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4th-down stop, last-second kick lift Bills past Ravens 23-20

By The Associated Press

BALTIMORE (AP) — Tyler Bass kicked a 21-yard field goal on the game’s final play, and Josh Allen rallied the Buffalo Bills from a 17-point deficit to beat the Baltimore Ravens 23-20 on Sunday.

https://twitter.com/ESPNStatsInfo/status/1576673427456417793?s=20&t=yKZ9gepaVWanS8tGYoaQBw

With the score tied at 20 in the final quarter, the Ravens (2-2) had second down from the Buffalo 1-yard line. Two straight runs failed to reach the end zone, and Baltimore decided to go for it on fourth down from the 2.

Lamar Jackson had to scramble a bit, then threw a pass into the end zone that was intercepted by Jordan Poyer for a touchback with 4:09 remaining — a disastrous result for the Ravens because it meant the Bills (3-1) weren’t pinned deep like they would have been following an incompletion.

From there, Allen calmly guided Buffalo into field goal range, capping his team’s comeback from a 20-3 deficit late in the second quarter. It was the second straight home game in which Baltimore let a sizeable lead slip away. Miami rallied from a 21-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat the Ravens 42-38 two weekends ago.

Allen threw for 213 yards with a touchdown and an interception, and Jackson passed for 144 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. The matchup of star quarterbacks didn’t really live up to its potential on a rainy day near the Chesapeake Bay. Jackson and Allen did their usual damage with their legs but were largely limited to short completions.

J.K. Dobbins scored two early touchdowns for the Ravens, but they allowed a 4-yard touchdown pass from Allen to Isaiah McKenzie in the waning seconds of the first half to make it 20-10.

Buffalo controlled the third quarter and tied it on Allen’s 11-yard touchdown run. The Ravens didn’t do much offensively in the second half until Jackson led them from their own 5 all the way to Buffalo’s 1 in the fourth. It looked like Baltimore was poised to take the lead, but then it all went terribly wrong for the Ravens.

Buffalo had scored a touchdown on its opening possession in eight straight games, playoffs included, but that streak ended when the Allen was intercepted in the first minute of the game. Dobbins opened the scoring with a 1-yard TD pass from Jackson, and after the Bills kicked a field goal, Dobbins ran 4 yards for a touchdown to cap a 15-play, 81-yard drive that took 9:08.

Buffalo caught a break in the second quarter when Baltimore tight end Mark Andrews was called for offensive pass interference, negating a reception near the Buffalo goal line. The Ravens settled for a field goal and a 17-3 lead.

INJURIES

McKenzie left the game in the third quarter with a concussion. … Ravens RB Justice Hill left in the fourth with a hamstring injury.

UP NEXT

Bills: Host the Pittsburgh Steelers next Sunday.

Ravens: Host the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday night.

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Follow Noah Trister at https://twitter.com/noahtrister

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More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

2023 NFL Free Agency: Biggest names on the free agent market

By NBC Sports Washington Staff
Biggest names in 2023 NFL Free Agency originally appeared on NBC Sports WashingtonWith the 2022 NFL season in the rearview, NFL teams can begin to look toward the draft combine and, of course, free agency. March 15 is the official start of free agency in the NFL, with March 13 as the start of the legal tampering period. Deals can be agreed to during this time, but none are official until the 15th at the earliest. Here's a look at some of the biggest names that were set to hit the free agency market.Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore RavensJackson and the Ravens have gone round-and-round regarding Jackson's extension, and it is still up in the air whether Jackson's long-term future will be in Baltimore or elsewhere. It's possible the Ravens will offer Jackson the franchise tag, but the former NFL MVP will be in for a huge payday once he signs a new deal, wherever that might be.Orlando Brown, OT, Kansas City ChiefsLike Jackson above, it's entirely possible the Chiefs use the franchise tag on the offensive lineman to keep him around for the 2023 campaign. Brown was one of the centerpieces of the Chiefs' Super Bowl run this past year, culminating in an immaculate performance in which the team didn't allow a sack in the big game.Saquon Barkley, RB, New York Giants2022 was the best year of Barkley's career to date. The Giants' bruising running back finished fourth in the NFL with 1,312 rushing yards on the season to go along with 10 rushing touchdowns. However, running backs are only as good as their offensive line, so it's possible Barkley won't get the same kind of cash as other players on this list.Josh Jacobs, RB, Las Vegas RaidersSpeaking of running backs fresh off their breakout season, Jacobs tops the list. He paced the entire league with 1,653 rushing yards on the season with 12 rushing TDs. His elite cutting ability would make him a tasty acquisition for any team desperate to upgrade their run game, and with Raiders' QB Derek Carr headed to a new destination, Jacobs is likely next in line to depart.Daniel Jones, QB, New York GiantsJones isn't as big a target as Lamar Jackson, but the fact is he can flat out play. He had the lowest interception rate on pass attempts in the NFL this past year while leading his Giants to the playoffs despite shaky play from his wide receiver core. Another candidate for the franchise tag, Jones will get a hefty payday whether it's in the Big Apple or elsewhere.Jessie Bates III, S, Cincinnati BengalsBates has been a staple of the Bengals' secondary since they drafted him in the first round back in 2018. He's also coming off a career year with four interceptions, eight passes defended and 66 tackles. He already played last season on the franchise tag, so chances are he'll be an immediate plug-in piece to a new team's secondary.Geno Smith, QB, Seattle SeahawksWhat can be said about Geno Smith that hasn't already been said? After spending his entire career as a bridesmaid and never a bride, he finally got his chance to walk down the aisle this past year in Seattle -- and boy did he show out. He finished eighth in the league in passing yards, fourth in passing TDs, and willed the Seahawks to a postseason appearance in their first year of the post-Russell Wilson era. No wonder he earned Comeback Player of the Year and Pro Bowl honors. Teams should be scratching at the door to snatch him up, if Seattle misses their chance.Bobby Wagner, ILB, Los Angeles RamsThe six-time First Team All-Pros tenure in L.A. was short lived as the Rams and Wagner agreed to part ways following a disappointing campaign for the defending Super Bowl champs. Still, Wagner is as disruptive of an inside linebacker as you'll find in the league, so he'll provide some pass rush stability for whoever signs him.James Bradberry IV, CB, Philadelphia EaglesBradberry switched NFC East allegiances and enjoyed a conference title in his first year in Philly. He was a massive part of arguably the best secondary in the NFL, so it would be wise for the Eagles to do what they can to keep him. Though he's 29, Bradberry has serviceable years ahead of him.Jakobi Meyers, WR, New England PatriotsThough Meyers won't wow you with his numbers or any gravity-defying catches, he's as solid of a WR2 or WR3 as you'll find. That'll probably help his free agency quest, as he's a plug-and-play option for any team eager for wideout depth. At 26, Meyers could be a low-cost yet high-upside addition on the open market.
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