Trailing the Buffalo Bills by eight points in an AFC Divisional Round game on Sunday, the Baltimore Ravens took possession at their 20-yard line with 5:21 left in the third quarter.

The Ravens ran the football on six of their next seven plays, with running back Derrick Henry gaining 46 yards on five carries, including 17 yards on a third-and-1 snap and 5 on a touchdown tote with 1:37 remaining in the third period.

Trailing by two points, Baltimore bypassed the extra point in favor of a conversion attempt. Instead of another handoff to Henry, the Ravens chose to pass from the 2-yard line. The opportunity to tie the score failed when Bills linebacker Matt Milano knocked down quarterback Lamar Jackson’s throw for tight end Isaiah Likely, who was open in the end zone.

Buffalo restored its eight-point lead with two fourth-quarter field goals, but Baltimore had one more touchdown drive in it. A scramble by Jackson followed by six straight completions moved the Ravens 88 yards for a touchdown with 1:33 remaining.

Again, Baltimore chose to pass with Henry in the backfield on its 2-point conversion attempt. Tight end Mark Andrews dropped Jackson’s throw at the goal line, and the Bills held on for a 27-25 victory and a spot in the AFC Championship Game.

“It’s a team effort,” Henry said. “It’s not on (Andrews). We’re all in this together. He’s a warrior, and there’s a lot to be proud about from this season for us as a group. We’re always going to back him.”

Henry ran for 1,921 yards – the 11th-highest total in NFL history — during the 2024 regular season, including 199 in a 35-10 regular-season victory over Buffalo on Sept 29.

On Sunday, Henry ran for 84 yards and one touchdown on 16 carries. He carried the football only twice after his third-quarter score.

In its first season with the former Alabama All-American in its backfield, Baltimore posted an 10-0 record when Henry ran for at least 85 yards and a 3-6 record when he did not.

Ravens coach John Harbaugh was asked after Sunday’s loss if Baltimore should have used Henry more.

“I don’t second-guess any of that,” Harbaugh said. “We did what we tried to do to win the game.”

Henry said the running-game-fueled, third-quarter touchdown drive happened because: “We were just executing as an offense and trying to get some things going, get in the end zone and give ourselves a chance. It don’t matter, though. We lost.”

Baltimore lost even though the Ravens outgained the Bills 416-273 in yardage. But Baltimore lost three turnovers, and Buffalo didn’t have any giveaways.

“You never want to have turnovers,” Henry said. “It gives the other team momentum. We had three today. That hurt us. We fought back. It just wasn’t enough. They were the better team.”

Jackson could wind up as the NFL Most Valuable Player for the 2024 season. But he had an interception and a fumble against Buffalo. During the previous 18 games this season, Jackson had four interceptions and five lost fumbles.

“I came in being a teammate and found a brother,” said Henry, who signed with Baltimore as a free agent in March. “Lamar is what makes this team go, and he’s the reason why we still had a chance, so I’d tell him the same thing: Hold his head high. He’s a Hall of Fame player, had a great season. It’s a team effort. We came up short together. It’s not on him. Forget what anybody else outside of what we got going on says. We believe in him, and we’re always going to be behind his back.”