The Ravens are now 2-2 after shellacking the Buffalo Bills.
The Ravens and their best home prime time record (20-3 prior to tonight’s game) welcome the undefeated Buffalo Bills (3-0) for Sunday Night Football. Here’s how the game unfolded.
The Ravens won the coin toss and deferred, welcoming the Bills’ top-tier offense to test them. They did on the first drive as they out-muscled the Ravens’ defense on a 4th & Inches to gain their first first-down of the game. But three plays later, Bills Head Coach Sean McDermott decided to not test another fourth down on 4th & 2, opting to punt instead. The analytics disliked the punt.
—> BUF (0) @ BAL (0) <—
BUF has 4th & 2 at the 50, Q1 11:09Recommendation (STRONG): Go for it (+3.3 WP)
Actual play: S.Martin punts 37 yards to BLT 13, Center-R.Ferguson, fair catch by D.Harty. pic.twitter.com/1ZFdpyDvKP— 4th down decision bot (@ben_bot_baldwin) September 30, 2024
The analytics would prove right, as one play, 12 seconds and 87 yards later, running back Derrick Henry would hit 21.29 miles per hour and score.
87 YARDS, the LONGEST run in @Ravens franchise history!!
: #BUFvsBAL on NBC/Peacock
: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/faa9j8bNYn— NFL (@NFL) September 30, 2024
Bills Second Drive
The Bills would answer with a 50-yard field goal, a big talking point in Baltimore this season as kicker Justin Tucker has struggled from such range, but not the Ravens’ opponents. Bass’ completion would make it five-for-five from Ravens’ opposing kickers in 2024.
Ravens Second Drive
The Ravens wouldn’t run “The Touchdown Play,” and instead methodically went down the field. After nine plays, the Ravens scored again, this one from a nine-yard pass from quarterback Lamar Jackson to Henry.
ANOTHER ONE FOR THE KING
Tune in on NBC! pic.twitter.com/x0rrvnlNAJ
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) September 30, 2024
The Bills answered with just three plays for nine yards and immediately punted it away.
Ravens Third Drive
Give the Ravens tremendous credit on this drive as they overcame 15 yards of penalties and a bad drop by tight end Mark Andrews, who was wide open for a 20+ yard catch and run. On 3rd & 15, Jackson connected with wide receiver Nelson Agholor to move the chains. A few plays later, they faced a 3rd & 14. Jackson found running back Justice Hill who followed center Tyler Linderbaum to convert. Jackson rewarded Hill’s conversion with an end zone floater in the back-corner for a 19-yard touchdown.
TOUCHDOWN @jhill21_ ❗❗
Tune in on NBC! pic.twitter.com/794z4DxBsa
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) September 30, 2024
Down 21-3, the Bills once more couldn’t get going. In fact, they went backwards for five yards and punted it away.
Fourth Drive Ravens
Things were going well after Jackson gashed the Bills defense for 11 yards on 2nd & 12, but a false start penalty backed them up. Then, Jackson pressed for extra yardage on a run to the outside and the ball was dislodged and recovered by the Bills.
Bills Fifth Drive
The Ravens respond by hammering quarterback Josh Allen and force a third-straight punt.
HALFTIME
All was quiet. The Ravens were winning. They were up 21-3. The last time these two squared off, the Ravens held a 20-3 lead and lost 23-20. This time, the Ravens wanted to stay aggressive.
On their opening drive, they threw the ball all three times and went backward as Jackson was sacked. This was their first punt of the game and first three-and-out.
Bills Answer
Josh Allen delivered magic as he scrambled to the sideline and caught the secondary watching. Wide receiver Khalil Shakir floated behind the Ravens’ secondary and caught a heaving pass from Allen and got them down to the 3-yard line. A play later, Ty Johnson would find the edge for the touchdown. The Bills’ lone touchdown of the game.
After the touchdown, the Ravens were reeling once more. Full panic set in as the Ravens went for negative five yards on three plays and punted it away.
Ravens Respond
Bills Offensive Coordinator Joe Brady’s offense was in a rhythm. He felt now was the time to hit the Ravens with the brain destroyer. Instead, the defense destroyed the play call and called game. Outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy strip-sacked Allen for his third-straight double-sack game and safety Kyle Hamilton recovered the fumble.
.@KVN_03 knocks the ball out of Josh Allen’s hand and the @Ravens recover!
: #BUFvsBAL on NBC/Peacock
: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/1Q0xIZbyzs— NFL (@NFL) September 30, 2024
From then on, it was cruise control for the Ravens. Henry ran the ball. Jackson ran the ball. Jackson scored. Then, the Ravens got the ball again and Henry went rumbling for big gains.
The last chance of the Bills getting back into this game came on the goal line as Henry fumbled the ball. But when it’s your night, it’s your night. And tonight it was the Ravens’ night as fullback Patrick Ricard recovered the football in the end zone for the game’s final score.
.@PRic508 saves the day
Tune in on NBC! pic.twitter.com/dzqXGtHdFL
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) September 30, 2024
Soon after, the Bills put in their proverbial white flag as quarterback Mitchell Trubisky entered the game.
The Ravens are now on a two-game win streak as they defeat the Bills, 35-10.