It is not often that you get to see an "instant classic" in Week 1 of the NFL season. Heck, many primetime games are duds. That is not the case for this year's conclusion to the first Sunday of this season around the league. The Buffalo Bills just beat the Baltimore Ravens, 41-40, in a game that was crazier than anyone could have ever thought possible.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen was nearly flawless in the fourth quarter. He placed himself in elite company with the finish to his team's victory, too.
The fourth quarter was an experience. There really isn't another way to put it. The Bills overcame a 15-point deficit on the back of surgical passing from Josh Allen and a costly Baltimore turnover. In the final quarter of the ballgame, Allen totaled 251 passing yards. Yes, you read that correctly.
That number places him in the top five for passing yards in a fourth quarter during this century. He is fourth on the list, only behind Drew Brees, Ben Roethlisberger, and Dak Prescott. Brees leads the group with a fourth quarter vs. the Atlanta Falcons where he threw for 294 (!!) yards.
Most fourth quarter passing yards this century -- with a familiar face on the list! pic.twitter.com/DIzLVOzewe
— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) September 8, 2025
Other notable names on this list include Eli Manning, Jameis Winston, and now NFL analyst Dan Orlovsky. Allen's performance was riveting on every level, and there was simply nothing that the Ravens could do to stop last year's MVP. The Bills gunslinger proved exactly why he won the MVP a season ago. He is also one of the few favorites to claim that award again for this campaign.
Allen was perfectly aggressive, but he also took what Baltimore handed him. He and his receivers communicated beautifully, a trait that helped Brees fund success for so many years in black and gold.
No game was ever over for Brees, and the same can truly be said about the Bills quarterback as well.
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