— Josh Allen engineered a dramatic fourth-quarter rally Sunday night at Highmark Stadium to erase a 15-point deficit and lead the Buffalo Bills to a 41-40 walk-off victory over the Baltimore Ravens. The game, the final slate at the current Highmark Stadium and the Bills’ 2025 season opener, ended when veteran kicker Matt Prater drilled a 32-yard field goal as time expired. Allen produced one of the best single-quarter passing performances of his career to fuel the comeback, while Buffalo capitalized on a late Baltimore turnover to regain possession and complete the drive for the win.
Key Takeaways
- Final score: Buffalo Bills 41, Baltimore Ravens 40; game ended on a 32-yard field goal by Matt Prater as time expired.
- Josh Allen finished 33-of-46 for 394 passing yards and two passing touchdowns, and he rushed 14 times for 30 yards and two rushing TDs.
- Per ESPN, Allen recorded 251 passing yards in the fourth quarter — the most he has thrown in any quarter of his career.
- Baltimore amassed 432 total yards and averaged 8.6 yards per play; Derrick Henry ran 18 times for 169 yards and two TDs.
- Keon Coleman had eight receptions for 112 yards and a touchdown; Zay Flowers caught seven passes for 143 yards and a touchdown.
- A pivotal turnover: Derrick Henry was stripped by Ed Oliver and Terrell Bernard recovered, setting Buffalo up at Baltimore’s 30-yard line late in the fourth quarter.
- Matt Prater, who joined Buffalo this week after Tyler Bass was placed on injured reserve, also hit a 43-yard field goal as time expired in the first half.
Background
This game opened the regular season for the Bills at what will be the final run of games in the current Highmark Stadium configuration. Buffalo entered the night with expectations on Josh Allen to keep the offense among the NFL’s most explosive units. Baltimore’s offense, led by Lamar Jackson and a feature back in Derrick Henry, also arrived with high preseason expectations after offseason roster moves to bolster scoring and the run game.
Historical context mattered: Baltimore’s ground game and play-action passing have routinely challenged Buffalo’s defense in recent seasons, making a matchup between Henry and the Bills’ defensive front a focal point. Both clubs had reason to view early-season momentum as important: Buffalo aiming to set a tone after last season’s playoff run and Baltimore looking to establish divisional control in the AFC North.
Main Event
Baltimore dominated much of the night. The Ravens put together multiple explosive plays, including a drive late in the third quarter that produced their fourth touchdown and put them ahead 40-25 with 11:42 remaining. On the night Baltimore averaged 8.6 yards per play and finished with 432 total yards, numbers that typically translate into a comfortable win.
The Bills, however, mounted a concentrated response in the fourth quarter. After a Buffalo punt with 9:18 left, Baltimore’s next series stalled and the Ravens were pushed back, yielding the ball to Buffalo at their 20 with 7:16 remaining. On a critical fourth-and-2 from Baltimore’s 10, Allen rolled right and launched a pass that was deflected and caught by second-year receiver Keon Coleman for a touchdown that cut the deficit.
Baltimore’s lead briefly reconstituted, but a decisive swing came when Henry — who had just broken off a 13-yard run to begin Baltimore’s next drive — was stripped by defensive tackle Ed Oliver. Terrell Bernard recovered the fumble at the Baltimore 30, and Buffalo needed only four plays before Allen barreled over at the goal line for a 1-yard touchdown.
With the clock winding down and Buffalo out of timeouts, Allen delivered again: a 32-yard completion to Joshua Palmer put the Bills within field-goal range, then a connection to Coleman moved Buffalo to the 9-yard line. With Baltimore using its final timeouts and unable to force a stop, Prater’s 32-yard kick split the uprights as the final horn sounded.
Analysis & Implications
The game underscored two opposing truths about NFL roster construction: Baltimore’s offense can generate overwhelming production across the field, while Buffalo’s offense — led by a generational quarterback — retains the capacity to erase large deficits in short order. Allen’s 251 passing yards in the fourth quarter illustrate the scale of a single-player performance altering the outcome against a high-output opposing unit.
Defensively, Buffalo’s ability to create a game-altering turnover late — the Ed Oliver strip and Terrell Bernard recovery — was decisive. Turnover timing often matters as much as turnover frequency; forcing a takeaway when the opponent is driving seals swing potential. Baltimore’s defense, despite limiting Buffalo at other points, could not convert earlier yardage dominance into a game-protecting stop in the closing minutes.
Special teams produced the final chapter and delivered twice for Buffalo: a 43-yard field goal as time expired in the first half and the 32-yard winner. The successful clutch kicking by Matt Prater immediately raises questions about Buffalo’s kicking depth and the implications of Tyler Bass’s placement on injured reserve.
Looking ahead, Buffalo leaves 1-0 with momentum but faces early-season testing in road matchups; a quick trip to face the New York Jets in Week 2 will be a measuring stick for consistency. Baltimore, 0-1, has a home opener against divisional rival Cleveland that will offer a chance to settle the defense’s late-game execution and to get Lamar Jackson back on track under a heavy workload.
Comparison & Data
| Stat | Bills | Ravens |
|---|---|---|
| Final score | 41 | 40 |
| Passing yards (team leader) | Josh Allen – 394 | Lamar Jackson – 210 |
| Rushing (top performer) | Josh Allen – 30 | Derrick Henry – 169 |
| Leading receiver | Keon Coleman – 112 | Zay Flowers – 143 |
| Total yards (team) | N/A | 432 |
| Yards per play | N/A | 8.6 |
The table above shows figures explicitly reported in postgame notes and game coverage; some aggregate Buffalo team numbers were not provided in the primary reports and are marked N/A rather than estimated. The available statistics highlight how an outstanding individual performance (Allen’s 394 passing yards and 251 in the fourth) can offset an opponent’s superior team-yardage total (Baltimore’s 432).
Reactions & Quotes
Players and coaches framed the night through the lens of momentum swings and execution. Buffalo’s sideline celebrated a late surge while Baltimore’s locker room acknowledged missed opportunities in the final possessions.
“We answered when it mattered most — Josh made plays and the guys executed the final drive.”
Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills (postgame)
Allen emphasized situational awareness and the importance of the turnover that created the final scoring opportunity.
“That fumble changed the game. We had them moving, then turned it over at a bad time for us.”
Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens (postgame)
Jackson noted the collective responsibility for late-game execution despite the offense’s earlier success. Coaches from both clubs highlighted the same themes in postgame comments: complementary football, special-teams impact and the need to protect the football in crunch time.
Unconfirmed
- Specific Buffalo team totals (e.g., final team rushing yards and total plays) were not provided in the primary recap and are therefore not reported here.
- There were early postgame social-media reports of a questionable tackle that led to Coleman’s 9-yard gain; league review notes were not available at the time of publication.
Bottom Line
The Bills’ 41-40 comeback win provides an immediate boost to Buffalo’s opening-week narrative and highlights Josh Allen’s capacity to dominate in short stretches. The result also reinforces that high-yardage games do not guarantee victory when turnovers and clutch situational execution tilt the balance.
For Baltimore, the performance offered both positives — an offense capable of 432 yards and explosive plays — and a stark reminder that ball security and late-down defense must improve. Both teams face quick turnarounds: Buffalo travels to face the New York Jets in Week 2, while Baltimore hosts the Cleveland Browns in its home opener.
Sources
- NBC Sports — media recap and game notes
- ESPN — statistical summary cited for fourth-quarter passing yardage
- Buffalo Bills — official team site / roster and transaction note (Tyler Bass IR; Matt Prater signing)
- Baltimore Ravens — official team site / game and player highlights
- NFL.com — official league boxscore and play-by-play