Ravens Blow Another Double-Digit Lead, Lose to Buffalo Bills 23-20
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BALTIMORE — The Ravens had another double-digit lead and another massive collapse.
This time, it was Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills that inflicted the damage.
Two weeks after blowing a three-touchdown fourth-quarter lead to Miami, the Ravens allowed the Bills to score 20 unanswered points to escape with a 23-20 victory in Week 4.
The Ravens are the second team in NFL history to suffer multiple losses after leading by 17 or more points within their first four games, per Elias Sports.
“I think it’s very disappointing to us," safety Chuck Clark said. "We were preaching at halftime, ‘We’ve been in this situation before, and we have to finish it out.’ So, I think we know what we did and didn’t do. We have to finish.”
Jackson threw an interception in the end zone on a 4th-and-three late in the fourth quarter, which gave the Bills the ball on the 25.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen led a 12-play, 77-yard scoring drive capped by a 21-yard field goal by Tyler Bass. Ravens cornerback Brandon Stephens was flagged for a critical rough-the-passer that put Buffalo in field-goal range.
“Did he hit him [Josh Allen] in the head or neck area?" Ravens coach John Harbaugh asked. "Then, you have to hit him in the head or neck area for it to be a personal foul, I do know that.”
Baltimore was held scoreless in the second half.
The Ravens fell to 2-2 on the season with a huge AFC North game against the Bengals next week.
"We’re fighting and trying to do the best we can to score more points and to get them stopped," Harbaugh said. "That’s a football game. That’s just the way it goes. It’s football.”
Jackson threw for 144 yards with a touchdown with two interceptions. Jackson also ran for 73 yards on 11 carries.
However, the Ravens' offensive line was under constant pressure and allowed two sacks.
"It’s only Week 4," Jackson said. "We’ve been in this situation before. I remember we got blown out by the Browns in 2019 and we started the season the same way. I’m not peaking on this too soon. I’m not looking at this like we have had a disappointing season. Guys are just coming back healthy now and I feel like we are going to hit our peak at the right time.”
Running back J.K. Dobbins finished with 73 yards on 11 carries with two touchdowns — one on the ground and one receiving.
The Bills cut the Ravens lead to 20-13 on a 39-yard field goal by Tyler Bass early in the third quarter.
After the Ravens were forced to punt on the next possession, Buffalo tied the game on an 11-yard run by quarterback Josh Allen
Jackson had the ball tipped at the line and was intercepted and safety Jordan Poyer came down with the ball to begin the fourth quarter. However, Ravens linebacker Odafe Oweh picked a good time to get his first sack of the year on a third and long that forced the Bills to punt.
After a sluggish first half, Allen played much better over the final two quarters, He completed 19 of 36 passes for 213 yards with a touchdown and interception. He also ran for 70 yards with the score.
Wide receiver Stefon Diggs finished with four receptions for 62 yards.
The game could have started better for the Ravens when Marlon Humphrey intercepted Allen and snapped the Bills' streak of scoring a touchdown on their first possession at eight straight games.
The Ravens had 15 takeaways last season, but they already have 10 this year.
That set up a 1-yard shovel pass from Jackson to Dobbins that provided a 7-0 lead.
Buffalo responded on the ensuing drive with a 38-yard field goal by Bass.
The Ravens put together an impressive possession of their own on the next set of downs. Baltimore had a 15-play, 85-yard drive that lasted almost 10 minutes, capped by a 4-yard run by Dobbins that boosted the lead to 14-3.
Dobbins became the first player in franchise history to score both a rushing and receiving touchdown in any one quarter.
Odafe Oweh then forced a fumble on Bills running back Devin Singletary that was recovered by Marcus Williams.
That turnover led to a 42-yard field goal by Justin Tucker that gave the Ravens a 17-3 cushion. Mark Andrews was called for a questionable pass interference penalty that would have given the Ravens the ball inside the 5.
On the next drive, after getting out of the grasp of Von Miller, Jackson threw a 21-yard pass to Mark Andrews who outjumped Matt Milano and deflected the ball to Devin Duvernay, who came down with the reception.
Tucker later converted another 51-yard field goal and the lead was 20-3.
The Bills managed a touchdown on a 4-yard pass from Allen to Isaiah McKenzie that them to within 10 at the break.
Ravens linebacker Patrick Queen dropped another interception that would have ended that drive.
