Reigning NFL MVP quarterback Josh Allen is ostensibly already in midseason form in Week 1 of the 2025 season. He did everything possible to keep the Buffalo Bills within striking distance of the Baltimore Ravens in their Sunday Night Football Divisional Round rematch. His Herculean effort was comically easy at moments, specifically in the closing stages of the first half, which had a tremendous impact.
Buffalo was trailing 20-10 entering the final drive of the second quarter at their 27-yard line with 25 seconds remaining. Most teams would let the clock run out and get a head start to the locker room to discuss adjustments. However, there's no wasted opportunity for Allen, who marched the Bills down the field and into scoring range with two highlight throws. It felt insignificant live, but in hindsight, this proved to be the difference between starting 1-0 or 0-1 for the five-time defending AFC East champions.
Josh Allen making something out of nothing before halftime vs. Ravens looked too easy
Allen evaded pressure to find fourth-year wide receiver Khalil Shakir and deliver a cross-body strike for a gain of 26 yards. Then, he got the Bills' offense lined up quickly before spiking the ball to stop the clock. The superstar passer gave himself enough time for another play and capitalized, finding tight end Dalton Kincaid near the sideline for another 22 yards. It appeared the scoreboard showed triple zeroes, or so the Ravens thought, though referee John Hussey said otherwise.
Lamar was outta there 😂 pic.twitter.com/su5F0cm67i
— NFL (@NFL) September 8, 2025
Hussey repeatedly tells All-Pro signal-caller Lamar Jackson and the Ravens to "hold on" and calls them back to the gridiron. The replay showed there was one second left, which was a massive and much-needed swing for Buffalo. Bills veteran kicker drilled a 43-yard field goal to cut the deficit to seven heading into the break.
Being down one possession rather than two temporarily gave the Bills some optimism. Their defense struggled to contain Baltimore at that point, giving up points on all four of the Ravens' offensive sequences. Allen's heroics let Buffalo hang around for long enough to overcome Baltimore's rushing avalanche, thanks to a costly Derrick Henry fumble late in the contest.
A remarkable outing from Allen, including his awesome ad-libbing, was vital for the Bills to defeat the Ravens in their final home opener at Highmark Stadium. He completed 33-of-46 passes for 394 yards and two touchdowns, adding 30 more yards and two more scores on the ground. The 29-year-old posted a strong 112.0 passer rating, bookending his first-half magic with a game-winning drive.