Bills vs. Ravens: Josh Allen's four TDs fuel 41-40 Sunday Night Football comeback

Seven touchdowns flew onto the board in the fourth quarter. A 15-point lead vanished in minutes. And with 86 seconds left, the reigning MVP dragged his team 66 yards for the kick that sealed a 41-40 opening-night classic. If you wanted a quiet Sunday night, this wasn’t it.

Josh Allen didn’t just win; he outlasted. The Buffalo quarterback stacked four total touchdowns—two passing, two rushing—while throwing for 394 yards in a game that kept daring him to blink. He never did. On the other sideline, Lamar Jackson matched fire with fire, producing three touchdowns and steering an offense that scored on seven of its first eight drives. As instant theater, Bills vs Ravens delivered the full package: star power, haymakers, and a finish that felt more like a playoff game than a Week 1 opener.

Allen outduels Jackson in a game of runs

Buffalo trailed 40-25 with 11:42 to go after Derrick Henry blasted a 46-yard touchdown that looked like the backbreaker—an old-school Ravens punch from a new power back. Then the game went off script. Allen answered with tempo, design runs, and layered throws that stressed Baltimore’s coverage. The Bills ripped off scores, got stops just long enough, and kept resetting the math.

The night’s margin lived on Allen’s late drive: nine plays, 66 yards, all urgency and no panic. Protection held just enough. Receivers won quick. Allen managed the clock, took the profits, and set up the winning kick. It was the kind of sequence that reminds everyone why he wears the crown.

Lamar Jackson had the edge for most of the game. Baltimore’s offense blended option looks, quick timing routes, and Henry’s downhill bursts. The Ravens were rhythm and balance, repeatedly putting Buffalo in conflict at the second level. Jackson’s two touchdown passes showcased his touch and pace, and his third score kept the Bills chasing.

What changed late? Buffalo’s defense finally contested windows and forced longer down-and-distance. That was enough for Allen to take back control. When the game tilted into a track meet, his dual-threat skill set became the cheat code.

One of the loudest moments belonged to Bills rookie Keon Coleman. His fourth-quarter 10-yard touchdown—hauled in off a tip in the end zone—wasn’t just a highlight; it was a pressure catch in traffic with the comeback teetering. That’s a trust play between quarterback and a first-year target on national TV. On the Ravens’ side, Zay Flowers kept showing up in key spots, stretching the field horizontally and forcing Buffalo to tackle in space, the kind of work that fuels drives even when the box score doesn’t scream about it.

Key moments, numbers, and what it means

• Josh Allen: four total touchdowns and 394 passing yards, plus the nine-play, 66-yard march in the final 86 seconds for the game-winner.
• Lamar Jackson: three total touchdowns, guiding a Ravens offense that scored on seven of its first eight possessions and controlled the pace until the late surge.
• Derrick Henry: a 46-yard rip that pushed Baltimore ahead 40-25 and felt like the dagger—until it wasn’t.
• Keon Coleman: a tipped 10-yard touchdown grab in the fourth quarter that swung momentum and showed big-stage poise for a rookie.
• The fourth quarter: seven touchdowns combined, a chaotic swing rarely seen in any week, much less a season opener.

Strategically, Buffalo leaned into what Allen does best—spread looks, quick answers against pressure, and designed keepers to punish soft boxes. Baltimore countered with a physical run game and motion to blur reads. For three quarters, the Ravens’ balance kept the Bills reactive. In the fourth, the math flipped: Buffalo played on the front foot, squeezed possessions, and made every snap count.

The Ravens will hate the film of those final minutes, but Henry’s presence changes their season outlook. That home-run run wasn’t a fluke; it’s why he’s there. With Jackson keeping defenses honest on the edge, Henry’s one-cut lanes come fast and violent. The formula worked for most of the night.

For the Bills, this was a statement about resilience and layers in the passing game. The ball distribution and situational calls were decisive, and the trust in a rookie wideout in a money spot says plenty about where this offense is headed. When the MVP looks comfortable at full speed in Week 1, everyone else breathes easier.

Special teams don’t get the headlines, but the game-winning field goal underscores clock control and late-game execution. Buffalo didn’t chase hero shots on that final drive; they played for the kick and got it. That’s maturity, not magic.

There’s no trophy for September, but games like this shape confidence and tiebreakers down the road. The Ravens walk away knowing their ceiling is high—and their margin late can’t be assumed. The Bills wake up with a heavyweight win, a quarterback already in midseason form, and a rookie who introduced himself to the league in prime time.

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