Josh Allen Rebukes Fans Who Left Before Bills' 41-40 Comeback Win Over Ravens
Reigning MVP criticized supporters after Buffalo rallied from a 40-25 deficit to beat Baltimore on Matt Prater's last-second field goal
Josh Allen publicly called out Bills fans who left Highmark Stadium early Sunday, after Buffalo mounted a late comeback to beat the Baltimore Ravens 41-40 in the season opener.
The Bills trailed 40-25 late in the fourth quarter before Allen connected with Keon Coleman on a tipped pass in the end zone to make it 40-32. A Derrick Henry fumble led to another Buffalo possession, and Allen ran for a touchdown with less than two minutes remaining to pull the Bills within two. Kicker Matt Prater, who signed with the team days earlier, converted a 32-yard field goal as time expired to secure the victory and give Buffalo a 1-0 start.
Allen finished the game with 394 passing yards, two touchdown passes and two rushing touchdowns. On the "Sunday Night Football" broadcast, he addressed fans who had left for the parking lots before the comeback was completed, saying, "Our team didn’t quit. I mean, I think there’s people that left the stadium, that’s OK, we’ll be fine but have some faith next time."
Prater, the 41-year-old veteran who was added to the Bills' practice squad Thursday after starter Tyler Bass was placed on injured reserve with hip and groin issues, described the team's mentality during the rally. "When we got down early by two scores, no one blinked at all, no one skipped a beat, they just kept going," Prater said. "Then at the end, when we had gotten the ball back with [1:26 remaining], I knew we were going to get a shot."
Sunday’s game marked the opening of Highmark Stadium’s farewell season; the franchise is scheduled to move into a new facility with the same corporate name next year. Buffalo will visit the New York Jets in Week 2 and return to Western New York on Sept. 21 for an AFC East matchup against the Miami Dolphins.
The result delivered a dramatic start to the Bills’ campaign and underscored Allen’s role as a dual-threat quarterback capable of altering a game in the closing minutes. Buffalo’s handling of its kicking situation and the status of Bass remain items to monitor as the team prepares for its next road game.