Quoth the Raven: Go Bills!
The Buffalo Bills’ 2024 season has been written. So, let’s add some “illustrations!” If you’re new to Plays That Defined, this isn’t a highlight recap, but rather a cathartic retelling of the past season, chapter by chapter.
Don’t vote for your favorite play necessarily, vote for the one that best represents that game’s narrative. I’ll recap the game to refresh your memory, but don’t feel locked in by my narrative.
Chapter 19: Divisional Round vs. Baltimore Ravens
The two front-runners for NFL MVP and their respective teams were set to square off in Orchard Park, NY during the 2024 Divisional Round. The teams went toe-to-toe in a very tight contest decided by less than a field goal.
The Bills’ game may best have been described as “steady” with small chunks of yards coming in hard-fought opportunities. The Baltimore Ravens leaned into “volatility” with many more explosive plays, but also many more catastrophic ones. In the end, their penchant for miscues did them in.
Also, if you were there and ran into some random guy asking everyone if they knew it was Edgar Allen Poe’s birthday and saying “Quoth the Raven: Go Bills” then “Hi” it was great to see you.
Ravens limiting Allen (Q1; 1:39)
While overall the stats support Josh Allen playing well (as does the film), there’s no denying that the Ravens had a good game plan to limit the explosive capability of Allen. On 10 carries, Allen gained a scant 20 yards. This isn’t even technically part of that as you’re looking at Baltimore’s sole credited sack of the day. The Ravens came to fight and it showed.
Josh Allen’s rushing TD (Q2; 0:20)
To be clear though, I did say “limit” not “stop.” Allen helped orchestrate five scoring drives, which included three touchdowns. I went with this score as it reflects the uphill battle that Buffalo often had to overcome as well as the “steady” narrative I hinted at above.
Terrel Bernard’s forced fumble (Q4; 8:50)
Countering that is the volatility of the Ravens. Late in a close game Baltimore had a very promising play turn into catastrophe as Terrel Bernard poked the ball away from Mark Andrews and stole the possession away. This was the third turnover of the day for Baltimore and further contrasts volatility vs. steady as the Bills had none.
Ravens’ final TD (Q4; 1:44)
On the positive side of the volatility ledger were plays like this. Lamar Jackson scrambled for first downs, Derrick Henry had a solid day, and this touchdown sure as heck looks good doesn’t it? Isaiah Likely sliding for a highlight-reel score was not remotely out of place in the Ravens’ reel for this game.
Failed two-point conversion (Q4; 1:33)
With the touchdown above, the Ravens were down by two with under two minutes to go. Baltimore chose the only reasonable path and went for two and the tie. It could be argued that this failure is completely on the part of the Ravens and being candid, I might hear you out.
On the other hand, Andrews and the throw are pushed to the boundary by Damar Hamlin, which elevated the difficulty of the play to some degree. Regardless of how you see it, this gave Buffalo the ball back ahead instead of tied and able to bleed out the clock rather than look for a quick score on a day where they weren’t apt to find it.
It should also be noted that this was the second attempt at a two-point conversion. The earlier one also failed. Had the Ravens kicked the extra point at that time, they could have kicked again for a tie if they so chose (they may not have).