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Alaina Getzenberg, ESPN
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. – The Buffalo Bills were well aware of the noise outside.
There were question marks and discussions online and on television before the Bills’ divisional game against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday regarding how this defense would fare against running back quarterback Lamar Jackson Derrick Henry and the rest of the Ravens offense. .
The Bills defensive players used this to fuel their performance. While the Ravens offense was able to find its rhythm in the second half, the Bills, aided by some Ravens miscues, were able to do enough to secure a 27-25 victory and advance to the championship game of the AFC vs. Kansas City Chiefs. This will be the team’s second appearance in the AFC Championship in the last 30 seasons.
“Our guys heard it all, they heard it all week. We’re not big enough, we’re not strong enough. Not talented enough. Whatever it is, they heard it,” said coach Sean McDermott. “I don’t do social media, but I think most of these guys do. And listen, we did, I think, a really good job in the first half. In the second half, ( Henry) got going a little bit and he’s going to make some runs, I mean, when he gets that momentum going, it’s hard to stop him. So even there, we could have done some things better, and I think. that fundamentally, when we watch this match, it happens. boiled down to football fundamentalism And we talked about it a lot.
The Bills held Henry to 84 yards rushing, compared to 199 yards in the Ravens’ 35-10 Week 4 victory, with the availability of linebackers Terrel Bernard and Matt Milano and nickel cornerback Taron Johnson important for this. unit after all three missed the first meeting. The Ravens offense totaled 176 yards on 20 carries, and the Ravens had nine runs of 10+ yards.
The Bills were helped by multiple drops and miscues by Baltimore’s offense, most notably on tight end Mark Andrews’ 2-point conversion attempt, but the defense took advantage as well, coming away with three takeaways against a team that had 11 turnovers, all consistent. season. The Bills offense was then able to put itself in position to score touchdowns on three of four possessions in the first half, in addition to the unit not turning the ball over.
The Bills have gone 21 consecutive games, including the playoffs, without losing the turnover battle, tying the longest such streak in NFL history (the Rams also did it from 1952 to 1953).
“We don’t listen to the outside noise, but everyone was saying this and that about us and that we didn’t have enough talent, that we weren’t good enough to play these positions and our guys kept work hard and we’re internally motivated,” quarterback Josh Allen said. “We love each other and I think you saw how well we played for each other there.”
In the first half, the Bills held Baltimore to just 10 points despite the Ravens outscoring the Bills in various areas. Turnovers were key for the unit, including safety Taylor Rapp (who left the game with a hip injury) intercepting Jackson, and safety Damar Hamlin sacking Jackson and defensive end Von Miller recovering the fumble that follow up.
The Bills defense was able to blitz Jackson on 13 of 31 dropbacks (42%) and pressure him on eight of those dropbacks (62% pressure percentage when the Bills blitzed).
“We’re very proud of ourselves and what we’re doing here as a defense,” defensive end AJ Epenesa said. “As a defense, we were told all week how they were going to do this, how they were going to do that, and that, I would like to say, fueled us a little bit. We started this game a little bit hotter than in the past, and that’s something that we’ve emphasized, and now we have to do it in the second half, start the second half strong and do those kinds of things. But come in with that fire and get it done. so, I started like we did, I think It’s good.”
The Ravens were able to score on three of four possessions in the second half – with Bernard, who said the team was motivated all week, forcing a fumble on the other drive – and come within one 11-point halftime deficit. . But the Bills eventually had just enough.
“Some things were ugly, some things looked good, but at the end of the day we got the win, and I think there was a little more motivation,” tight end Dawson Knox said. “Especially being, I think for the first time, the Bills (being) underdogs at home in the playoffs…a little bit of an extra Pandora’s Box or whatever you want to call it.”
Next up for the Bills: defeating the most familiar foes. They will once again have the opportunity to avenge past losses, this time at Arrowhead Stadium against the No. 1 seed Chiefs, a team that beat Buffalo in the playoffs in all three meetings with Allen and Patrick Mahomes at quarterback, including the 2020 AFC Championship Game. Allen and Mahomes are now tied for the second-most meetings between two starting quarterbacks in NFL playoff history (Tom Brady and Peyton Manning lead the list with five meetings).
The Bills beat the Chiefs 30-21 earlier this season at Orchard Park.
“Yeah, man, it’s super exciting,” Hamlin said. “Playing for an AFC championship, it’s crazy to think about, and I feel like it’s just normal to go out there and play them. They were what, two-time champions in Super Bowl title Back to back. #1 seed this year. Best record in the NFL So, it’s only fitting that you have to go through Arrowhead, one of my favorite places to play.
