3-0 Bills in Baltimore For Primetime Bout With Ravens

September 29, 2024

By Carter Rennyson

One of the teams entering the season with the most questions was the Buffalo Bills. Key departures, including Stefon Diggs, raised concerns about the offense, and losing starting linebacker Matt Milano to a season-ending injury was cause for worry. However, Josh Allen has silenced any doubts, and the defense has looked as strong as ever. Buffalo is undefeated but faces the Ravens in Baltimore on Sunday Night Football.

Lamar Jackson and the Ravens got back on track with a victory over the Cowboys last Sunday. After losing to the Chiefs on opening night and shockingly to the Raiders in their home opener, the Ravens seem to have found their form. Jackson has leaned on Zay Flowers and Isaiah Likely as his top two targets, and Derrick Henry has been a valuable addition to the backfield. Henry and Jackson have both rushed for over 250 yards this season, combining for five touchdowns.

Josh Allen has been stellar so far this season and should be in contention for MVP. The Bills have scored at least 30 points in all of their games, thanks to Allen's exceptional play. He has thrown for 634 yards with seven touchdowns and no interceptions, while also adding two rushing touchdowns. Allen has spread the ball effectively to Khalil Shakir, James Cook, and Dalton Kincaid, relying less on the run. The Bills' offense has been clicking under the leadership of Allen and play-caller Joe Brady.

The Ravens' defense has struggled at times to hold leads. They gave up a 10-point lead to the Raiders and nearly let one slip away last week against the Cowboys. Baltimore ranks in the bottom 10 in yards allowed but has been effective in sacking opposing quarterbacks. Kyle Van Noy has four sacks this season, while Roquan Smith and Kyle Hamilton lead the team in tackles. They’ll need to be wary of Allen escaping the pocket tomorrow night.

This is a critical game in the AFC, especially regarding home-field advantage in the postseason. Both the Ravens and Bills are expected to make the playoffs, and a head-to-head victory could prove valuable come January. Baltimore is currently a 2.5-point favorite at home. This matchup will be a test to see if the Ravens are as good as they were last season or if it’s time to start thinking about the Bills finally winning a Super Bowl.