Week 17 Game Recap: Buffalo Bills 7, Baltimore Ravens 19

What you need to know

Buffalo Bills

The Bills failed to reach 8-8 and could not prevent the Ravens from claiming the second playoff seed.

J.P. Losman was sacked three times and threw two interceptions as the Ravens’ defense made things difficult. He had two long completions to Lee Evans, including a 44 yard touchdown pass. Apart from those plays, the Bills struggled on offense.

Willis McGahee entered the game needing 33 rushing yards to reach 1000 yards for the season. He failed to reach the mark, ending the game with 23 rushing yards and a lost fumble as the Bills’ running game was shut down. His longest gain went for five yards.

Lee Evans led the team in targets, receptions, yardage and touchdowns. He accumulated 145 receiving yards including gains of 52 yards and a 44 yard touchdown. Evans was the sole deep threat for the Bills. Roscoe Parrish provided some support in the second half, but the offense relied heavily on Evans.

Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens clinched the second seed for the playoffs but did not have a great game on offense. They held the ball for over 36 minutes but the only touchdown came on an interception return.

Steve McNair completed 65.7% of his passes but was unable to lead the team to the end zone. He did enable the Ravens to score four field goals, and did enough for the team to win the game. McNair threw one interception and ended with 216 passing yards.

Jamal Lewis was given 20 carries but only had one run over ten yards. He was held to under 3.5 yards per carry and did not have any opportunities to score.

Derrick Mason was targeted on seven of McNair’s first eight passes, but he was not very involved beyond that point. Todd Heap ended the game as the Ravens’ leading receiver with five catches for 60 yards.

The Ravens played well on defense, creating three turnovers. Chris McAlister intercepted a J.P. Losman pass and returned it for a 31 yard touchdown.

What you ought to know

QB J.P. Losman, Pass: 20 - 35 - 237 - 1 TD / 2 INT, Rush: 1 - 10 - 0

After seeing a 31 yard completion to Willis McGahee ruled out on the Bills’ opening play from scrimmage, Losman was unable to get anything going in the first half. All four of the Bills’ drives ended in punts. In the second half, Losman tried to get Lee Evans more involved in the game. On the Bills’ second possession of the half, Losman converted two third downs by finding Roscoe Parrish on each occasion. He targeted Evans on a 40 yard pass that fell incomplete, but he completed the drive with another deep pass that found Evans open for a 44 yard touchdown. Losman threw a bad pass on the following drive and was intercepted by Chris McAlister while trying to find Peerless Price. Losman connected on a 52 yard pass to Lee Evans late in the game as the receiver wrestled the ball away from a defender. One play later, Losman threw his second pick of the day. He was sacked three times on the day as the Ravens pressured him continually.

RB Willis McGahee, Rush: 11 - 23 - 0 (3 targets)

McGahee began the game needing 33 rushing yards for 1000 on the season, but he failed to reach the mark. McGahee gained 31 yards on a reception from the Bills’ first play of the game, but the play was negated by an illegal shift penalty. McGahee fumbled on the Bills’ opening possession of the second half and the Ravens recovered. He was held to 23 rushing yards on 11 carries as the Bills completely failed to establish the running game.

RB Anthony Thomas, Rush: 1 - 3 - 0 (1 targets)

Thomas had one carry for three yards. He was targeted once in the passing game but did not make the reception.

WR Lee Evans, Rec: 7 - 145 - 1 (10 targets)

Evans was not involved until he caught a quick slant on the Bills’ third possession. He turned the play into a 21 yard gain for a first down. He then had a five yard reception before making a 10 yard catch for a first down on the Bills’ final possession of the first half. After the break, Losman looked to get Evans more involved. Losman threw a 40 yard pass to Evans, but it fell incomplete. But the next deep pass found Evans open, and he was able to make the catch for a 44 yard touchdown after beating Samari Rolle on the play. Losman also completed a 52 yard pass to Evans although it was almost intercepted. Evans battled Dawan Landry for possession and came down with the ball. Evans was again the target on the following play, but this time the pass was intercepted by Samari Rolle.

WR Roscoe Parrish, Rec: 6 - 50 - 0 (8 targets)

Parrish was not targeted at all in the first half, but Losman threw in his direction eight times in the second half. Parrish made catches of 12 yards and nine yards for two first downs on the Bills’ second drive of the half. He had an 11 yard catch for a first down later in the game, and ended the day with six receptions for 50 yards. Parrish was able to hold on to two receptions after being hit hard as he made each catch.

WR Peerless Price, Rec: 4 - 25 - 0 (6 targets)

Price caught four of his five targets in the first half, including a ten yard reception for a first down. He only saw one target in the second half, as a dangerous pass was intercepted by Chris McAlister after he jumped in front of Price.

WR Josh Reed, Rush: 1 - 3 - 0 (4 targets)

Reed was targeted four times in the game but was unable to make any receptions.

WR Andre Davis, Rec: 1 - 8 - 0 (1 targets)

Davis was targeted once and he made the catch for an eight yard gain. It was only his second reception of the season.

TE Robert Royal, Rec: 1 - 1 - 0 (2 targets)

Royal caught one of his two targets for a one yard gain.

TE Brad Cieslak, Rec: 1 - 8 - 0 (1 targets)

Cieslak caught his only target for a gain of eight yards.

PK Rian Lindell 0 - 0 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 1 points

Lindell successfully converted his one extra point attempt.

BUF Rush Defense

The Bills did a reasonable job against the run, holding Jamal Lewis to 69 yards on 20 carries. The team did not concede any rushing touchdowns, but did give up a 30 yard gain to Mike Anderson late in the game after looking to have stopped him for a short gain.

BUF Pass Defense

The Bills were able to hold Steve McNair to 216 passing yards, and did not give up any touchdowns. McNair managed three completions of 20 or more yards, but turned the ball over once as London Fletcher-Baker made an interception.

QB Steve McNair, Pass: 23 - 35 - 216 - 0 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 5 - 10 - 0

McNair completed 65.7% of his passes and ended the game with 216 passing yards, but he was unable to lead the team to a touchdown. Derrick Mason was targeted on seven of McNair’s first eight passes, while Todd Heap saw most of the second half targets. McNair found Mason for four completions and three first downs on the Ravens’ opening drive, and scrambled 13 yards for a first down of his own. His longest completion of the day went to Ovie Mughelli for a 24 yard gain on the Ravens’ penultimate possession of the first half. McNair targeted Todd Heap in the end zone at the end of the drive, but the ball sailed over his head out of reach and the team had to settle for a field goal. McNair’s longest completion of the second half was a 20 yard pass to Todd Heap, but the drive ended after McNair failed to gain a yard on a quarterback sneak. McNair only looked for Derrick Mason once in the half, but threw the ball out of bounds.

RB Jamal Lewis, Rush: 20 - 69 - 0, Rec: 1 - 12 - 0 (2 targets)

Lewis was given 20 carries in the game, but he was held in check by the Bills’ defense for the most part. His longest gain of the first half came on a 12 yard reception for a first down. Lewis broke one run in the second half for a 12 yard gain and a first down, but it was his only carry over ten yards all day.

RB Ovie Mughelli, Rush: 2 - 4 - 0, Rec: 5 - 49 - 0 (6 targets)

Mughelli saw two carries but was mainly used as a receiver. He caught all three first half targets, including one deep pass for a 24 yard gain and a first down. Mughelli also had a 13 yard reception for a first down in the second half.

RB Mike Anderson, Rush: 2 - 32 - 0, Rec: 2 - 15 - 0 (4 targets)

Anderson carried twice in the game. His longest run went for 30 yards after he initially appeared to have been stopped for a short gain. He dropped his first target of the game but caught the next one for a gain of ten yards and a first down. His next catch was ruled out after a penalty and an 11 yard gain was negated.

RB Cory Ross (1 targets)

Ross was targeted once in the passing game but did not make the reception. He fumbled a punt return but the ball was recovered by the Ravens.

WR Derrick Mason, Rush: 1 - -4 - 0, Rec: 5 - 30 - 0 (8 targets)

Mason was the target on seven of Steve McNair’s first eight passes. He caught four balls on the Ravens’ opening drive which resulted in a field goal. McNair was intercepted while looking for Mason on the following drive. In the second half Mason only saw one pass thrown in his direction, but the ball was uncatchable. He was used on an end around on one occasion but the play was stopped for a four yard loss.

WR Mark Clayton, Pass: 0 - 1 - 0 - 0 TD / 0 INT, Rec: 2 - 26 - 0 (3 targets)

Clayton was only targeted three times in the game. The first was caught for a 20 yard gain and a first down. He was then targeted deep but could not make the catch. Clayton attempted a pass on the Ravens’ fourth possession of the first half, but he threw the ball out of bounds wide of the end zone while looking for Todd Heap. Clayton had a six yard reception on his only target of the second half.

WR Demetrius Williams, Rec: 2 - 15 - 0 (4 targets)

Williams was targeted twice in each half. He converted a third and three with a five yard reception in the first half, and caught a pass for a ten yard gain to give the team another first down in the second half.

TE Todd Heap, Rec: 5 - 60 - 0 (8 targets)

Heap saw his first target on the Ravens’ fourth drive of the first half, and he made the catch for a 14 yard gain and a first down. Mark Clayton targeted him later in the drive, but the ball was thrown wide of the end zone. Steve McNair then targeted him in the end zone on the following play, but the pass was too high and was not catchable. Heap was a bigger factor in the second half and saw five targets. He dropped the first after being hit hard by Donte Whitner. McNair found Heap two drives later for a 20 yard gain and a first down. On the following drive, Heap had catches of 10 yards and 11 yards for first downs.

TE Quinn Sypniewski, Rec: 1 - 9 - 0 (1 targets)

Sypniewski caught his only target for a gain of nine yards.

PK Matt Stover 4 - 4 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 13 points

Stover saw a lot of action and was perfect on the day. He made field goals from 26, 37, 39 and 29 yards as well as his extra point attempt.

BAL Rush Defense

The Ravens completely smothered the Bills’ running game, holding them to 39 net rushing yards. The defense also forced a Willis McGahee fumble and Kelly Gregg recovered the ball at the Bills’ 25 yard line.

BAL Pass Defense

The pass defense pressured J.P. Losman and did not give him a lot of time to make plays. Terrell Suggs, Ray Lewis and Trevor Pryce each registered a sack. Chris McAlister read a pass intended for Peerless Price, and jumped in front of him to intercept the ball and return it for a 31 yard touchdown. Samari Rolle also had an interception near the end of the game. The team did allow Lee Evans to make two big gains; the first went for a 44 yard score and the second gained 52 yards.