Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - In the final season at the current Highmark Stadium, a building that has been the home to Buffalo Bills football since 1973, it was only fitting for the 2025 version of the team to open its home schedule with one of the most memorable games, and greatest comebacks in the stadium's history.
A lot of fans left the "Comeback Game" against the Houston Oilers in the 1992 AFC Wild Card Round, thinking all hope was lost. I wonder how many Bills fans went to bed when Baltimore got the ball back leading 40-25 with 9:18 left in the fourth quarter.
If you did, you missed an unbelievable finish. It was a finish that would make one think this is a sign that it is finally the Bills' year.
I'll be honest with you, I didn't turn the game off and go to bed, but I thought it was over. I didn't doubt the offense could find a way to score. After all, it was still just a two-possession game with more than half the fourth quarter remaining to be played.
I had no confidence in the defense coming up with enough stops to give the offense the chances.
So where to start?
First off, Josh Allen is a god, but you already knew that. I'll get to Allen and what the reigning NFL MVP did in just a moment.
But on a night when they looked absolutely atrocious for three-plus quarters, the Bills defense came through in the end.
In Baltimore's first eight possessions, the Bills gave up five touchdowns and a pair of field goals. The Ravens had 44 plays over those eight drives and totaled 410 net yards. I'll do the math for you: That is an astounding average of 9.3 yards per-play.
But Baltimore's final three possessions in the fourth quarter were a completely different story:
- Three plays, punt
- Two plays, fumble
- Three plays, punt
That would be eight plays for a grand total of 17 net yards.
Did I mention they were averaging 9.3 yards per-play before that?
The Derrick Henry fumble, forced by Bills defensive tackle Ed Oliver who was a beast all game long, was the biggest play of the night. It came just after a Keon Coleman touchdown catch (where the pass was tipped by tight end Dawson Knox on the way) that pulled the Bills to within eight at 40-32.
The Bills got the ball at the Ravens' 30-yard line following the fumble, and rookie tight end Jackson Hawes picked a perfect time for his first NFL catch, a 29-yard play that put the Bills at the Ravens' one-yard line.
An Allen touchdown run made it 40-38, but the Bills missed a third two-point conversion on the night to keep the deficit at two points. That was one of the few things the offense didn't do right all night, going 0-for-3 on two-point tries.
The defense then came up big once again, forcing a three-and-out.
Allen and the offense then went to work with the ball at their own 20-yard line and 1:26 on the clock. By the way, the Bills had no timeouts left.
No problem, because as I mentioned before, Allen is a god.
The Bills quarterback completed passes to three different receivers, the biggest being a 32-yard deep left sideline throw to new Bills wide receiver Joshua Palmer. A Keon Coleman catch then put the Bills in close proximity for the game-winning 32-yard field goal from a really new member of the Bills in kicker Matt Prater.
Prater joined the team this past Thursday, and he was 3-for-3 on field goals in his Bills debut.
Buffalo is hoping for big things from Coleman in his second season, and he showed them what he can do. Coleman made some terrific catches and clutch plays as part of a seven-catch, 95-yard second half.
I'd say Allen was unbelievable, but he was just being himself. I really don't think there is anything he can do that would surprise us anymore.
He played with such poise and command while spearheading the incredible comeback. He made clutch throw after clutch throw, while playing with very little margin for error.
If I gave you a stat line of 16-of-21 for 251 yards and a touchdown, you'd say that's a good game. Those were Allen's numbers in the fourth quarter alone. The 251 yards were the most in any quarter of his illustrious career.
The fact that Allen doesn't already have a Super Bowl ring is a crime. He finished the Bills' 12th-straight win at home with 424 total yards and four touchdowns.
Allen and company totaled more yards in the fourth quarter (269) than they did in the first three quarters combined (245). They had the ball for 10-and-a-half minutes and scored 22 points, 16 of which came in the final four minutes.
Also check out these crazy stats:
- Since 2000, teams that were trailing by 15 or more points in the final four minutes of the fourth quarter were 3-2,312. Now its 4-2,312.
- Teams that scored 40 points and led by 15 or more after three quarters were 772-0. Until last night.
- This was the first time since 1967 the Bills trailed by 15 or more at home in the fourth quarter and won.
- Baltimore had a win probability of 99.1% with five minutes left in the fourth quarter.
I mentioned Oliver earlier, and boy, what a night he had when the defense around him stunk for most of the game.
Oliver played his heart out on Sunday, being disruptive in the pass and run game, plain and simple. Oliver ended up with six tackles, three tackles for loss, one sack, and the big forced fumble.
Yes, it is only one game. Yes, it is just Week 1 of a long season.
However, it was a night to, once again, soak in the greatness that is Allen, and appreciate the "never say die" attitude we saw from the Bills.
It was a game for the ages.
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