Josh Allen scores two TDs, Bills force three turnovers to beat Ravens, 27-25, and reach AFC title game

ORCHARD PARK — Josh Allen heard the “MVP!” chants directed at him from the stands, but Buffalo‘s quarterback deflected the credit after the Bills’ hard-fought 27-25 win over the Baltimore Ravens in an AFC Divisional playoff game Sunday night.

“What a complete win,” Allen said after the Bills beat MVP candidate Lamar Jackson’s Ravens

and earned the right to play two-time defending champion Kansas City in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday.

“All year, this team has heard we’ve got no talent, we’re too small, we can’t stop the run, we’re not good enough to compete,’’ Allen said. “We’ve just put our head down and worked hard. I’m so proud of our defense. I’m so proud of our offense and special teams.”

The Bills made fewer mistakes than the Ravens on a snow-slicked field and hung on when the usually sure-handed and wide-open Mark Andrews dropped a potential tying two-point conversion pass from Jackson with 1:33 left, allowing the ball to bounce off his chest. Jackson had connected with a sliding Isaiah Likely for a 24-yard touchdown to give the Ravens a chance to tie it.

Andrews did not make himself available after his critical drop but got plenty of support from his teammates.

“One play doesn’t define anybody. He’s the all-time leading touchdown receiver in Ravens history,” safety Kyle Hamilton said. “He’s been a consistent beacon of success the whole time he’s been here.”

So it’s on to Kansas City for the Bills, who were eliminated twice in KC in the previous four years. “We know what they are. They’re the perennial of what you want to be in the NFL,” Allen said. “You’ve got to beat them to get past them. So, you know, we’re going to enjoy this one tonight.”

Allen threw for only 127 yards but ran for touchdowns of 1 and 4 yards. Buffalo finished with a modest 273 yards of offense that included rookie Ray Davis scoring on a 1-yard run.

After allowing 271 yards rushing in a 35-10 loss to Baltimore in Week 4, the Bills gave up 176 yards rushing and 416 overall but compensated by forcing three turnovers.

The Bills limited Derrick Henry to 84 yards rushing and a touchdown on 16 carries after he had a season-high 199 yards in Week 4.

“We were motivated all week, man,” said linebacker Terrel Bernard, who forced and recovered Andrews‘ fumble to set up Tyler Bass’ 21-yard field goal with 3:29 left. “We put a lot of work into it. And to see the results start to pay off right now, I can’t say enough about this team.”

The Ravens had one of the NFL’s most productive offenses in the regular season but fell a win short of reaching the conference title game, which they lost to Kansas City a year ago. Scrutiny of Jackson’s playoff performances will only increase as he fell to 3-5 in the postseason.

“We got to get over this, because we’re right there,” said Jackson, who dropped to 1-5 when committing a turnover in the playoffs. “I’m tired of being right there. We need to punch in that ticket.”

Jackson finished 18-for-25 for 254 yards and two touchdowns, including a 16-yarder to Rashod Bateman to cap Baltimore’s first possession.

In a showdown of MVP candidates, Jackson lost the turnover battle with an interception and a fumble that set up a Buffalo touchdown; Allen enjoyed his 11th turnover-free game of the season.