buffalo held a 21-10 lead.

The Ravens took a 7-0 lead on Jackson’s 16-yard touchdown pass to Bateman. The Bills tied the score on Davis’ 1-yard run with 4:43 left in the opening quarter.

Jackson turned the ball over twice in the half — the first when he was intercepted by Buffalo’s Taylor Rapp in the first quarter.

A more costly turnover occurred in the second quarter when a play was off-kilter due to a high and wide shotgun snap. Jackson was able to corral the ball and tried to run as the ball slipped out of his hands while Buffalo’s Damar Hamlin was trying to make an ankle-high tackle.

Miller scooped up the ball and raced 39 yards to the Bills’ 24-yard line. Four plays later, Allen scored from the 1 to give Buffalo a 14-7 advantage with 8:49 left in the half.

Tucker booted a 26-yard field goal with 3:43 left in the half, before Allen’s 4-yard run gave Buffalo a 21-10 lead with 16 seconds remaining.

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