Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

‘Again, it was a dreamy Week 1 for Buffalo, but we’re getting ahead of ourselves. One of the Bills’ primary mantras is taking it one game at a time and that means concentrating on their visit to MetLife Stadium Sunday to face a Jets team that gave Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers all they could handle before blowing a 26-17 lead and succumbing 34-32.’

‘More than half a day has passed and I’m still finding it hard to believe that the Buffalo Bills came back to beat the Baltimore Ravens 41-40 in a game that might hold up as the best one we’ll see in the NFL this season. And why not, given that it’s one of the best games anyone has ever seen in more than a century of NFL football.’

‘Obviously, Kevin Everett was seriously hurt after he smashed his helmet into the thigh of Denver return man Domenik Hixon, and there was a funereal silence that engulfed the stadium when the ambulance pulled onto the field and whisked Everett to a local hospital.’

‘It was as stunning a result as I can remember given just how bad the Buffalo defense performed for 3½ quarters. It had no answers for anything the Ravens ran or threw at them as they scored on seven of their first eight possessions behind Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry and Zay Flowers.’

‘Oh, Henry. Derrick Henry was ferocious in the first half, bulldozing the Bills for 123 yards and a touchdown on nine carries (13.7 yards per carry). Then he ran into defensive tackle Ed Oliver.’

‘Baltimore is the first NFL team to score at least 40 points, rush for at least 235 yards … and lose.’

‘Otherwise, it was a dreadful night as the Bills were pushed around by Baltimore’s offensive line and the Ravens rolled up 238 rushing yards and 8.2 per carry.’

‘The Derrick Henry stiff-arm is alive and well, and it just made its 2025 debut.’

‘NBC cameras showed the fan slapping Hopkins on the helmet and shoving Jackson in the facemask during the touchdown celebration.’

‘The 33-year-old wideout delivered a vintage highlight late in the third quarter against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday Night. Hopkins hauled in a one-handed touchdown late in the third quarter, stretching out his right arm to snag a deep ball from Lamar Jackson along the right sideline.’

‘Replay review put one second back on the clock, and Matt Prater drilled a 43-yard field goal as time officially expired in the second quarter, cutting Buffalo’s deficit to 20-13 in Sunday night’s opener at Highmark Stadium.’

‘“Our team didn’t quit,” Allen told NBC’s Melissa Stark after Buffalo’s 41–40 comeback win over the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday Night Football. “I mean, I think there’s people that left the stadium. That’s OK, we’ll be fine, but have some faith next time.”’

‘“When I was a kid I grew up watching the Steelers with the terrible towel and Myron Cope on the radio and watching my idol Terry Bradshaw,” Kelly told me years later. “Every time the Steelers were playing I was watching the game and I wanted to play for the Steelers. That was my dream as a kid. So that day we’re playing the Steelers in Orchard Park, my whole family was there, my friends from my hometown were there, and it turned out to be the best game of my career.”’

‘Sal’s prediction: Ravens 30, Bills 28.’

‘NBC knew what it was doing, working with the NFL to reel in this game for Week 1. As crazy as it sounds in the first week of September, this has a chance to be one of the most impactful games of the entire season because the winner will have the head-to-head tiebreaker advantage which could prove critical come January.’