Game week thread - Ravens at Bills SNF

[dorquemada]

12 minutes ago, PoundingDog said:

First game is unpredictable. You ask yourself what has changed? Both teams did not change a great deal. 

 

The Ravens add Jaire Alexander, Hopkins (I don't believe he's starter at this point).

The Bills swapped Miller for Bosa, added WR2 Palmer.

 

The Ravens had a strong 2024 draft and you should expect CB Wiggins and RT Rosengarten to take another step to be the main starters.

The Bills 2024 draft is still to be proved on the field, but yes we do expect Coleman and Bishop to start for the season opener.

 

No big surprises from the Ravens like how a Derrick Henry would impact their offense. Now we Bills fan certainly hope Bosa may give them (and NFL) a surprise on how he will impact our defense. 

 

The big thing to me is the Bills coordinators. Both teams had new coordinators last year but I'd say Both Todd Monken and Zachary Orr out coached Brady and Babich respectively. Hopefully a year on the job our young coordinators catching up, especially for Babich - when you don't have a superstar like Allen on your side, you need to come up with ways to prepare your players and be able to adapt fast in game.  

 

I have a feeling this is going to require Superman Josh because it would appear we already have our week 16 defense

[DaVinci]

I think Benford's health for the entire season is a concern.

[yall]

I can't find anything to corroborate Benford or Bosa being questionable for Sunday aside from one tweet 6 days ago that Benford didn't practice.

[Andrew Son]

Just now, yall said:

I can't find anything to corroborate Benford or Bosa being questionable for Sunday aside from one tweet 6 days ago that Benford didn't practice.

There have been no game designations yet

[yall]

1 minute ago, Andrew Son said:

There have been no game designations yet

I didn't mean "questionable" in the official designation sense.

 

I mean I can't find anything that hints towards any issue or injury that would leave their playing status in doubt for Sunday.

[Slippery Rubber Mats]

Where is this benford news coming from? I can't find anything but this thread

[yall]

1 minute ago, Slippery Rubber Mats said:

Where is this benford news coming from? I can't find anything but this thread

TBD panic machine

[RiotAct]

50 minutes ago, Dillenger4 said:

This is getting crazy!

 

Potentially no Benford and now WGR announced this morning (rather said) that we are going to be without Bosa.

 

Anyone hear anything about Bosa not playing? I heard it on WGR this a.m.

Ha.  when he was signed I kind of mentally took the “Social Security in 30 years” approach:

 

If he’s availble for a game, great, but I’m not expecting it at all.

[nosejob]

1 hour ago, Buffalo4Life01 said:

I don't think I've ever seen this message board so down in the dumps and dreading the 1st week of the season like this, at least not under the current Josh Allen led Bills.  The Ravens are a great football team, that much is a given.  However, the last time I checked, so are we!  The game is in Buffalo, James Cook will be fresh and ready to show off his newfound 'freedom, and the new editions to the D.line are ready to get after it!  Last home opener at Highmark and it's Sunday night football as well.  I can't wait to circle back to this thread after the win to make sure all the negative nancies are still with us!  Buffalo 27, Ravens 20.  Go Bills!!!!

Bosa is gonna....or not be the key to winning this game.

[Buffalo4Life01]

7 minutes ago, Slippery Rubber Mats said:

Where is this benford news coming from? I can't find anything but this thread

Benford hasn't practiced since August 21st.  Not a huge deal as he was never gone to see snaps against the Bucs in the 3rd preseason game.  He did make the field during the last practice last week and was seen doing some work with the strength and conditioning coaches which is normally a good sign.  Maybe he pulled something or strained something or maybe the Bills are being overly cautious with him after the injuries to Harriston and White.  Either way, we will find out for sure tomorrow but I'm optimistic he will be fine for Sunday nights game.  

[RiotAct]

2 minutes ago, nosejob said:

Bosa is gonna....or not be the key to winning this game.

Definitely in the top 40.

[dave mcbride]

16 minutes ago, Slippery Rubber Mats said:

Where is this benford news coming from? I can't find anything but this thread

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6582299/2025/09/02/buffalo-bills-week-1-joey-bosa-cornerback-keon-coleman/

All eyes on cornerback

There isn’t a bigger uncertainty than what’s going on with the Bills’ boundary cornerbacks. The headliner is Tre’Davious White, the team’s No. 2 cornerback, as he rehabs from an injury that the Bills are being primarily tight-lipped about. White’s place in the starting lineup to begin the year was secured when rookie first-round pick Maxwell Hairston suffered an LCL sprain that landed him on Injured Reserve to begin the year.

Making it even more complicated than just White’s and Hairston’s injuries, top cornerback Christian Benford hasn’t practiced since Aug. 21. That includes the team’s only session last week. However, unlike White, Benford was seen doing some work on the side with the strength and conditioning staff.

In the playoffs, the Bills saw what not having Benford could do to their defense. Considering he leveled up his game during the summer, potentially not having him to start the season — on top of the injuries to White and Hairston — could be a massive blow.

While it looks a bit bleak at the moment, the fact that Benford did something on the sidelines during practice last week should be seen as a positive. Having been burned by injuries in the past, the Bills have been extremely cautious when it comes to having their players ready to play when they’re needed the most. Especially when they have ample time ahead of a game that counts toward their standings, most 50-50 calls for practice with key players will result in keeping them off the field.

Benford may have been good enough to practice on Wednesday. There’s a chance the Bills may have just wanted to put him in bubble wrap ahead of the far more important three days of practice leading up to the Ravens game than risk one practice. When you add in the opponent, all the mystery around White for Week 1, on top of the questions at safety, Benford instantly becomes their most important player on defense. The outlook without Benford and White means two of Ja’Marcus Ingram, sixth-round rookie Dorian Strong or practice squad veteran Dane Jackson would be the starters against Lamar Jackson and company.

If Benford can play, it cuts the field in half due to his exceptional talent, and the Bills can then strategize to provide ample support to whoever is on the other side through their usual zone strategies. If White isn’t ready to play, who might get the start at the other boundary spot? The decision likely comes down to either Ingram or Strong. On one hand, Ingram has some game experience and made a pair of big plays last season in Miami. Though he’s been in a battle for a roster spot all summer, and until recently, it looked like his spot was instead going to go to Jackson.

It wouldn’t be surprising if the Bills went with Strong in the starting lineup, as it seemed he had separated from Ingram and Jackson in the bubble conversation over the last couple of weeks. Strong hasn’t been perfect, but he does at least provide some ceiling plays that Ingram didn’t show enough of during camp. On top of that, one of Strong’s strengths in college was his ability as a run defender from the boundary, which, as even casual observers know, will be needed in droves against the run-centric Ravens. Regardless of who plays, the Bills know they have their hands full in a game projected to yield the highest point total of all the Week 1 games.

[dorquemada]

Yeah if we're going to struggle to put 11 on the field on D, Allen and the O have to be perfect.  No taking 2 quarters to warm up, no runs up the middle on 3rd and 7, few low percentage plays on 1st.

[atomicpwrd]

How about something positive about this defense...we will have both Bernard and Milano healthy at the same time.  🙂  Maybe we play some 4-3 with Dorian Williams to take some of the stress off the DBs and help with the Ravens run game.

[PoundingDog]

32 minutes ago, dorquemada said:

 

I have a feeling this is going to require Superman Josh because it would appear we already have our week 16 defense

Not sure I'd count on that. Throughout Josh's career against Ravens (same HC mind you), even throwing away the 2 games before 2020, Harbaugh's Ravens always seemed to be able to contain Allen to a degree, like passing yards barely 200 yards or below. In regular season, completion 55% or below. No huge rushing yards. In the past, the Bills D were able to contain Jackson as well, until last year where the Ravens were able to double the yardage, plays etc. on Bills D compared to Bills offense on their D. The turnovers saved the Bills last year in the playoffs. 

 

If I'm a betting man, I expect the Ravens D to do the same against Allen and the offense. Question is can the Bills D rise up to match up like we did prior to last year or getting some fortunate turnovers again. 

[NewEra]

6 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

 

To an extent, sure. But he can't keep making the major mental mistakes in coverage he has been making that have given up backbreaking plays at a rate of basically one every two starts. I think he gets the first 4 or 5 games whatever the weather. But if he is not playing well and showing demonstrable improvement after that all bets are off. Otherwise it could quickly get to the point where the teammates around him are thinking "this guy is killing us" and if it gets to that point he is done. 

I hope they give him to the bye- mainly due to our schedule to start the year gives him some leeway.
 

Carolina then KC coming off the bye seems like a plan to me….but hopefully he can surprise and become that guy.  I’d love for Bishop and Hancock to be our starting S’s next season.
 

 

[FLFan]

24 minutes ago, dave mcbride said:

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6582299/2025/09/02/buffalo-bills-week-1-joey-bosa-cornerback-keon-coleman/

All eyes on cornerback

There isn’t a bigger uncertainty than what’s going on with the Bills’ boundary cornerbacks. The headliner is Tre’Davious White, the team’s No. 2 cornerback, as he rehabs from an injury that the Bills are being primarily tight-lipped about. White’s place in the starting lineup to begin the year was secured when rookie first-round pick Maxwell Hairston suffered an LCL sprain that landed him on Injured Reserve to begin the year.

Making it even more complicated than just White’s and Hairston’s injuries, top cornerback Christian Benford hasn’t practiced since Aug. 21. That includes the team’s only session last week. However, unlike White, Benford was seen doing some work on the side with the strength and conditioning staff.

In the playoffs, the Bills saw what not having Benford could do to their defense. Considering he leveled up his game during the summer, potentially not having him to start the season — on top of the injuries to White and Hairston — could be a massive blow.

While it looks a bit bleak at the moment, the fact that Benford did something on the sidelines during practice last week should be seen as a positive. Having been burned by injuries in the past, the Bills have been extremely cautious when it comes to having their players ready to play when they’re needed the most. Especially when they have ample time ahead of a game that counts toward their standings, most 50-50 calls for practice with key players will result in keeping them off the field.

Benford may have been good enough to practice on Wednesday. There’s a chance the Bills may have just wanted to put him in bubble wrap ahead of the far more important three days of practice leading up to the Ravens game than risk one practice. When you add in the opponent, all the mystery around White for Week 1, on top of the questions at safety, Benford instantly becomes their most important player on defense. The outlook without Benford and White means two of Ja’Marcus Ingram, sixth-round rookie Dorian Strong or practice squad veteran Dane Jackson would be the starters against Lamar Jackson and company.

If Benford can play, it cuts the field in half due to his exceptional talent, and the Bills can then strategize to provide ample support to whoever is on the other side through their usual zone strategies. If White isn’t ready to play, who might get the start at the other boundary spot? The decision likely comes down to either Ingram or Strong. On one hand, Ingram has some game experience and made a pair of big plays last season in Miami. Though he’s been in a battle for a roster spot all summer, and until recently, it looked like his spot was instead going to go to Jackson.

It wouldn’t be surprising if the Bills went with Strong in the starting lineup, as it seemed he had separated from Ingram and Jackson in the bubble conversation over the last couple of weeks. Strong hasn’t been perfect, but he does at least provide some ceiling plays that Ingram didn’t show enough of during camp. On top of that, one of Strong’s strengths in college was his ability as a run defender from the boundary, which, as even casual observers know, will be needed in droves against the run-centric Ravens. Regardless of who plays, the Bills know they have their hands full in a game projected to yield the highest point total of all the Week 1 games.

So in other words, pure speculation on Benford absent any real knowledge and the usual woe is us the Ravens are  such a great team Bills fan BS.  

[Buffalo4Life01]

55 minutes ago, PoundingDog said:

Not sure I'd count on that. Throughout Josh's career against Ravens (same HC mind you), even throwing away the 2 games before 2020, Harbaugh's Ravens always seemed to be able to contain Allen to a degree, like passing yards barely 200 yards or below. In regular season, completion 55% or below. No huge rushing yards. In the past, the Bills D were able to contain Jackson as well, until last year where the Ravens were able to double the yardage, plays etc. on Bills D compared to Bills offense on their D. The turnovers saved the Bills last year in the playoffs. 

 

If I'm a betting man, I expect the Ravens D to do the same against Allen and the offense. Question is can the Bills D rise up to match up like we did prior to last year or getting some fortunate turnovers again. 

Great points you make here.  And I don't think we have the skill set on offense (receivers and tight ends) to get open often 1 on 1 or vs tight man coverage.  This is a game where it will be HUGE for Brady to call a heck of a game plan and use motion and different schemes to get guys open.  A chance for him to absolutely earn his paycheck right off the bat, and I think he is up to the challenge!!

[JerseyBills]

Very rarely see McD "break character " in front of the media, he knew he was losing control and stopped talking but I love it . We're SB bound, not easy at all but i believe in the talent, culture and leadership 

 

Feel like he's very different,  in a good way, behind closed doors versus what he shows the media

 

Edited September 2 by JerseyBills

[JerseyBills]

Again,  like Jordan Phillips said about basically  coming home to family versus working with strangers,  Hyde last year, Po, Phillips, Gabe,  White now and other players like McKenzie who tested the waters and didn’t feel that love.

This is an amazing fan base, I really feel blessed I'm a die hard Bills fan , amazing culture set by McBeane , it's extremely special and extremely rare . Enjoy it fellas ❤️

 

Edited September 3 by JerseyBills