Strong Defensive Showing Propels Bills to Victory Over Ravens

It certainly won't be remembered as the prettiest win for the Buffalo Bills, but Sunday's game against the Baltimore Ravens marked the best defensive performance of the season for the team. At Highmark Stadium, the Bills were hampered by offensive miscues in the first half, but then pulled away in the second half for a 36-10 victory.

Buffalo (6-1) scored points on each of their first two drives, with Josh Allen scoring a rushing touchdown and Tyler Bass doinking in a 56-yard field goal to build a 10-0 lead. Meanwhile, the complexion of the game changed when Baltimore (4-4) starting quarterback Lamar Jackson and backup Tyler Huntley both left the game with injuries in the first half. The Bills' defense held the Ravens to just 52 yards of offense in the half, but mistakes like dropped passes and a couple of turnovers help keep the score close. Baltimore closed the gap to 16-10 with a field goal in the 3rd quarter, but Buffalo put the game to bed with three touchdowns in the second half. A 49-yard catch by D.J. Moore set up a James Cook touchdown to extend the Bills' lead to 23-10, then touchdown receptions by Moore and Dalton Kincaid in the 4th quarter put the game out of reach.

After the game, Bills head coach Joe Brady was unhappy about how his team played in the first half, but the second half was up to their standard...

Joe Brady: second half more of the standard

Josh Allen threw for 289 yards and two touchdowns, surpassing Jim Kelly as the Bills' all-time leader in combined regular season and postseason touchdown passes. James Cook had 24 touches for 101 yards from scrimmage and a score in the win. Defensively, the Bills allowed just 144 yards, sacked Ravens quarterbacks four times, and recorded three turnovers.

Buffalo's next game is against another 6-1 team -- the Minnesota Vikings -- on Monday, November 9th.

Photos by the Buffalo Bills