Ravens vs. Bills Week 1 Preview

nflravens via Flickr

NFL

Ravens vs. Bills Week 1 Preview

It’s been a long hiatus since the “Philly Special“ led to Nick Foles and the Philadelphia Eagles hoisting the Lombardi trophy. Football is finally back, and 32 teams are now in contention for Super Bowl LIII. Baltimore and Buffalo may have a fair share of bad blood between them after the way the 2017 season ended.

“Red Rifle” Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton hit his man Tyler Boyd on 4th and 12—scoring a go-ahead touchdown that sent a dagger through the hearts of all Ravens fans. That play also sent Bills to the playoffs, a spot that the Ravens know was all but theirs. Harbaugh said himself that Week 17’s defeat will “never be erased.“ Here are our Ravens vs. Bills’ biggest story-lines heading into Week 1.

Backs Galore

When looking at what these teams want to do, the blueprint for both of these teams seems to be to run it down each other’s throat. Alex Collins is looking to shed his “underrated status.“ Collins finished 9th in the NFL in rushing last year with 973 yards—ending the 2017 season on a monster note.

Not only does Collins expect big things for himself, but also the entire Baltimore organization. When asked about Collins, Harbaugh said, “He still has a little bit of a chip on his shoulder; I’m looking forward to seeing how he plays.” However, Collins isn’t the only back in this game looking to make waves.

After being named a captain for the 1st time in his career, LeSean “Shady” McCoy has high expectations for himself as well. The status-quo for backs in the NFL is that once you reach 30, the end is near. McCoy is looking to shake that perception early. While McCoy has been dealing with a minor groin injury that kept him out of most of the preseason, he will be “ready to go“ for Week 1.

Quarterback News

Both Buffalo and Baltimore had a fair share of surprise in their QB depth charts. Buffalo announced that Nathan Peterman would be the starter come Week 1. This move confirms what was suspected by many; Josh Allen hasn’t developed as quick as Buffalo hoped.

Peterman has been on thin ice with Bills fans since his horrid five-interception outing against the Los Angeles Chargers last season. After A.J. McCarron was traded to Oakland, the possibility of Josh Allen starting Week 1 seemed that much more likely. Furthermore, Peterman gets the nod.

Baltimore announced that Lamar Jackson would be number two on the depth chart, even after Griffin had an outstanding preseason. Jackson is also expected to play a few snaps in Week 1. The consensus is that Jackson’s speed can be utilized more in special packages, giving Baltimore an offensive edge.

State Of Defense

Going into Week 1, we have two defenses that are on the “opposite ends of the spectrum.” Baltimore has had an incredible preseason defensively, especially on 3rd downs. Although Jimmy Smith won’t be available early in the 2018 season, the Ravens have significant depth at the DB position going into 2018.

Buffalo knows a thing or two about having a nice group of defensive backs; and not much else. Buffalo’s defense was exploited throughout the preseason. A lack of pass rush, as well as a shaky run defense, may be the biggest disparity between the two teams. Look for Buffalo to attempt to sure up on the defensive side of the ball—and look for Baltimore to display a hard-nosed defense at home.

Photo Credit:

Featured Image courtesy of nflravens