The Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals will see each other again after all.
The No. 3 Bengals avoided an upset against the Lamar Jackson-less No. 6 Baltimore Ravens on Sunday night, holding on for a 24-17 wild-card round win at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati.
The AFC North showdown was much closer than many anticipated. The Ravens held a 10-9 halftime lead and entered the fourth quarter tied 17-17.
Baltimore was inches away from grabbing a fourth-quarter lead before a crushing turnover. Quarterback Tyler Huntley was stripped by Bengals linebacker Logan Wilson while trying to reach the ball over the goal line on a sneak.
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The loose ball fell right into the arms of Bengals defensive end Sam Hubbard, who returned it 98 yards for the longest scoop-and-score in NFL playoff history to give the Bengals a 24-17 lead.
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The Ravens nearly sent the game into overtime on the final play of regulation. Huntley's heave to the end zone on fourth-and-20 was almost hauled in by James Proche II off a deflection.
The reigning AFC champions will now visit the No. 2 Buffalo Bills in the divisional round, just a couple of weeks after the two teams were involved in a scary and emotional scene.
On Monday Night Football in Week 17, Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on the Paycor Stadium field and suffered a cardiac arrest following a collision with Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins. Players on both teams were visibly shaken, with many in tears, as Hamlin was tended to by medical personnel.
The game was temporarily suspended after Hamlin was taken away in an ambulance. Hours later, it was postponed with the Bengals holding a 7-3 lead in the first quarter.
The NFL eventually ruled that the game would not be resumed.
After initially being in critical condition, Hamlin made what doctors called "remarkable improvement." The 24-year-old was released from the University of Cincinnati Medical Center exactly one week after he collapsed. He was then discharged from the Buffalo General Medical Center/Gates Vascular Institute a couple of days later to continue his recovery at home and with the team.
The Bills have won both of their matchups since the game cancellation, most recently fending off an upset bid from the No. 7 Miami Dolphins in a 34-31 win on Sunday. Hamlin, who made his first trip back to the Bills' facility earlier in the week, watched the playoff victory from home.
