— In Orchard Park, N.Y., Josh Allen engineered an improbable late-game surge to lift the Buffalo Bills to a 41-40 victory over the Baltimore Ravens in Sunday night’s prime-time matchup. Trailing by 15 with four minutes left, Allen produced 16 points — including two fourth-quarter touchdowns and a final 66-yard drive — that set up Matt Prater’s 32-yard field goal as time expired. The win marked Allen’s 77th, tying him for second on the Bills’ all-time list, and capped a game that produced 929 combined yards. The result leaves Buffalo 1-0 and Baltimore stunned after a dominant statistical night that ended in defeat.
Key Takeaways
- Final score: Bills 41, Ravens 40. Buffalo overcame a 15-point deficit in the final four minutes to win on a last-second field goal.
- Josh Allen finished 33-of-46 for 394 yards with two passing touchdowns and also scored a 1-yard rushing TD in the comeback.
- Derrick Henry rushed for 169 yards and two touchdowns but fumbled at the Baltimore 30 with 3:06 remaining; the fumble was forced by Ed Oliver and recovered by Terrel Bernard.
- Buffalo totaled 497 yards of offense; the teams combined for 929 yards. Baltimore became the first NFL team to lose after scoring 40+ points while rushing for 235+ yards.
- Matt Prater, making his Bills debut, kicked a game-winning 32-yard field goal as time expired and earlier a 43-yarder to close the first half.
- Zay Flowers posted a career-high 143 receiving yards on seven catches for Baltimore; Lamar Jackson accounted for three total touchdowns.
- Bills’ comeback from a 15-point fourth-quarter deficit is only the third such rally in franchise history.
Background
This matchup was a renewed chapter in a recent AFC rivalry: Buffalo and Baltimore met in last season’s AFC divisional round, a 27-25 Bills win that set high expectations for this prime-time rematch. Buffalo opened the 2025 regular season at historic Highmark Stadium — the club’s 53rd and final home opener at the venue known colloquially as “The Ralph” before the team moves to a new $2.1 billion stadium across the street next season.
Both rosters arrived with storylines. Josh Allen, the league’s reigning MVP, carried leadership and big-game pedigree into the season opener; the Bills also debuted veteran kicker Matt Prater after placing Tyler Bass on injured reserve (hip and groin). Baltimore leaned on a run-first identity built around Derrick Henry and the scrambling playmaking of Lamar Jackson. The Ravens entered the evening with questions at kicker after releasing Justin Tucker in the offseason amid allegations; rookie Tyler Loop handled kicking duties for Baltimore on Sunday.
Main Event
The game unfolded as an offensive showcase early and often. Baltimore scored on seven of its first eight possessions, with Henry powering the ground attack and Jackson mixing passes and runs. Henry’s 46-yard touchdown run with 11:42 left in the fourth quarter pushed the Ravens’ lead to 40-25 and appeared to put the game out of reach.
Buffalo’s response began when Ed Oliver stripped Henry on a critical play at 3:06 remaining; Terrel Bernard recovered at the Ravens’ 30, igniting Buffalo’s comeback. Two minutes later Allen scythed into the end zone from one yard out, cutting Baltimore’s edge to 40-38. The Bills then forced a three-and-out on Baltimore’s final possession to get the ball back with 1:26 on the clock.
Allen answered with a composed nine-play, 66-yard drive that consumed the final 86 seconds of regulation and positioned Prater for a 32-yard field goal as the clock hit zero. The final drive demonstrated play-calling balance and Allen’s confidence throwing under pressure, including a contested tipped catch by Keon Coleman in the end zone earlier in the fourth that had kept the comeback alive.
Defensively, Buffalo bent to Baltimore’s run-heavy game but made the decisive play on the strip-sack that swung momentum. Baltimore’s offense still piled up yards — including Zay Flowers’ 143 receiving yards — but could not protect the ball in the decisive moments.
Analysis & Implications
On-field significance is immediate for both clubs. For Buffalo, the comeback validates the team’s late-game play design and Allen’s status as a clutch leader. Allen’s 394-yard passing night was symptomatic of a high-octane Bills offense that can both move the ball early and execute two-minute style drives when required. The successful integration of Matt Prater also provides short-term stability at kicker while Tyler Bass recovers.
Baltimore’s loss will be dissected for opposing takeaways: piling up yards and scoring 40 points are typically winning formulas, yet ball security and situational defense proved decisive. Derrick Henry’s superb rushing day (169 yards, two TDs) was undermined by the late fumble. Coaches will emphasize turnover avoidance and clock management after a game where a single miscue changed the outcome.
From a standings and momentum perspective, Buffalo starts 1-0 with renewed belief in its closing ability; Baltimore, despite dominant production, must regroup quickly. The result also raises tactical questions leaguewide about how opposing defenses can slow Allen without conceding explosive plays, and whether Baltimore’s special-teams changes (rookie kicker Tyler Loop) will withstand early-season pressure after a missed extra point proved costly.
Comparison & Data
| Category | Bills | Ravens |
|---|---|---|
| Total offense | 497 yards | 432 yards* |
| Rushing (team) | — | 235+ yards |
| Leading rusher | — | Derrick Henry, 169 yards, 2 TDs |
| QB performance | Josh Allen 33/46, 394 yards, 2 pass TDs, 1 rush TD | Lamar Jackson: 3 total TDs |
| Combined yards | 929 yards | |
The numbers underline an unusual result: Baltimore’s rushing output (235+ team yards) and a 40-point scoring night normally secure wins, but turnovers and late defensive lapses flipped the script. Buffalo’s nearly 500-yard offensive night underscores the magnitude of the comeback and the challenges Baltimore’s defense faced.
Reactions & Quotes
Players and coaches framed the finish through competing lenses: Buffalo celebrated resilience; Baltimore emphasized the harsh finality of a turnover.
“Our team didn’t quit. I think there’s people who left the stadium. That’s OK. We’ll be fine. But have some faith next time.”
Josh Allen, Bills quarterback
Allen’s postgame comments emphasized leadership and a belief in the roster’s ability to finish. Coach Sean McDermott credited Allen’s mindset when asked about his role late in tight games.
“That’s what the great ones, that’s their mindset… he’s never out of it in his mind.”
Sean McDermott, Bills head coach
On the Baltimore side, Derrick Henry accepted responsibility for the fumble that catalyzed the comeback, and Lamar Jackson noted the bitter lesson of playing through the final second.
“I told my teammates after the game, put the loss on me. I own it like a man… If I take care of the ball, I feel like it would be a different situation.”
Derrick Henry, Ravens running back
Unconfirmed
- Whether Tyler Loop will remain Baltimore’s primary kicker long-term is undecided; the team has not announced a roster plan following Monday’s review.
- The long-term effect of Buffalo’s kicking change (Matt Prater replacing Tyler Bass) depends on Bass’s recovery timeline; the franchise has given no official timetable.
Bottom Line
Sunday night’s result is a vivid reminder that football outcomes hinge on execution in high-leverage moments. Buffalo’s late 16-point eruption showcased Josh Allen’s capacity to perform under pressure and a defense that, while gashed earlier, delivered a decisive turnover. The win furnishes Buffalo with immediate momentum and narrative advantage as it transitions to a new stadium next season.
For Baltimore, the loss will be a source of tough early-season introspection rather than panic: yardage and scoring were abundant, but turnovers and small errors proved decisive. Both teams face divisional tests next week — Baltimore hosts Cleveland; Buffalo travels to the New York Jets — that will further clarify whether Sunday was a fluke of circumstance or a revealing measure of each team’s early-2025 identity.