NFL play-off results: Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles through to Conference Championships

In the NFL playoffs, both the Buffalo Bills and the Philadelphia Eagles secured thrilling victories, moving within one step of the Super Bowl. The Bills defeated the Baltimore Ravens 27-25 in a highly anticipated divisional matchup, while the Eagles overcame the Los Angeles Rams 28-22. Both Sunday games were played in the snow, with the Baltimore-Buffalo contest featuring a head-to-head clash between two leading contenders for this season's Most Valuable Player (MVP) award, quarterbacks Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson.

Ultimately, Allen prevailed, and the Bills will now face the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs in the playoffs for a chance to compete in Super Bowl LIX. For Baltimore, it was a painful end to the season, as tight end Mark Andrews dropped a potential game-tying two-point conversion with 1:33 remaining. Jackson, who won his second MVP award last season and is likely to receive the honor again when the winner is announced during Super Bowl week, remains without an appearance in the NFL's biggest game in his seventh year as a pro.

The 28-year-old has not only yet to reach the Super Bowl but has only participated in one AFC Championship game, which they lost to the Chiefs last season. This year, Kansas City will host Buffalo in the AFC Championship game next Sunday, while Philadelphia will welcome the Washington Commanders for the NFC Championship game. The MVP voting is already closed, so Allen and Jackson both knew that Sunday's game wouldn't affect the ultimate winner. This game was about their legacy.

They have been two of the NFL's most outstanding quarterbacks since being drafted in 2018, but like Jackson, Allen has yet to reach the Super Bowl. This will be Buffalo's fourth meeting with Kansas City in five years – and the Chiefs have won all three of their previous encounters, including the 2021 AFC Championship game. Now, Allen has a chance to defeat the Chiefs and their two-time MVP, Patrick Mahomes, after a strong season. The 28-year-old had two rushing touchdowns, helping Buffalo take a 21-10 lead in the first half, while Baltimore's three turnovers proved costly.

Jackson started strong, finding Rashod Bateman for a 16-yard touchdown, before the Bills immediately responded with a one-yard rushing touchdown by Ray Davis. The Ravens quarterback then threw an interception and fumbled on the next two possessions, with Bills linebacker Von Miller recovering the latter to set up Allen's first score. After a Justin Tucker field goal narrowed the gap, Allen again plunged into the end zone from short distance, giving Buffalo the advantage at halftime. Baltimore, who have the league's best rushing offense, started their ground game in the third quarter, scoring a field goal and a Derrick Henry touchdown.

They failed to convert a two-point attempt to tie the score, and a Bills field goal then made it 24-19. Then, with eight minutes left in the game, Terrell Bernard punched the ball away from Andrews and recovered the fumble, giving the Bills an opportunity to add another field goal. The Ravens had 3:29 to save their season, and Jackson threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Likely to narrow the gap. They needed a two-point conversion to tie, and he appeared to connect with Andrews, but the ball slipped from the tight end's grasp at the goal line, ending the Ravens' season.

In the other game on Sunday, Eagles running back Saquon Barkley had 2,005 rushing yards this season, ranking eighth all-time, but it was his quarterback, Jalen Hurts, who started strong for Philadelphia against the Rams, completing a 44-yard touchdown run on the opening drive, the longest of his career. Los Angeles responded with a Tyler Higbee touchdown, before Barkley broke through the line for a 62-yard score. The Rams kicked a field goal to cut the gap to 13-10 at halftime, and after the snow intensified in the second half, both teams traded field goals in the third quarter.

Hurts injured his knee on the Eagles' drive, and on their next possession, he was trapped in his own end zone and was called for a safety, cutting the score to 16-15. The Rams then fumbled on consecutive possessions, and the Eagles punished each mistake with a field goal, before Barkley broke through the line again, this time from 72 yards out, to make it 28-15 with less than five minutes remaining, which seemed to seal the game. However, Los Angeles immediately responded with a Colby Parkinson touchdown, and then forced a quick three-and-out from the Eagles, meaning they got the ball back with just over two minutes left in the game.

Veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford, who led the Rams to the Super Bowl title in 2022, has completed 51 game-winning drives, and he looked set to complete another when Puka Nacua made a spectacular catch over his shoulder to bring the Rams to the Philadelphia 21-yard line. But the Eagles' defense held firm, securing their place in their second NFC Championship game in three years, having ultimately lost to Kansas City in Super Bowl LVII.