Bills vs Ravens live: Allen TD gives Buffalo early lead, Jackson hurt
Web StoryWatch this story in 15 seconds →Key takeaways
- Josh Allen's 1-yard TD on fourth down gave Buffalo a 7-0 first-quarter lead.
- Lamar Jackson hurt his hand on his first play and left for the locker room.
- Jackson had just returned after missing three games with an ankle injury.
The Buffalo Bills are playing the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, November 1. The game kicked off at 1 PM ET at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, and it is airing on CBS. Buffalo leads 7-0 in the first quarter.
The story is simple so far. Buffalo scored on its first drive. Baltimore lost its star quarterback on its first play, as Lamar Jackson hurt his hand and left for the locker room.
What happened
Buffalo won the coin toss and chose to receive the ball. That move paid off fast. Ravens kicker Tyler Loop hit the opening kickoff out of bounds, so the Bills started the drive at their own 40-yard line.
Josh Allen led the drive down the field. He threw an 8-yard pass to Dalton Kincaid on third down to keep the drive alive. He then found Khalil Shakir for two big catches, one for 25 yards and one for 18 yards, which moved Buffalo to the 5-yard line.
A false start by Dion Dawkins pushed the Bills back. Allen then hit Shakir again in the flat. Shakir carried the ball to the 1-yard line.
Allen took over from there. He used the "tush push" twice, the short-yardage play where teammates push the quarterback forward. The first try came up short, but the second crossed the goal line, and Buffalo led 7-0 on the fourth-down touchdown.
The Ravens' first drive was a disaster. Lamar Jackson took the field for his first play. Greg Rousseau hit Jackson's hand as he threw a pass, and Jackson grabbed his hand right away, left the field, and was taken into the locker room for checks.
Backup quarterback Tyler Huntley came into the game. He led the next Ravens drive.
Jackson's return turns into a scare
This was supposed to be Jackson's big return game. He had missed Baltimore's last three games with an ankle injury. The Ravens cleared him to play this week.
Jackson's return set up a big matchup. He and Allen were both drafted in 2018 and have played each other four times in the regular season, with each winning twice. Allen has won both playoff meetings.
The two players have three MVP awards between them. Jackson has won two. Allen has won one.
Allen spoke about Jackson during the week. "He's been one of the best, if not the best quarterback," Allen said, as reported by Sportsnet. "He's a very special player, and I've got so much respect for him," he said.
Instead, the matchup lasted one play. Jackson's hand injury is a new problem. The Ravens have not said how bad it is, and his status for the rest of the game is unknown.
Why it matters
This game matters for both teams' playoff hopes. Buffalo came in at 5-1. Baltimore came in at 4-3.
Buffalo's offense is the best in the league right now. The Bills score 32.8 points per game, and nobody scores more. But their defense gives up 28.5 points per game, the third-worst mark in the NFL.
Baltimore had more urgency. The Ravens sit last in the very competitive AFC North. They lost to Cleveland and Cincinnati in recent weeks, as Sportsnet noted before kickoff.
The Bills also got good news at receiver. DJ Moore returned after missing three games. He played in the game after being listed as inactive in the prior two weeks.
The injury list had other names. The Bills were without right tackle Spencer Brown, who has a back injury and did not practice all week. Tylan Grable started in his place, and rookie Jude Bowry served as the backup tackle.
The Bills also sat safety CJ Gardner-Johnson because of a suspension. Veteran Geno Stone was called up from the practice squad as the backup safety. On the plus side, defensive tackle Ed Oliver returned from his own injury.
The weather helped both teams. Temperatures were in the lower 60s under mostly cloudy skies. There was no chance of rain.
What happens next
The game is still early. Buffalo leads 7-0. The big question is Jackson's hand.
If Jackson cannot return, the Ravens must trust Huntley. He has won games for them before. But the offense runs through Jackson, who is the engine of the team.
The Ravens need this win badly. A loss would drop them to 4-4 and keep them stuck at the bottom of the AFC North. That division race is tight, with Cleveland and Pittsburgh both entering Sunday tied for first place at 5-2.
Buffalo wants to protect its lead. The Bills are chasing the best record in the AFC. Every win matters with the Chiefs also at 5-1.
Allen has never lost a game after a bye week. He is 8-0 in those games in his career, and he got the week off before this game. History is on his side.
A local beat writer, Sal Maiorana, predicted a Bills win before kickoff. His pick was Buffalo 28, Ravens 24. The game still has a long way to go.
The Ravens have battled the Bills hard in recent years. Buffalo won last year's season opener 41-40 in a thriller. The Bills also beat Baltimore 27-25 in the 2024 playoffs, so this rivalry keeps delivering close games.
Watch Jackson's injury status. That will decide how the rest of this game plays out. The Ravens' season may depend on how healthy he is in the coming weeks.
For more on the Ravens' recent form, read our [Browns vs Ravens Week 6 preview](/sports/browns-vs-ravens-week-6-preview/).
Related stories
Why Is Altitude Sickness Worse for Some People?
Altitude sickness hits some people harder because of genetics, ascent speed, and prior history, not fitness level. Here is what raises risk
Why Do You Get Blisters When Hiking and How to Prevent Them
Friction plus moisture plus heat equals a blister. Learn why hiking breeds all three, and the boots, socks, and tape system that keeps
How to choose hiking boots for beginners: fit, features, and break-in
Beginners should buy for fit first: snug everywhere, tight nowhere, with a thumb's width at the toes. Here is how to size, test,