The 2025 Buffalo Bills season has been written, but the book is incomplete. Before we cast our full attention toward the 2026 season, let’s take one last glance back over our shoulder for our annual look at the Plays That Defined the prior campaign.
For any newcomers, first and foremost; Welcome! When it comes to the “rules” of this exercise, we’re not voting for our favorite highlight necessarily, but the one that best captures the essence of the game. Put differently, if you had to choose just one play
to show someone to explain as much of the contest as possible, which would you choose?
Week 1; Baltimore Ravens at Buffalo Bills
If there’s ever a time in the season where hope can be at its absolute zenith, there’s a case to be made it’s Week 1, when the whole year is ahead of you. The Buffalo Bills opened in as exciting fashion as possible. Hosting the rival Lamar Jackson and Baltimore Ravens on Sunday Night Football in a high stakes AFC game right out of the gate. Oh yeah, I also debuted the Skarekrow costume and startled some Ravens fans, so that was pretty cool.
The game itself started off looking like two juggernauts throwing haymakers, but early field goals and a slow start in the second half made it seem like the season would open with a loss. Josh Allen went alien mode, and a last second field goal from 67-year-old Matt Prater gave Buffalo a one-point win.
Josh Allen to James Cook for 51 yards (Q4, 14:06)
I try to find plays spaced out over the game, but let’s face it for this contest; the electric fourth quarter flat out dominates the mental space for this game. Down 15 points with only the fourth quarter remaining and a defense that seemed to have to have no answer for, the Bills needed to score some points. With the drive dangerously close to sputtering here, Josh Allen found James Cook to beat the pressure and Cook took off nearly scoring from over half a field off. Buffalo would score two plays later.
Derrick Henry touchdown (Q4; 11:50)
The combination of Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry can be lethal, often coming down to which one is going to light you up. In this game, Henry was the star of the show. The second long touchdown of the day came right after the Bills touchdown mentioned above. After a little spark of hope, Henry and the Ravens seemed ready to shut it back down.
Keon Coleman touchdown (Q4; 4:05)
The Bills weren’t going to be stopped, and despite the season stats the hero of the day may have been Keon Coleman who caught eight of 11 targets for 112 yards and one touchdown. Needing to go for it on fourth down, this play went all sorts of haywire, but Coleman tracked the ball down and came up with the catch for a score.
Derrick Henry fumble (Q4; 3:10)
It’s hard to complete a comeback like this without at least one miracle play, and Derrick Henry fumbling the ball in such a critical situation qualifies. The Ravens could have shut the door on a Bills win with this late drive, but instead Buffalo stole a possession and cashed in for another touchdown to bring them within two points.
Matt Prater game winner (Q4; 0:03)
I don’t think this play needs much explanation.
