What are our offensive and defensive game plans to beat Baltimore?

[MAJBobby]

Middle rush. Stop big plays and stop the run

[Virgil]

The biggest advantage in the Ravens offense, outside of just Lamar, is that all defenders first step is forward on every snap because you assume the run first.  This leaves the receivers in 1 on 1 coverage or allows the TE's to slip out in coverage.

With that, I think you play hard zones and allow the short yardage.  You have Milano and Edmunds play zone, 5 yards back, within the Tackles and Guards.  Let them get those free first yards, but don't commit to the play until you absolute know where it's going.  You run heavy on the line, playing solid gap defense.  Don't let them create confusion. 

 

The challenge then is how you handle the pulling guards and backfield blockers who lead the way.  That's where gap integrity is key, as well as the play of the safeties.  Hyde should be playing in the box for most of the game, with Poyer covering deep.  If you have a gap controlled front 3, 7 in zoned out within 3-7 yards, you keep them to short plays.  Eventually, you'll get stops.  Honestly, we run more of a 3-4 style defense with Phillips in the middle, Oliver as an End, and Shaq on the other End. 

 

The speed of Edmunds and Milano are key

[machine gun kelly]

Well said Virgil.  They play a lot of 13 personnel.

[BuffaloBillies]

Lamar still has to play a game Sunday vs SF.

I really hope he comes out of that game completely unscathed.

[KD in CA]

57 minutes ago, matter2003 said:

Take out Lamar Jackson early.

 

You mean like for a big meal?  Maybe pasta or something that will make him feel sluggish during the game?

[Magox]

On Defense

 

Gap integrity

Tackle well

Don't over commit to the run to not leave you vulnerable against the pass and play action.

 

If they get some drives where they run on you, then so be it, but don't sell out and give up the long passes.

 

 

On Offense

 

Keep doing what you have been doing with the no huddle

Establish the run

 

 

We can with this game.

[Virgil]

3 minutes ago, KD in CA said:

 

You mean like for a big meal?  Maybe pasta or something that will make him feel sluggish during the game?

 

I'm going to take his mother, Dorthy Jackson, out for a nice seafood dinner and never call her again!

[Reks Ryan]

From Greg Roman's presser this week, he said L Jackson has made huge improvements of his game for year 1 to year 2.   He did stress how much work they have done in practicing their ball handling and that it is one of the areas LJ and the team has improved.   He also talked about the importance of motion in their offense to create confusion.   Between motion, ball fakes, and mis-direction that slight indecision created in opposing Defense, the Ravens have been deadly. 

 

I watched video of their games against the Rams and the Texans.    Anytime the Rams sent an extra rusher the Baltimore took advantage.    The Texans actually did a very good job with 4 pass rushers staying in their lanes and LBs also in good position on most plays.   The thing is that Jackson beat them for big plays anyway just with his athleticism, forcing missed tackles, running away from guys, and hitting some big pass plays in tight windows.    They put over 40 against a team that seemed to have a good defensive game plan.  

 

I believe the Bills best bet is to play a nickel D with Siran Neal or T. Johnson to to cover TEs and 4 man rush for the most part with a very selective blitz package.  Play disciplined D run to the ball and do their best to avoid big plays and make the Ravens go on long drives.   They will make some plays.  Hope for some classic WNY winter weather to make the ball fakes difficult and maybe they will put a couple on ground. 

 

On D, Baltimore has excellent corners and has tight coverage.   They did a very good job against talented receiver groups for the Rams and Texans.   And their pass rush is good.   They've jumped out to big leads which has helped the past rush.   The Bills will need to stick with the run including J. Allen.    Will be interesting to see how SF runs against them.

 

That game will be a huge challenge.  Definitely the best offense the Bills have faced this year, and a well coached opportunistic D.

[JoshAllin]

I'd say looking at the raven LB's, besides judon, those bunch are the weakest part of the D

[ALLEN1QB]

After the cowboys game I am not worried about Baltimore and that little runt they have playing quarterback.

[goldenboy81]

Maybe put Hyde in as a spy and make Jackson throw.. I would blitz every play u keep Hyde back and spy the others. Don't show anything to Lamar presnap and let the Bills offense go to work..

Dallas put them boys on the map, but beating the Ravens will make them serious contenders.

Go Bills

[ChicagoRic]

1 hour ago, BringBackOrton said:

I think if we blitz as much as we have these last couple weeks, Lamar may rush for 200 yards. Lanes that Dak, Baker, and Allen couldn’t or wouldn’t use would be easy pickings for LJ and when you send 5 or 6, you generally don’t have a bunch of guys ready to make a play within 5 yards of the LOS.

 

I think we drop 7 consistently with Edmunds as a spy and make Lamar beat us with time. Stop Ingram on first down and get him in 2nd and 3rd and longs.

Interesting article on this.  You don't blitz Lamar Jackson often and you don't key on his runs.  You flood the field with DBS/Speed guys.  https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/theres-a-blueprint-for-stopping-lamar-jackson-but-teams-arent-using-it/

[finn]

Actually, I think the Bills are matched up better than most people here are saying. They're establishing a ball-control identity on offense, with Singletary and Gore running nicely and Allen excellent on third down. So you control the TOP, keeping Jackson off the field with the no-huddle limiting their substitutions and bleeding the clock. On defense, you do what the Bills have been doing: make him go the length of the field, allowing no big gains. We have an excellent secondary, create decent pressure with a four-man rush, and our linebackers are fast enough to limit his runs. So like Prescott, he goes up and down the field but doesn't score too much. I don't think the Ravens will be fired up for this game, not after the 49ers game his week. They'll be on the road in a loud stadium against a rested team and coaches who had extra time to prepare for him. Put it all together, and I see both teams scoring points but not scads. A 24-27 type game, if the weather is ok. I give it to the Bills because they have more heart. Plus, I get a sense that their offense has peaked, and teams--maybe us and the 49-ers--are going to figure them  out, whereas Allen and our offense is just now coming into its own. 

[Rockinon]

54 minutes ago, Tcali said:

blitzing consistently =disaster

jackson is even a better runner than JA.

gotta contain and hope jackson is slightly off his game.

 

JA has to be at least as good as he has been the past 3 weeks.

Balt may be the only team in the nfl that we have no chance against.

You're right about containing Jackson, and forcing him to throw. But that isn't a bad thing against our defense.  Remember our D excels against the pass. We can lean on our secondary to stop the pass. The #1 objective is closing rushing lanes and keeping Lamar bottled up. Also have to be prepared for the option plays they run. Don't be fooled by the misdirection run plays like we were killed on against the Eagles. Don't get me wrong. This team is dangerous. No one is running the ball better. That has to be shut down first.

 

Lamar can still hurt teams passing, but his chances diminish against our secondary.

 

On offense, I'd like to see them keeping the best players on the field. All of the swapping of players and trickery are just asking for false start penalties and such. Let Josh mix in hurry up and continue with the 400+ yard offensive production we have been seeing the past few weeks. Baltimore is best at stopping the run so perhaps the passing percentage should tick up a bit. Nothing too extreme. Still have to run so we give the defense some variety to think about. We want to draw the Ravens into thinking it's going to be a run to help out the passing game. They are vulnerable against the pass. This could finally be Josh's big 300yd game.

[kota]

Make Lamar throw that is all.

[BringBackOrton]

42 minutes ago, ChicagoRic said:

Interesting article on this.  You don't blitz Lamar Jackson often and you don't key on his runs.  You flood the field with DBS/Speed guys.  https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/theres-a-blueprint-for-stopping-lamar-jackson-but-teams-arent-using-it/

OBD, I’m available.

[stuvian]

21 minutes ago, kota said:

Make Lamar throw that is all.

This and plenty of Singletary and Cole on offense 

[Fr. Jerk]

On defense:

 

Kill Lamar.

 

On offense:

 

Score more points than them.

[dpberr]

If the Bills play three linebackers, they will lose.

 

This isn't the game for Alexander.

[Formerly Allan in MD]

The plan is to pray that Jackson has an off day.