Divisional Playoff round: Ravens at Bills on Saturday Night Football

[Unforgiven]

I can never remember such an outcry and whine fest over possible opponents. The 90's

Bills played ultra tough teams in the playoffs never heard this much fear from the fanbase..

 

Josh is a great QB...team is well coached and stacked with talent...

Why can't the Bills win this game? Everyone relax...

Imagine what you will be doing after the Bills beat the Ravens...and then the Chiefs, onto the

SB vs a poonch key nfc team...

[BearNorth]

6 minutes ago, wjag said:

 

Certainly by the 4th Davis was out, but Jonnu was still there.  They went after Humphreys early with Brown, but they got away from it.  There was just this stubbornness that they could get Henry going.  It didn't happen.

Just saying, with our run D, glad we don't have to face Henry.  They kicked our butts in the strange game in Nashville.  Think the blackbirds are a better matchup.

 

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

3 minutes ago, ScottLaw said:

So long as the Bills score I think they win, but if the Ravens shut down Allen I can't see it.... considering the Ravens dynamic rushing offense and the Bills can't tackle. 

 

Josh's lowest outputs this season (not games he sat out 1 and 2 QTR's)

 

KC - 122.  the end of a long (short) 2 week stretch where Josh was also nursing an injured shoulder.

NE - 154.  Week 8.  Weather and above mentioned injury

Chargers 157 Week 12. Can't recall why he was 18 of 24. 

 

the last 4 games his average is 323* passing yards per game 

375 SFO, 238 PIT, 359 DEN and 320* (3 quarters)

[bills6969]

54 minutes ago, wjag said:

Why is everyone focusing on just Jackson in this game?  Edwards and Dobbins are the other two elements.  They all run the ball behind a behemoth of a FB.  Fine, keep Lamar in the pocket if you can on pass plays, but the Ravens run a lot of plays where Lamar stuffs the ball into the gut of both Edwards and Dobbins and then pulls it out for the keeper or leaves it there.  Tennessee had increasing difficulty figuring out whom to crash down on.  That run game with pulling guards and tackles is what makes them so potent.  Buffalo is going to get gashed all game long by this play.  The offense is going to need to out point them.  This has 200 yards rushing written all over it.  Watching the Tennessee game, Tennessee did a good job of taking away Andrews.  Best I have seen all year.  So Jackson found Brown mostly amd Boykin somewhat.  The other thing I noticed was Tennessee left Ricard (FB) open in the flat and he made some big catches from there.  I get it, let the FB beat you rather than the TE or WR.  It's going to be an interesting chess match.

 

 

Spot on.  The RPO/Playaction is deadly if the running game gets going.  They execute it very well.  One of those things that tough to stop even if you know it’s coming.   I’m hoping we can force LJ into a bad turnover or two.  That may be the difference in this game.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

1 hour ago, wjag said:

Why is everyone focusing on just Jackson in this game?  Edwards and Dobbins are the other two elements.  They all run the ball behind a behemoth of a FB.  Fine, keep Lamar in the pocket if you can on pass plays, but the Ravens run a lot of plays where Lamar stuffs the ball into the gut of both Edwards and Dobbins and then pulls it out for the keeper or leaves it there.  Tennessee had increasing difficulty figuring out whom to crash down on.  That run game with pulling guards and tackles is what makes them so potent.  Buffalo is going to get gashed all game long by this play.  The offense is going to need to out point them.  This has 200 yards rushing written all over it.  Watching the Tennessee game, Tennessee did a good job of taking away Andrews.  Best I have seen all year.  So Jackson found Brown mostly amd Boykin somewhat.  The other thing I noticed was Tennessee left Ricard (FB) open in the slot and he made some big catches from there.  I get it, let the FB beat you rather than the TE or WR.  It's going to be an interesting chess match.

 

 

 

God, that fullback is ridiculous.  He has arms the size of Stefon Diggs waist.

 

I am trying to understand the difference between Tennessee's successful shut-down of the Ravens offense last year vs. getting thwumped yesterday.

So far this is what I've come up with: they didn't shut down the Raven's offense as much as I thought last year. 

-Baltimore dominated both TOP and 1st downs

-Jackson ran for 143 yds against them. 

-Jackson passed for 365 yds against them.

-The Titans did, however, limit Ingram and Edwards to 20 yds-ish apiece and force Jackson to pass more.

-Mistakes were a big difference.  Jackson had a fumble, two picks, and was sacked 4x

-Last year, Tennessee could not pass against them, except when it most mattered (for TDs).  But Tannehill was mistake free

-Last year, Henry ran over Baltimore for 195 yds.

Last year stats summary:

 

-This year, the Ravens played to shut down Henry and they did.  40 yds for King Henry.

-Tennessee's passing game was unable to pick up the slack

-Takeaway/giveaway was equal with 1 INT by each QB.  That's huge, especially in context.

-Tenn only managed a FG out of their pick on Lamar while the Ravens picked Tannehill as the Titans were driving to tie the game.

-Lamar Jackson ran for about the same number of yards this year, 136 yds.

-Dobbins and Edwards got more, but nothing crazy - 43 and 38 yds.

 

 

I don't think you spy on Jackson.  The key is discipline and setting the edge.

 

I think the keys to the game were:

1. Lamar avoiding mistakes - 1 pick vs 2 + fumble

2. Tenn being unwilling or unable to pick up the slack with their pass game

The two kind of go together because being tied at the half and ahead shortly after the 2nd half started allowed the Ravens to stay in their game.

 

[atlbillsfan1975]

40 minutes ago, H2o said:

Stephen A with his clown act. Expect a lot of this throughout the week, the Lamar slobfest by the bobble heads. 

 

I hope so. I want nothing but praise for Lamar and the Ravens. 

[Iverwig]

33 minutes ago, H2o said:

Stephen A with his clown act. Expect a lot of this throughout the week, the Lamar slobfest by the bobble heads. 

 

Stephen A as usual didn’t do his homework because Josh and the Bills have gone up against some good defenses and teams with great pass defenses this year. I could be mistaken but I thought I saw the Bills strength of schedule was the hardest of the AFC playoff teams. If it’s not the Cowboys or the NBA Smith doesn’t know much but hopefully Josh and the team see this take. 

[PrimeTime101]

Lamar Jackson is the IT factor on Baltimore. Lets for sakes of .... giggles lets play a numbers game.. Lamar against a Terrible Titans teams ran for 136 and threw for 179. 312 yards total. Other then the last game, our defense has been significantly better. Take into effect this info I would expect Lamar to run for 100 and throw way to often. This defense knows how to beat Baltimore....  We Bumped and ran on there TE's that last game and manned up their WR's. This has not changed.. They don't have Rivers where the ball is gone in 2.5 seconds every down.

 

Will this game be a blow out? no.. no way.. But I expect the Bills to win this game and only look close do to a garbage TD.

 

 

[H2o]

1 minute ago, atlbillsfan1975 said:

I hope so. I want nothing but praise for Lamar and the Ravens. 

Definitely. I want a pissed off defense on the field that feels slighted, one out there playing with a chip on their shoulders and some purpose. I want a ticked off Josh leading an offense that no one gives a chance, because we are facing the "vaunted" Ravens defense, who then proceeds to dissect them like a frog in 10th Grade Biology class. 

[st pete gogolak]

12 hours ago, bills6969 said:

I was hoping we’d avoid Baltimore.  They have been one of the hotter teams in the league as of late and seems like LJ8 is looking more like the player that won the MVP last year.  Really worried about our run defense.  We got gashed for some big runs by the Colts.  It must be better against Ravens or it will be bad news for us.

Yeah, they’re hot but the wins have been over Cowboys, Jags, Bengals, Giants and the Houdini escape act against the Browns.  They did beat a good Titans team on the road and we didn’t play a great game against the Colts but if we play well, we certainly can win this game.

[Pokebball]

2 hours ago, Buffalo4Life01 said:

Due to the style of defense the Ravens play, If the Bills line can step up to the challenge and buy Allen some time OR if Allen can continue to buy time with his legs, big plays will be there for the taking all game long.  I like the Bills against man much more than I do against zone.  

To start the game, an early read for Allen (1 or 2) needs to be the short routes.  The Ravens have to respect Digg's and Brown's speed so they should have button hooks open all day.  Make the Ravens guess which one is going to fly; Allen needs to do a good job reading the safeties and hitting his receivers on outside shoulders.

 

Beas needs to find the opening on quick slots.

 

Knox needs to be a quick option on flats and slants.

 

I think the strategy with the Ravens is to play small ball in the passing game, with an occasional deep ball to keep 'em honest.

[wjag]

Forget the Ravens run offense.  It's going to get its share.  I want to focus on the five game balls that will be handed out if the Bills win.  They will go to Dawkins, Boettger, Morse, Feliciano and Williams.  The intriguing part of this matchup is the Ravens will play man.  If the Bills Oline can keep Josh clean, this could be a fun game to watch.  

[Olliemets]

1 hour ago, whatdrought said:

Crazy note for this weekend: 

 

Average age of AFC starting QB’s: 24.5

 

Average age of NFC starting QB’s: 37

 

Crazy disparity in the landscape of young star QB’s in the league right now. 
 

 

Your mouth to God’s ears. 

If not for Rams win we'd have seen (IMO) the 8 best QBs in the league this coming WE. Its a QB driven league. Glad we finally have one in the conversation. Bit of a passing of the torch in AFAC as both Rivers and Big Fat Ben eliminated.

Edited January 11, 2021 by Olliemets

[Cheektowaga Chad]

If our defense plays as well as they did last season against the ravens we should win fairly easily

 

The problem is I don't think the defense is nearly as good as last season

[wjag]

1 minute ago, Cheektowaga Chad said:

If our defense plays as well as they did last season against the ravens we should win fairly easily

 

The problem is I don't think the defense is nearly as good as last season

 

That's the issue.  It is talked about reverently, expectantly and aspirationally on here, but it ain't here.  The sweeps to the sidelines and/or the run between the tackles, -- pick your poison --, work equally well against this defense.  

[ndirish1978]

Ravens and Chiefs were the two teams I was unenthusiastic about playing. That said, if you want to win championships you're going to have to beat these teams to earn it, so I'm not going to complain that we have to earn it. 

[ColoradoBills]

I don't see past season "statistics" meaning anything in a Divisional Playoff game.

 

Seems simple to me:

 

Bills pass the ball extremely well.

Ravens run the ball extremely well.

The offense that figures out how to do it better will most likely win while adding a good dose of "who wants it more".

 

It's going to be a tough game for both teams.

Go Bills.

[jkeerie]

It doesn't surprise me that the Bills are facing the Ravens.  We've played one of the toughest schedules to even get to the playoffs, finishing 13-3 against that schedule.  Now we play one of the toughest schedules in the playoffs to advance.  Just have to rise to the occasion and play our best.

[TBBills]

This game will be much easier for the Bills than the Colts. I think with Colts they just made so many mental errors that I don't see them making those this week.

Edited January 11, 2021 by TBBills

[PromoTheRobot]

Not sure if it's been mentioned but it appears this game is SOLD OUT.

 

EDIT: Judging by the reaction I'm assuming it was a while ago.

Edited January 11, 2021 by PromoTheRobot