Broken record: Ravens, like last year, fumble the game away

Last week: Steelers vs. Ravens at the Bank: 

This may be getting old…but some things don’t change. When the Ravens run the ball, they win. More specifically, when Derrick Henry gets the ball 20+ times, the Ravens win.

Last Saturday, the Ravens simply bullied their rivals from western Pennsylvania. Lamar totted the rock early to open the NASCAR lanes for the muscle car, Derrick Henry.

It was a tour de force. Number 8 finished 16 of 21, 175 passing yards, 2 passing touchdowns, 82 rushing yards.

King Henry carried the rock 25 times for 182 yards and 2 touchdowns.

The option game had the Steelers in hell for 3 hours.

Lamar, like fans across the NFL landscape, marveled at Henry gassing it on his 44-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.

Lamar likened the performance to “Lightning McQueen,” the protagonist of the Pixar classic movie series “Cars.”

Before the Steelers could look up, the score was 21-0 at halftime.

This balanced offense led by the run is the perfect thing to pack the Raven’s suitcase on the way to Buffalo in the battle of MVPs.

During their week 4 regular season matchup, Derrick Henry got 24 carries, 199 yards, and 1 touchdown.

It would be great if the Ravens could turn back the clock for the remix.

Who’s the real MVP? What’s at stake? - Everything 

Everything. The winner gets a chance to face the Chiefs.

The MVP votes for the regular season are already in, but the worst-kept secret about this game is the real MVP will be considered the quarterback of the winning squad Sunday night.

The NFL writers, pundits, and fans are split right down the middle. Half believes that even though Josh Allen doesn’t have “MVP statistics,” he has the most “MVP moments” in the NFL this season while dramatically cutting down his turnovers with wins over the Kansas City Chiefs and the Detroit Lions.

The highlight of these being a game-breaking QB scramble for a TD on 4th and 2 with 2:27 in the 4th quarter against the reigning champs.

Lamar has a fistful of highlights as well, but for better or worse, in conversations of “who’s elite,” like Allen, highlights have become “the usual.”

The people who believe Lamar is the MVP this season are voting for his historical numbers. Lamar has been the most efficient and dangerous he’s ever been. This is crazy to say, but it’s real. He has 41 touchdowns to only 4 interceptions this season.

Either way, history will be made. Who will make it to the AFC championship game—the team from western New York or the team who calls 1101 Russell St home?

Game Notes:

First Quarter:

Ravens First Drive -

Lamar and the Ravens march up field like a machine. Lamar hits Bateman for a 16 yard TD.

Score: 7-0 Ravens

Bills score on their first drive.

Score 7-7

Lamar throws a pick. Looks like there was some miscommunication between him and Bateman.

Bills get the ball back.

Ravens get a crucial stop.

2nd Quarter:

After a bad snap, Lamar fumbles the ball. The Bills return it to the 25.

Bills score

Score 7-14 Bills

The Ravens are still in this. They have to clean up the mistakes.

Lamar Hit Bateman for a 42-yard completion. The Ravens start 1st and goal from the 2-yard line, but they don't punch it in.

They leave the drive with only 3.

Score: 10-14 Bills

The Ravens are not winning the line of scrimmage on either side of the ball.

A bad DPI call on Ravens CB Tre'Davious White has the Bills have on first-and-goal.

The Bills go down field and score again before the half.

Score: 10-21 Bills

3rd Quarter:

Ravens get a big stop after the half.

They get stopped at the Bills 30.

Justin Tucker nails it from 47 yards out.

Score: 13-21 Bills

Ravens get a big stop. Bills Punt.

Ravens start to look like who they have been. Running is back on the play sheet. They move and grove down field. Henry punches it in for 6.

Score: 19-21 Bills

Ravens are able to hold the Bills to a FG.

Score: 19-24 Bills

Ravens march down field. Lamar hits Mark Andrews. The ball gets punched out.

The Bills recovered.

Lamar hits Isaiah Likely for a 24-yard touchdown.

Lamar hits Mark Andrews for the two point conversion but he drops it.

Game over.

Final Score: 25-27 Bills

Final Thoughts:

The Ravens shoot themselves in the foot every postseason. You can't have 3 turnovers and expect to win in January. This is frustrating for Ravens fans.

This team was the #1 seed last season with a home playoff game against the Chiefs, and they fumbled. This has been the story of this iteration of the Ravens.

They look like a freight train in the regular season only to come to a screeching halt in the postseason.

Not sure what changes can be made here to get the Ravens over the hump.

They acquired Derrick Henry to only give him the ball 16 times in the snow.

Not sure where they go from here. Just like last year, at this time, this team is left with way more questions than answers.