Game week thread - Ravens at Bills SNF

[The Jokeman]

2 hours ago, 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.

and usually one tweet leads to more tweets but like you it feels like it's a non story. 

[dorquemada]

1 hour 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. 

 

I said it would require superman josh, not that we would get it.  I agree that it's not a great matchup rn bc our defense is both banged up and not all that great to start with

[Solomon Grundy]

14 minutes ago, JerseyBills said:

Again,  like Jordan Phillips said about basically  coming home to family versus working with strangers,  Hyde last year, Po, Phillips, Gabe 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 ❤️

 

"Bring lil'dirty back" is hilarious in it's own rights 😂😂😂

[PoundingDog]

To be honest, I'm pretty sure McDermott and Babich learned their lessons and won't let Henry beat them. So it is "let's see if Lamar can beat us." To do that, it used to be "contain Lamar, don't let his leg beat you." I'm thinking with our speedy LBs, maybe we should try not letting Lamar beat you by giving him a lot of time to pass the ball. I just can't help noticing Lamar has had unbelievable long time to pass the ball compared to other top QBs.  

Edited Tuesday at 06:30 PM by PoundingDog

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

11 minutes ago, PoundingDog said:

To be honest, I'm pretty sure McDermott and Babich learned their lessons and won't let Henry beat them. So it is "let's see if Lamar can beat us." To do that, it is used to be "contain Lamar, don't let his leg beat you." I'm thinking with our speedy LBs, maybe we should try not letting Lamar beat you by giving him a lot of time to pass the ball. I just can't help noticing Lamar has had unbelievable long time to pass the ball compared to other top QBs.  

Lamar is great, but you are right. He has all day and can buy a ton more time, so he is dropping those dimes into guys who seem like they are wide opens. 
 

just a lot tougher to defend him now that Roman is gone and they run an offense with some semblance of a passing attack.

[MasterStrategist]

2 hours ago, FLFan said:

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.  

Exactly -  Joe even acknowledges how conservative Buffalo usually can be with injuries.  Especially a star player who is also practicing to the side.  

 

Nothing to worry about with CB, right now

[JerseyBills]

Interesting 👀

 

Loved the pick and the double dip , could see him pulling a Benford 

 

 

[Gregg]

Blue jerseys on opening night. No surprise.

 

[Dillenger4]

18 minutes ago, JerseyBills said:

Interesting 👀

 

Loved the pick and the double dip , could see him pulling a Benford 

 

 

Hmmm - could this be, stick with me for a moment, could this be.... foreshadow?!?  Hmmm?

Imagine on Sunday night if we roll out Benford as CB1 and Dorian Strong as CB2 - because Tre is injured. Then Strong stays strong.

BUFFALO STRONG BABY!!!!!

[JerseyBills]

10 minutes ago, Dillenger4 said:

Hmmm - could this be, stick with me for a moment, could this be.... foreshadow?!?  Hmmm?

Imagine on Sunday night if we roll out Benford as CB1 and Dorian Strong as CB2 - because Tre is injured. Then Strong stays strong.

BUFFALO STRONG BABY!!!!!

Wouldn't be surprised and it's funny how he brought up Benford in the interview 

[newcam2012]

3 hours 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.

Good post. I'd be surprised if Strong gets the nod if Tre can't go. McD is pretty hesitant to do so in the past. 

[FranchiseSavior]

9 hours ago, newcam2012 said:

This is only a half truth and pretty disingenuous. You can't just dismiss the turnovers or say what ifs. They happened and the Bills capitalized on them. Fact is they didn't play a clean game. This game was nothing like the first meeting where Baltimore blew out the Bills. Stop with your nonsense. 

 

Yes, the Ravens offense and Lamar were handling the Bills defense. However, that doesn't equate to the same outcome this year. Let's see how things play out. 

 

Personally, I think the Ravens have the best roster in the league. In the playoffs, the Ravens lost a home game to KC and last year's loss to Buffalo. I'd argue with confidence the Ravens were the better team in both of those playoff losses. 

 

What's fairly accurate is neither team has gotten it done come playoff time. Arguably both teams had rosters capable of making it to the Super Bowl. Allen has been nothing short of spectacular in his playoff appearances. Lamar has not! I hope both QBs have rings when their careers expire. 

 

Why is it you dismis Josh's playoff turnovers and hold them against Lamar.  In Josh has turned the ball over multiple in the playoffs in 2023 and in a must  win game in 24 he had 2 turnovers in against the Dolphins.  

 

 

 

[FranchiseSavior]

7 hours ago, SCBills said:

He’s also making this point that we couldn’t stop Lamar aside from the turnovers, like that should validate Lamar…

 

We know.  Our defense could barely stop anybody unless they forced turnovers (rookie QB’s & bad QB’s aside).

 

So the fact Lamar came in and faced the worst Defense we’ve ever had under McDermott, and still couldn’t get it done,  in part because of his own mistakes, says everything we need to know about him in the postseason. 
 

Sure, it wasn’t all his fault.  And he played a great second half.  But the point is.. you don’t look at Allen or Mahomes in the postseason and say they were part of the reason they lost.  Usually they play great or well/clean enough.  Lamar is always (part) of the reason the Ravens lose in the playoffs. 
 

As for Burrow (the other of the Big 4).. well, he hasn’t been there enough, and when he was.. don’t get me started on how his defense and FG kicker carried him to the Super Bowl.  Must be nice…

The difference between Lamar and Mahomes and to a lesser extent Allen is when Lamar makes a mistake the defense isn't getting him the ball back.  Josh can play like complete cheeks and be giving an opportunity to win the game.  Lamar was given that very opportunity and marched his team down the field scored the TD hit the TE in his belly and the TE dropped the ball.  The silly thing is Josh severely underthrows the TE.   The TE makes a heck of a play to get back to the ball an attempt to save his QB and its somehow the TEs fault they lost the game however Lamar hits his TE in the stomach and the narrative is Lamar couldn't get it done.  

[Royale with Cheese]

1 hour ago, Gregg said:

Blue jerseys on opening night. No surprise.

 

 

Looking at these just gave me the butterflies.  

Oh I'm ready.

[wjag]

1 hour ago, Gregg said:

Blue jerseys on opening night. No surprise.

 

 

I know everyone has their favorite uniform combo.  This is mine.  

[TheWei44]

50 minutes ago, FranchiseSavior said:

The difference between Lamar and Mahomes and to a lesser extent Allen is when Lamar makes a mistake the defense isn't getting him the ball back.  Josh can play like complete cheeks and be giving an opportunity to win the game.  Lamar was given that very opportunity and marched his team down the field scored the TD hit the TE in his belly and the TE dropped the ball.  The silly thing is Josh severely underthrows the TE.   The TE makes a heck of a play to get back to the ball an attempt to save his QB and its somehow the TEs fault they lost the game however Lamar hits his TE in the stomach and the narrative is Lamar couldn't get it done.  

Focusing on two plays, rather than the full context of the game, is short sighted and a fool's errand.  And even if you want to focus on those two plays, Allen made a friggin miraculous throw under ridiculous pressure to give us a chance.  Kudos to the Chiefs for doing something unexpected on the line on that play.  But back to my main point:  Teams win or lose games from the full body of work for the full 60 minutes.  Sure, certain plays are more important than others, but I would list at least 4-5 reasons why the Bills lost to the Chiefs last season.  C'mon man, be better!

[Taro Nimbus]

I’m just waiting for the 18 doom and gloom threads after the game, if the Bills lose 

[SCBills]

1 hour ago, FranchiseSavior said:

The difference between Lamar and Mahomes and to a lesser extent Allen is when Lamar makes a mistake the defense isn't getting him the ball back.  Josh can play like complete cheeks and be giving an opportunity to win the game.  Lamar was given that very opportunity and marched his team down the field scored the TD hit the TE in his belly and the TE dropped the ball.  The silly thing is Josh severely underthrows the TE.   The TE makes a heck of a play to get back to the ball an attempt to save his QB and its somehow the TEs fault they lost the game however Lamar hits his TE in the stomach and the narrative is Lamar couldn't get it done.  

Our Defense gives up 30+ ppg against the Chiefs in the playoffs. 
 

You’re not good at this. 
 

Just root for Lamar to stop turning the ball over in the playoffs.  That’s all he needed to do last year to beat us and he couldn’t. 

[PoundingDog]

15 minutes ago, TheWei44 said:

Teams win or lose games from the full body of work for the full 60 minutes.  Sure, certain plays are more important than others, but I would list at least 4-5 reasons why the Bills lost to the Chiefs last season.

This is how I look at it. Brady does not have a signature "gotta-have-play" in a big game. That is not who he is because he generally has a full 60 minutes or close to that so that he almost never get himself into a one gotta-have moment.

 

Mahomes has more gotta-have plays but generally more of a gotta-have series type of guy, especially against complex schemes when he figures later in games in those playoff big games.

 

But Josh Allen is my go-to QB for a single gotta-have play. Against any conditions, expected or unexpected, he figures out a way to give you a reasonable chance. 

[PoundingDog]

2 hours ago, JerseyBills said:

Interesting 👀

 

Loved the pick and the double dip , could see him pulling a Benford 

 

 

Player development skills got him to the DC position. What I want to see for him is to add more specific schemes against opponents. That means having more right keys for back 7 players because too many times I see our players fooled by the initial action. Some of it is players, but a great DC will have a keen eye to get a key from at least one of the 11 players to help his players during a week long preparation. And that goes for in-game adjustment too.