Ravens Revisited

[hondo in seattle]

The Ravens game has stuck in my memory and led me to believe the Bills aren't as good as their record.  But I might be reconsidering my evaluation.

 

I don't remember the exact streak, but that game was something like the first Bills contest since the Tet Offensive that we lost by more than one score.  The Raven beat us by 25.  Power rankings, ELO, EPA, DVOA, betting markets, etc. All have us rated ahead of the Ravens, and yet they annihilated us.

 

Brady, who's been having a good year, seemed powerless to generate any offense.  Babich, who is also enjoying a good year, seemed powerless to stop the Ravens attack.  Wierdly, both coordinators picked the very same day to have their worst game of the season.  

 

Maybe the impotency was, in a way, by design?  Maybe McD said something like this to his coordinators, "Come up with two game plans for the Ravens.  Save the better one for the playoffs.  Use the more vanilla one this week."  

 

Thoughts?

 

[Big Turk]

It's a week to week league. Nothing less, nothing more.  We have been consistently better week to week than the Ravens. Houston did everything they could to hand us that game and we just didn't take it.  If Allen didn't have the worst game in his career that day, we win easily and are 10-1.

 

/Thread.

Edited 3 hours ago by Big Turk

[Gregg]

It was just one of those nights where nothing went right for the Bills. The Ravens would be a tough opponent in the playoffs, but I would expect the game will be a lot closer. Also, good chance it would be in OP as the Ravens may very well go into the playoffs as a WC.

Edited 3 hours ago by Gregg

[FireChans]

Ravens had a perfect gameplan that worked perfectly and the rest of the chips fell their way.

 

Got a lead early, allowing them to stick with the run.

 

Their stunts and simulated pressures gave the OL fits all game.

 

Bills outside WR's weren't good enough to make them pay when they put Humphrey or Hamilton on Shakir and erased him.

 

Offensive gameplan of the Ravens to attack the LB's and safeties, our weakest positions, all game.

 

Honestly, it was good to face them early and lose. Gave the Bills some things to plan for next time if we meet them again in the postseason.

 

But make no mistake. We didn't lose on purpose. We were outplayed, outcoached and dominated.

 

 

[MiltonWaddams]

Just now, Big Turk said:

It's a week to week league. Nothing less, nothing more.  We have been consistently better week to week than the Ravens.

 

/Thread.

We sure as hell weren’t that week. My hope is that the Steelers have set a game plan in motion for how to beat the Ravens . The biggest disappointment for me that week, despite being blown out on the defensive side, was the offense not taking advantage of opportunities downfield against a weaker secondary, since that game, the Bills have acquired Cooper and seen better performances from Coleman, Samuel and Shakir. I would have to go back and watch the tape, but my memory of that game has Josh having a real challenge finding anybody open.

[ChevyVanMiller]

I think that the key to beating the Ravens is getting a lead and taking away the dual threat running of Lamar and Henry.

 

Unfortunately, the Bills fell behind and the Ravens completely controlled the clock and thus the game. If they end up playing again in the playoffs, it is imperative that the Bills grab the lead early and tilt the game script in their favor.

[YattaOkasan]

Game script matters.  Giving up a TD on the first play really hurt.  With that in mind we started working back (3 first downs on the drive) before the trick play.  At that point it was just hard to stop them when they can pound the rock or abuse our 2nd level back ups with short passes.

[mannc]

3 minutes ago, hondo in seattle said:

The Ravens game has stuck in my memory and led me to believe the Bills aren't as good as their record.  But I might be reconsidering my evaluation.

 

I don't remember the exact streak, but that game was something like the first Bills contest since the Tet Offensive that we lost by more than one score.  The Raven beat us by 25.  Power rankings, ELO, EPA, DVOA, betting markets, etc. All have us rated ahead of the Ravens, and yet they annihilated us.

 

Brady, who's been having a good year, seemed powerless to generate any offense.  Babich, who is also enjoying a good year, seemed powerless to stop the Ravens attack.  Wierdly, both coordinators picked the very same day to have their worst game of the season.  

 

Maybe the impotency was, in a way, by design?  Maybe McD said something like this to his coordinators, "Come up with two game plans for the Ravens.  Save the better one for the playoffs.  Use the more vanilla one this week."  

 

Thoughts?

 

The Ravens were 1-2 at the time and were desperate for a win at home.  The Bills were 3-0.  When the Ravens got out to a quick two-score lead, it turned the gameplan on its head and the Bills were never able to recover. 

 

As we've now seen, the Ravens are a flawed team and are probably going to lose at least three more games this year, including (IMO) this weekend vs. the Chargers.  I do think we want to avoid having to play them in Baltimore in the playoffs, though... 

[Antonio]

I was the problem, not the Bills.

 

I decided to go to that game and I don´t have the best record. Sorry, won´t happen in the playoffs, I´ll stay back home.

[GunnerBill]

7 minutes ago, hondo in seattle said:

The Ravens game has stuck in my memory and led me to believe the Bills aren't as good as their record.  But I might be reconsidering my evaluation.

 

I don't remember the exact streak, but that game was something like the first Bills contest since the Tet Offensive that we lost by more than one score.  The Raven beat us by 25.  Power rankings, ELO, EPA, DVOA, betting markets, etc. All have us rated ahead of the Ravens, and yet they annihilated us.

 

Brady, who's been having a good year, seemed powerless to generate any offense.  Babich, who is also enjoying a good year, seemed powerless to stop the Ravens attack.  Wierdly, both coordinators picked the very same day to have their worst game of the season.  

 

Maybe the impotency was, in a way, by design?  Maybe McD said something like this to his coordinators, "Come up with two game plans for the Ravens.  Save the better one for the playoffs.  Use the more vanilla one this week."  

 

Thoughts?

 

 

I just think the Ravens exposed our limitations on both sides of the ball. Reasons to be encouraged are Johnson, Bernard and Milano all missed that game and the Ravens attacked that "second level" of Lewis, Williams and Spector relentlessly. I counted it up and in the first half they called only 2 offensive plays not designed to attack that unit. And on the other side they, by their own admission, compressed the field because they didn't think the Bills could beat them outside down the field. I doubt they'd be so confident to do that with Amari Cooper on board. 

[Jerome007]

It's a week to week league. But the Bills are weak against the run, and it is the Raven's strength. Yet it was like that in years past too since McD is here and Lamar is in the league, and the Bills have shut them down too. Still, let's just say it's great the Ravens have 4 losses.

[Buffalo4Life01]

I think everyone is correct with the reasoning here as to why the final score was so lopsided.  One thing not being mentioned in this thread is the injuries heading into the game.  On defense we were without Bernard and Johnson.  Two of the most physically talented players on the unit both out at the same time.  Also Rapp went down with a concussion at some point and did not return.  On offense, we had yet to acquire Cooper and Keon was still very green.  Shakir got hurt in the 1st quarter and missed most of the game.  After falling behind early Buffalo simply lacked the firepower on offense to catch up and the defense was already playing without key starters from the jump.

Imagine going into the game with all of the above guys healthy AND with Milano back.  I look forward to a potential playoff meeting and think we will beat them next time!

[DrDawkinstein]

Ravens revisited will be the Lions in a few weeks.

 

We'll see if the Bills figured out we cant play like cupcakes against physical teams, or if it's the same ol same ol.

[2003Contenders]

The Ravens (and Texans) caught us at the right time, when the Bills were going through their annual 2-3 game slump, partly due to injuries.

 

The Ravens also happened to be peaking at that time -- they have not looked nearly as good in recent weeks. Yes, they continue to run the ball well and stop the run, which will always make them a bad match-up for us. But if we see them again in the playoffs, I think we can take them.

 

FWIW, if we meet the Texans again, I think we DESTROY them. Josh played the worst game of his career (at least since his rookie year), and Houston STILL barely won that game at the end of regulation.

[Bruffalo]

I don't think there's a lot to read into. We're a team designed to stop the pass and they have arguably the best 3-headed running attack of the last 10 years with Henry, Jackson, and Hill. Spector, Williams, Cam Lewis and Hamlin couldn't process what they were doing fast enough, so we were always late or behind in the 2nd level.

 

The game script was probably thrown out the Window when we got behind so fast. 

 

I don't expect a rematch to look nearly the same with Bernard and Johnson (and potentially Milano) in those key second level spots. 

 

 

[Sweats]

Honestly, i think this whole save the big passing plays and let runners have their way with us was just not a good game plan against the Ravens.......we had no answers, refused to adjust and had players out of position for most of the game.

 

I'd like to go against them again and see if it was just a "one off".

[Dablitzkrieg]

I believe Taron Johnson and Bernard were out.  That, coupled with a horrible momentum killer with the flea flicker has me believing it will be different next time 

[Big Turk]

Also, in the playoffs you get the La "Mew" version of Jackson and not the Lamar version...kinda like what you saw against Pittsburgh.  When he needs to make a big play, he doesn't do it.

[Gregg]

I am actually hoping the Ravens meet the Steelers in the playoffs. If that happens then there is a good chance the Bills won't have to play them.

[Ya Digg?]

29 minutes ago, hondo in seattle said:

The Ravens game has stuck in my memory and led me to believe the Bills aren't as good as their record.  But I might be reconsidering my evaluation.

 

I don't remember the exact streak, but that game was something like the first Bills contest since the Tet Offensive that we lost by more than one score.  The Raven beat us by 25.  Power rankings, ELO, EPA, DVOA, betting markets, etc. All have us rated ahead of the Ravens, and yet they annihilated us.

 

Brady, who's been having a good year, seemed powerless to generate any offense.  Babich, who is also enjoying a good year, seemed powerless to stop the Ravens attack.  Wierdly, both coordinators picked the very same day to have their worst game of the season.  

 

Maybe the impotency was, in a way, by design?  Maybe McD said something like this to his coordinators, "Come up with two game plans for the Ravens.  Save the better one for the playoffs.  Use the more vanilla one this week."  

 

Thoughts?

 

There is an entire thread named Chiefs excuses and then not even 24 hours later this is said? About a game that was played 2 months ago???

 

Holy crap this is going to be a long bye week