Josh Allen Ravens e1737344508897 Buffalo BillsAssociated Press photo

Josh Allen kneeled to run out the clock and jogged straight toward Lamar Jackson, embracing his Ravens adversary. Having survived in a 27-25 thriller to advance to the AFC Championship Game, the Bills’ quarterback had heartfelt words for his fellow MVP front-runner.

“I just got so much respect and love for him,” said Allen, who led the Bills to a 13th straight home win and extended the NFL’s longest active streak despite entering as a one-point underdog. “The way he plays the game, he’s a true competitor. He’s a true football player, one of the greatest to ever step on the football field, so nothing but love.”

On a snow-dusted field in 19-degree conditions, Allen was a pedestrian 16 of 22 for 127 yards. Jackson was 18 of 25 for 254 yards with two touchdowns. The difference in the game was Allen’s two rushing scores and Buffalo’s three mammoth takeaways. Buffalo, which led the league with a plus-24 turnover margin — best in the NFL since the 2012 Patriots — also didn’t commit a turnover against Baltimore (13-6).

The Bills (15-4) bottled up Derrick Henry, limiting him to 84 yards on 16 carries, and Jackson had an interception and lost a fumble, his first multiple-turnover game since last year’s AFC title contest against Kansas City. Jackson now has multiple turnovers in four of his eight career postseason starts.

“How about that Buffalo Bills defense?” Allen said. “All year, this team has heard we got 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, I’m so proud of our offense and special teams. What a complete win.”

The win wasn’t complete until Ravens tight end Mark Andrews couldn’t secure a two-point pass that would’ve tied the game with 1:33 remaining. Jackson’s toss hit Andrews in the stomach while his feet slid out from under him. As reliable as any tight end in the league over his seven-year NFL career, Andrews also lost a fumble midway through the fourth quarter with the Ravens driving to take the lead. Buffalo linebacker Terrel Bernard punched the ball loose and pounced on the fumble, the first lost fumble by Andrews in five years. Allen then drove the Bills 52 yards in 11 plays – taking more than five minutes off the clock – to set up a 21-yard Tyler Bass field goal that put Buffalo in front, 27-19.

Jackson then mounted an eight-play, 88-yard drive ending in a vintage 24-yard strike to Isaiah Likely set up by the quarterback’s uncanny ability to extend plays. Seconds later, Jackson rolled to his right and fired to the pylon for Andrews, who lost the ball out of bounds.

The Ravens didn’t need to be in that position, though. Two years after athletic trainers resuscitated him on a Cincinnati field, Damar Hamlin made a pivotal play that turned the early tide in Buffalo’s favor. Hamlin shot through a gap on a second-quarter blitz to sack Jackson, knocking the ball out of the quarterback’s hands. Veteran Von Miller scooped up the loose ball and raced 39 yards to the Ravens’ 24-yard line, setting up Allen’s 1-yard touchdown run. Hamlin also had a critical tackle on Henry.

“We put in work in all week,” Hamlin said. “We knew the challenge that we had. Much respect to them. LJ is one of my favorite players for a very long time. Derrick Henry, man, his resume speaks for itself … We knew the challenge but we prepared for it all week and we came here and we got the job done.”

Getting the next job done won’t be easy, either. Buffalo meets Kansas City in the playoffs for the fourth time in five years, having lost each of those prior three postseason contests. While the Bills convincingly won their Week 11 meeting earlier this season, 30-21 on Nov. 17, Buffalo knows that Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City are different in January.

“I just know we’re going to work hard, we’re going to have a heck of a week,” Allen said. “We’re going to enjoy this one tonight, turn our attention to the Chiefs tomorrow. We know what they are. They’re the perennial of what you want to be in the NFL. You got to beat them to get past them.”

For more information on the Bills and Ravens, visit the Buffalo and Baltimore team pages at ProFootballPost.com.


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By Zak Gilbert

Since his freshman year at the University of Colorado, Zak Gilbert has worked 30 years in sports, including 18 NFL seasons. He's spent time with four NFL teams, serving as head of communications for both the Raiders and Browns. A veteran of nine Super Bowls, he most recently worked six seasons in the NFL's New York league office.

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