John Murphy: Destiny is calling Bills in Super Bowl pursuit
Jan 20, 2025
The Ravens outgained the Bills 416 yards to 273. They had three more first downs and 114 more yards in the air. They lost.
The reason the Bills won the divisional playoff game 27-25 was simple: turnovers. Baltimore lost two fumbles and an interception. The Bills had none. Again.
Buffalo played another postseason game without turning it over. During the regular season the Bills had just six interceptions and two lost fumbles. So in the playoffs and the regular season this year, they have less than half a turnover per game. That's a record low during the Super Bowl era. If it continues, that type of play puts the Bills back in the big game.
Buffalo Bills, unbeaten in ‘city of winners’
Buffalo scored 10 points off their three takeaways Sunday to hang on to win. Just barely enough.
The Bills had the heart of their defense together in this game. In the first Ravens game back in September, they played without Terrel Bernard, Matt Milano and Taron Johnson. CBS had a shot of the trio in street clothes on the sideline in deep conversation .
You'd like to think they were discussing this rematch and how it would be different. In particular, Bernard made the biggest play of the game.
Little things pile up to big Bills win
Midway through the fourth quarter, Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson hit tight end Mark Andrews 16 yards downfield as Baltimore moved toward the go-ahead touchdown. Suddenly, Bernard stripped the ball and recovered the fumble. The Ravens' threat was over and a Buffalo field goal put the Bills up by eight.
"He's a football player," Sean McDermott said of Bernard. "He's probably a guy people put in the category of not big enough, not fast enough or strong enough. But he's a football player. He's got good instincts, and he knows how to find the football."
McDermott went on to anoint Bernard, the third-round pick from Baylor, as the "Josh Allen of the defense."
"TB is in his third year and he's one of the two captains on the team. That doesn't happen by accident. Players respect him. There's a lot of initiative day-to-day being a leader on this football team and trying to do thing right," McDermott said.
Andrews had an abysmal day with his fumble and a dropped pass that would have tied the game with 1:33 to go. And Jackson looked shaky especially in the first half. Anyone promoting his MVP candidacy has to be happy the votes have been cast.
It’s happening: Bills-Chiefs in the AFC championship
It's hard to imagine the Chiefs providing a bigger test than Baltimore. But they can't be overlooked even with Buffalo's 30-21 win at midseason.
Kansas City is playing tough defense these days. They've discovered a running game. They have Taylor Swift's favorite tight end as a target.
And they have Mahomes.
It makes for another unforgettable matchup.
John Murphy, the longtime Voice of the Bills, is writing columns for WIVB.com this season. Find more of his work here.