The Buffalo Bills and the Baltimore Ravens are set to face off in the AFC Divisional Round. As the second and third seed, with the top two MVP candidates facing off, the game is a complete tossup. The Ravens defeated the Bills earlier this season, but that was months ago and much has changed. Both teams are coming off convincing wins in the Wild Card Round, where the Bills dominated the Broncos, and the Ravens took care of business against the Steelers. The Bills are currently +1 underdogs in Buffalo despite having the better record. But +1 is as close to even as possible, so it is anyone’s ballgame.
The Baltimore Ravens Win
The Buffalo Bills are underdogs because of their previous matchup with the Ravens. They lost 35-10 and could not stop the Baltimore offense. Derrick Henry rushed for 199 yards on 24 carries, averaging 8.3 yards per rush. Lamar Jackson also rushed for 54 yards, averaging nine yards per rush. He also threw for 156 yards and two touchdowns. But the biggest issue was that the Buffalo Bills could not stop the run. The two-headed monster of Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry tore their defense to shreds. Baltimore’s first offensive play was an 87-yard touchdown run from Henry that set the tone for the entire game.
In this Week 4 matchup, the Buffalo Bills entered 3-0 but looked completely outmatched. Josh Allen was bottled up for one of the few times this season, completing 16 of 29 passes for 180 yards and no touchdowns. Their offense was relatively stagnant, punting many times throughout the game. At halftime, they trailed 21-3 and never recovered. The Buffalo defense could not stop the Ravens on the ground, and their offense never found a rhythm. It was their worst loss of the season and one that has likely stuck with them.
The Buffalo Bills Game Plan
For the Buffalo Bills to defeat the Ravens, the first thing they need is to stop the run. But that will not be easy. Jackson and Henry defeated the Steelers with ease running the ball. Even when Pittsburgh has one of the best defenses in the NFL, Baltimore moved the ball without any issues. TJ Watt had little impact, and the Ravens were dominant. The Bills defense is not the same as Pittsburgh’s. They do not have a defensive player of the year candidate like TJ Watt. So, they will have to rely purely on their game plan. But even then, they still have to contend with Jackson throwing the ball.
Still, the Buffalo Bills’ best hope is to force Jackson to pass. That was what happened in last year’s AFC Championship Game, and it worked out well for the Chiefs. If the Bills can stack the box and stop the run, which will be no small task, then they could force Baltimore to throw. On the other side of the ball, Buffalo needs Allen to play like the MVP. The offense needs to produce and crack the Ravens’ defense in ways they couldn’t do before. They should not expect to win by only scoring 10 points. Buffalo needs the defense to step up and for Josh Allen to play like Josh Allen.
A Highly-Anticipated Matchup
If this game lives up to the high expectations, it will be one of the best games in the NFL Playoffs. The Buffalo Bills are underdogs but are undefeated at home this season. Jackson and Allen are the top two MVP candidates and both teams have Super Bowl aspirations. No matter what happens, positive and negative narratives will come from this game, judging the quarterbacks and the teams. It will be one of the most anticipated games of the weekend.
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