Grant Gordon's takeaways:
- There’s no counting out Josh. When Derrick Henry sprinted untouched for a 46-yard touchdown and a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter, the Ravens looked to have flown away with a season-opening win. Josh Allen -- and defensive tackle Ed Oliver -- had other plans. Allen, perennially one of the game’s greatest and most entertaining one-man adventures, led a rally to remember, spurring Buffalo back from the dead to the 1-0 land of the living. This game flirted with being a blowout at times, particularly after Henry’s second TD buoyed Baltimore to a 40-25 lead. Allen wouldn’t have it, though, as he turned the Bills -- who had been held to back-to-back three-and-outs after an opening-drive score -- into an unstoppable comeback machine. The Bills scored on each of their final three drives, the first an Allen 2-yard run, the second an Allen-to-Keon Coleman 10-yard score and the last a Matt Prater field goal with zeroes on the clock. Allen had more than 400 yards of offense and four total TDs. The first Sunday night of the 2025 NFL season belonged to the 2024 MVP.
- Ravens grow cold after three quarters of magnificence. For three quarters and change, Derrick Henry ran off a Week 1 masterpiece and Lamar Jackson wasn’t far behind in his brilliant ways. They had a hand or a leg in all five of Baltimore’s touchdowns. Then it all came crashing down when Henry fumbled in the fourth quarter, and the Jackson-led offense was unable to score a point over its last three drives after scoring 40 on its first eight. Rightly or wrongly, Jackson and his squad are saddled with the narrative that they can’t win the big one. This was a Week 1 game, it wasn’t a big one. But nonetheless, the Monday morning chatter will be about a victory squandered by the Ravens in a high-profile season opener. In many ways, it matches seasons past as Baltimore has met unfortunate ends in the playoffs after impressive regular-season runs. Henry was spectacular with 169 rushing yards and two scores before his fumble. Jackson was his usual brilliant self before it all slipped away. It’s imperative that a bounceback comes in Week 2 against the Browns.
- Keon’s coming out party? Josh Allen wasn’t the only clutch performer for the Bills. Ed Oliver had a massive forced fumble against Derrick Henry that made the comeback possible and was the highlight of a stellar evening (six tackles, sack, two QB pressures, two run stuffs). Running back James Cook had some big plays, especially in the second half. But Keon Coleman began his second season with a sterling effort, recording a career-best eight receptions for 112 yards and 10-yard fourth-quarter touchdown off a tipped pass. Coleman emerged as Allen’s go-to target in the second half to help steer the comeback. He had just one catch for 17 yards in the first half, but he came alive in the final 30 minutes.
NFL Research: Josh Allen led his 11th-game-winning drive since 2022 (including playoffs). Only Patrick Mahomes (18th) and Geno Smith (12) have more in that span.