The Philadelphia Eagles and Buffalo Bills survive and advance to the NFL’s conference championship round

On Sunday, in both Philadelphia and upstate New York, it came down to the final drives in the snow with freezing temperatures making the ball slippery and tough to handle.

It was January football at its very best: Dramatic, unpredictable and back-and-forth heavyweight fights.

In the first bout, the Philadelphia Eagles survived a late charge by the Los Angeles Rams to win by a score of 28-22. The Eagles’ had thought they put the game away on a long run from Saquon Barkley but the Rams made it interesting late, driving all the way down the field looking for a winning touchdown until they couldn’t complete one final pass in a Philly snowstorm.

In the late game, it was the Buffalo Bills surviving a late rally by their opponent, the talented and tough Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens scored a touchdown with 1:33 to go to come within two, but their star tight end Mark Andrews bobbled the two-point conversion and couldn’t haul it in, costing his team a chance to send it into overtime.

The Bills and Eagles now advance to the conference championship. The Washington Commanders will come to Philadelphia to play the Eagles at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, followed by the Bills traveling to Kansas City to face the Chiefs at 6:30 p.m. ET.

Here’s what to know from Sunday’s dramatic games:

Los Angeles Rams vs. Philadelphia Eagles: In a game where harsh winter weather and an injury to quarterback Jalen Hurts made the Philadelphia Eagles’ offense one-dimensional, MVP-candidate running back Barkley literally carried the Eagles to a 28-22 win over the Los Angeles Rams and a berth in the NFC Championship game.

The Eagles had an astonishing 285 rushing yards in the game, headlined by 205 yards from Barkley, who had touchdown runs of 62 and 78 yards in the game.

Baltimore Ravens vs. Buffalo Bills: The temperature was below 20 degrees at kickoff and a light snow was falling at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York, as the Bills and Ravens locked horns in one of the most anticipated divisional round games in recent memory.

When the dust settled, the Bills did just enough to outduel the Ravens in an epic battle that lived up to the hype. With a pair of leading MVP candidates going head-to-head at quarterback and a shot at the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship on the line, the stakes couldn’t have been higher. In the end, it was a dropped pass from a star Ravens player that ended up being the difference between the two teams.

Read more about Sunday’s games here.

Whew boy. Just an overall spectacular weekend of football.

One massive (if not completely unexpected for jaded Lions fans) upset, two games that came down to the final drive and one game that was sealed on a blocked field goal in the final minutes.

It was a strong turnaround from the wild-card round, which saw one game decided in the final seconds and blowouts in the rest of the games.

If it was a preview of the conference championship games next weekend, we’re in for some classics.

After radio silence during the game, we finally got a word from CNN’s Harry Enten, the unofficial Bills correspondent.

Harry, take it away:

Not much more to say than that.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen screams in celebration after beating the Baltimore Ravens.

The temperature was below 20 degrees at kickoff and a light snow was falling at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York, as the Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens locked horns in one of the most anticipated divisional round games in recent memory.

When the dust settled, the Bills did just enough to outduel the Ravens in an epic battle that lived up to the hype.

With a pair of leading MVP candidates going head-to-head at quarterback and a shot at the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship on the line, the stakes couldn’t be higher for the two teams.

Lamar Jackson and the Ravens got the first possession Sunday and showed why they’re one of the NFL’s most dynamic offenses as Jackson led an opening drive culminating in a, 11-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Rashod Bateman.

Next, it was the Bills quarterback Josh Allen’s turn, and he responded in kind as he led a scoring drive of his own to tie the game up at 7-7 with a one-yard touchdown run from Ray Davis.

If there has been one consistent knock on two-time league MVP Jackson, it’s been that he doesn’t always play his best football on the biggest stage.

Jackson gave his critics more ammunition in the first half with a pair of costly mistakes.

After the Bills TD, Jackson aimed for Bateman on a deep pass but sailed the ball far over his receiver’s head and into the arms of safety Taylor Rapp, though Buffalo failed to convert the turnover into points.

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson fumbles the ball as he is tackled by Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin in the second quarter.

On the Ravens’ next possession, Jackson was sacked by Bills safety Damar Hamlin and fumbled the football. Buffalo linebacker Von Miller scooped the ball up and ran it down to the Baltimore 24-yard line.

The Bills took advantage this time, as Allen powered in a one-yard touchdown run.

After a Ravens field goal, Buffalo gave themselves some breathing room with another scoring drive on their ensuing possession.

The Bills asserted their ground game dominance on a nine-play, 70 yard drive that ended with another Allen TD, this time on a four-yard keeper just before the half ended.

Buffalo took a 21-10 lead into intermission - the largest halftime deficit for the Ravens all season, according to CBS.

But like the heavyweight prizefight most fans were expecting, the Ravens had a counterpunch in the second half, and it came in the form of running back Derrick Henry.

Henry racked up 58 yards on the Ravens’ first two possessions of the second half, which resulted in a pair of scores – a 47-yard field goal by Tucker and a five-yard TD run from Henry – as Baltimore cut the Bills’ lead to 21-19.

Buffalo was able to stem the tide with a scoring drive of their own that churned four and half minutes off the clock and culminated in a booming 51-yard field goal from Tyler Bass to make the score 24-19 Bills.

Buffalo Bills linebacker Terrel Bernard celebrates with fans after forcing and recovering a fumble in the fourth quarter.

The Ravens offense was on the move again when disaster struck. After Jackson completed a pass 16 yards downfield to Mark Andrews, Bills linebacker Terrel Bernard punched the ball out while the tight end was fighting for extra yards.

Bernard recovered the fumble near midfield, setting up another Bass field goal to extend the lead to 27-19 with just 3:29 left in the game.

After some miscues earlier in the game, Jackson was lights-out on the Ravens’ final drive.

Jackson picked the Bills defense apart, deftly moving around in the backfield, buying time and finding open receivers downfield on an eight-play, 88-yard drive.

Jackson capped the drive with a pinpoint throw to Isaiah Likely for a 24-yard touchdown to make the score 27-25.

On the ensuing two-point conversion attempt, Jackson rolled out and tossed a short pass to a back-pedaling Andrews, but the tight end bobbled and dropped the ball as he fell across the goal line.

Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews drops a pass on a two-point conversion in the fourth quarter.

Tucker attempted an onside kick for Baltimore, but Bills cornerback Rasul Douglas recovered to snuff out any chance of a Ravens miracle.

The Bills ran the clock out to secure a hard-fought 27-25 win and set a date with the Chiefs with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line.

After the game, Allen did not hold back on his admiration of his counterpart Jackson.

“I just got so much respect and love for him, the way he plays the game,” Allen told CBS. “He’s a true competitor. He’s a true football player. One of the greatest ever step on the football field, so nothing but love.”

When asked about the upcoming showdown with the NFL’s reigning dynasty, Allen did not give the Chiefs any bulletin board material.

“I just know we’re going to work hard. We’re going to have a heck of a week. We’re going to enjoy this one tonight and turn our attention to the Chiefs tomorrow,” Allen said.

“We know what they are. They’re the perennial of what you want to be in the NFL. You got to beat them to get past them.”

The Chiefs have knocked the Bills out of the playoffs three of the past four seasons, but Buffalo dealt Kansas City one of its only two losses in Week 11 of the regular season.

What a weekend of football we just had – and another big day coming up next Sunday in the conference championships.

The matchups are set and they are each chock-full of intriguing storylines.

Washington Commanders vs. Philadelphia Eagles: The Commanders and Eagles are both in the NFC East and played twice this year, splitting the games. The rubber match sees the Commanders charging into the late rounds behind the performance of unflappable rookie Jayden Daniels, while the Eagles are going to go as far as all-world running back Saquon Barkley can take them. It promises to be a wild scene at Lincoln Financial Field – just a few hours up Interstate 95 from the DC metro area.

Buffalo Bills vs. Kansas City Chiefs: One team is going for a three-peat. The other has never won a Super Bowl and wants – no, needs – to beat the big, bad Chiefs to go back to the biggest game for the first time since the early 1990s. The Bills handed the Chiefs their first loss of the season back in November, winning by nine. The difference between that game and Sunday’s upcoming AFC Championship Game: It was at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York. Sunday’s contest will be at the unfriendly confines of Arrowhead Stadium.

The Commanders and Eagles will play at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday. The Bills and Chiefs will face off at 6:30 p.m. ET that same day.

Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews runs after a catch in the third quarter.

A very difficult night for Mark Andrews, one of the best tight ends in the league.

Andrews has been one of Lamar Jackson’s favorite targets throughout his career and has often shined brightest in the biggest moments.

But he’ll be haunted by the fumble early in the fourth quarter that led to a Buffalo field goal and, even more so, the dropped pass on the two-point conversion that would have tied the game.

Andrews came off another typically solid year, notching a career-high 11 touchdown catches this year. It’s a difficult way for this campaign to end.

Wow! What an ending to a massive football weekend.

The Bills held on to defeat the Ravens 27-25 in a cold, snowy affair to head to their first AFC Championship Game since the 2020 season.

They will face a familiar opponent – Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs at a rowdy Arrowhead Stadium next weekend with a trip to Super Bowl LIX on the line.

The Ravens need this onside kick to have a chance – and they don’t get it.

Buffalo has it at the Baltimore 47 and all they need to do is get one first down and this game is over.

Score: Ravens 25, Bills 27

Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely makes a touchdown catch in the fourth quarter.

The Ravens come out of the two-minute warning with one timeout left.

Jackson drops back to pass and checks it down to running back Justice Hill, who takes the ball upfield and gets out of bounds to stop the clock after a four-yard gain.

On second down, Jackson goes back to Mark Andrews, who grabs the ball and is shoved out at the Buffalo 24-yard line after a 19-yard gain. The Ravens are now within striking distance with 1:44 to play.

Jackson dances in the backfield, waiting for a receiver, waiting … waiting … waiting … and he finds Isaiah Likely in the end zone for a touchdown!

It’s a 24-yard score that brings the Ravens within two and they need to convert this to tie – and they don’t! Andrews drops the ball as he falls out of bounds and the Ravens season might have just trickled away through the hands of one of the best tight ends in football.

There are just 93 seconds to play in this one.

Score: Ravens 25, Bills 27

At the two-minute warning, the Ravens are moving down the field and 47 yards and a two-point conversion separates this game from overtime.

The drive starts with Jackson going deep and overthrowing his tight end, Isaiah Likely. Bills defender Taron Johnson is injured and play stops for an extended period, allowing the Ravens to gather themselves.

Jackson scrambles and takes the ball eight yards, setting up third-and-two from the Baltimore 23. Jackson finds Justice Hill for a short pass, enough to pick up the first down. On the next play, he finds Rashod Bateman for another short pass and the wideout is slow to get up after an awkward tackle. He walks off the field under his own power.

The snow is starting to pick up, blowing sideways across the Highmark Stadium turf. Jackson takes his time on the second down snap, and makes a dangerous pass across his body to Tylan Wallace – and it pays off! Wallace catches the ball and goes across midfield to the Buffalo 47.

Play stops for the two-minute warning. An exciting finish coming in Buffalo.

Score: Ravens 19, Bills 27

Here we go – under three-and-a-half minutes to go and Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens need a touchdown and a two-point conversion to send this game into overtime.

They get the ball on the 33-yard line – but a holding penalty sets them back to the 12.

Score: Ravens 19, Bills 27

Buffalo Bills kicker Tyler Bass kicks a field goal.

The Bills are faced with a huge decision on the Ravens two-yard line.

Kick a field goal and go up eight or go for it and potentially put the game away?

Head coach Sean McDermott and the Bills elected to kick. Tyler Bass was true and the lead is now eight.

Buffalo played it safe but now Lamar Jackson and the Ravens still have some hope left with a big offensive drive coming up here with a little over three minutes to go.

Score: Ravens 19, Bills 27

It’s cliché, but football truly is a game with a narrow margin for error.

Right now, it’s the Ravens who are making the critical errors.

The three turnovers combined with 33 yards in penalties – including a costly illegal hands to the face call on this drive – have kept the Ravens from dominating this game on the scoreboard as they are on the stat sheet. The Ravens have 328 yards to the Bills’ 239 (with 6:14 to go in the game). They’re outrushing and outpassing the Bills’ offense – but those big mistakes have proven costly.

The Bills now have a chance to make this one a two-score game after the latest crucial error from Mark Andrews – who lost his first fumble since 2019 on that last Ravens drive.

Score: Ravens 19, Bills 24

Buffalo Bills linebacker Terrel Bernard strips the ball from Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews in the fourth quarter.

The snow starts up again as the Ravens take the field, trailing by five.

The first play is a Lamar Jackson pass to Steven Sims to the left side, letting the wide receiver get into space to pick up four yards. Running back Derrick Henry takes the direct snap on second down and pushes for five yards, setting up a third-and-one.

The big running back plows into the middle of the Buffalo defensive line and it’s not clear if he got the first down – he doesn’t! It’s fourth-and-one from the Baltimore 39-yard line and the Ravens are going for it! Tight end Mark Andrews goes under center and takes the ball forward for two yards, picking up what might prove to be a crucial fourth down conversion.

After Justice Hill is dropped behind the line on first down, Jackson takes a shotgun snap and finds Andrews wide open but – oh my! Terrel Bernard strips the ball and recovers it at the Buffalo 44-yard line!

An absolute massive turnover – huge play by the Bills’ defense!

Score: Ravens 19, Bills 24

Buffalo Bills kicker Tyler Bass kicks a field goal in the fourth quarter.

The Buffalo offense has been slowed effectively since coming out of halftime.

After the Ravens defense pitched a shutout in the third quarter, the Bills finally added to their thin lead.

Buffalo kicker Tyler Bass persevered through some not so ideal kicking conditions to successfully nail a 51-yard field goal to make it a five point game with just over 12 minutes to play.

The game is still in reach for the Ravens as they get the ball back.

Score: Ravens 19, Bills 24

This is the heavyweight battle we all anticipated.

Heading into the fourth quarter, just a failed two-point conversion separates the two teams as the Baltimore Ravens made a statement in that third quarter.

Two lengthy drives – nine plays for 35 yards that ended in a field goal and seven plays for 80 yards that ended in a touchdown – have drawn the Ravens close. At the same time, their defense has locked down Josh Allen and the Bills offense, holding the vaunted quarterback and his charges to just 38 yards in that quarter.

All to play for in the fourth quarter in this highly anticipated game of the weekend.

The winner gets an unenviable prize: A trip to Arrowhead Stadium to play the back-to-back Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship game.

Score: Ravens 19, Bills 21

Some insight from CNN’s Coy Wire on why the ground game is picking up for Baltimore:

Score: Ravens 19, Bills 21

Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry crosses the goal line for a touchdown in the third quarter.

Those tough runs from Derrick Henry that didn’t get much yardage in the first half are turning into big gains here in the second.

Jackson and the Ravens get the ball at their own 20-yard line and the first play is a handoff to Derrick Henry, who’s starting to find some more space out there. He goes for six yards off the left tackle and then another three through the middle of the defense to set up third and short. And with just a yard to go, Henry suddenly bursts through the middle of the Bills’ defense for 17 yards, bringing the ball toward midfield – he was so close to taking that all the way.

Jackson finds tight end Mark Andrews for 12 yards and then Justice Hill shoots out of the backfield and picks up another 22 yards. In the blink of an eye, the Ravens are once again threatening and are inside the Bills’ red zone.

Henry takes the ball on first down and goes off tackle to the left, carrying the ball 15 yards down to the Bills’ five-yard line. It seems like the Bills’ plan to contain the former Alabama standout is falling apart here in the third quarter – Henry’s gone for 58 yards in the third quarter, more than doubling his total from the first half.

On first and goal, it’s right back to Henry for five yards and a touchdown – and the Ravens will go for two to try and tie this game.

Jackson is in the shotgun and Henry motions out wide. Jackson looks for Isaiah Likely and the ball is tipped by linebacker Matt Milano and falls to the turf incomplete. The Ravens still trail by two, but they’re moving the ball on the ground finally.

Score: Ravens 19, Bills 21

Two drives, two punts for the Bills offense to start the second half.

The culprit?

The Ravens defense.

Following a first half plight for the unit, they have found a way to crack the code of Josh Allen and the Buffalo offense.

Baltimore are still in this despite Lamar Jackson’s struggles and will look to even things up in Orchard Park on this ensuing drive.

Score: Ravens 13, Bills 21

Buffalo Bills safety Cole Bishop tackles Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews in the third quarter.

A big moment to start the second half here for Lamar Jackson and the Ravens.

They get the ball at their own 36-yard line after a big punt from Buffalo’s Sam Martin and a solid return from the Ravens’ Steven Sims.

Jackson opens the drive by missing badly on a throw to Nelson Agholor and the home fans take the noise up another notch. On second down, Jackson finds tight end Mark Andrews for five yards and then again on third down, picking up nine yards and a first down.

With the ball at midfield, Jackson hands off to his running back – Justice Hill, not Derrick Henry – and Hill finds 11 yards up the middle of the Buffalo defense. Henry’s back in the game on the next play and takes the handoff for 12 yards, his best run of the night so far. It’s dangerous for the Bills to let him get hot.

Hill gets a pitch on first down from the Buffalo 27-yard line and loses two yards, setting up second-and-long. The Bills’ defense read that play perfectly and their aggressive linebackers were in the backfield before Hill could do anything. Jackson’s second-down pass to Andrews is off target and now the Ravens face a key third down in Buffalo territory.

That third down gets a bit harder on a delay of game penalty that costs the Ravens five yards, making it third-and-17 – on the edge of field goal territory in this kind of cold weather. The Highmark Stadium fans are deafening as Jackson drops back to pass and he finds Rashod Bateman for five yards, and Bateman is absolutely leveled by linebacker Matt Milano.

Justin Tucker has a 47-yard field goal attempt and splits the uprights. The Ravens are within eight.

Score: Ravens 13, Bills 21