Buffalo will beat The Ravens

[May Day 10]

I think these bills are a championship team.  They are together, healthy, best player in the sport, and dialed in to seize the opportunity.

[The Firebaugh Kid]

Lamar does not scare me. Never has. He typically doesn’t perform very well against McDermott’s defense. The key to this game will be slowing down Henry and the game script itself. If the Bills can get the lead early, they should be in good shape. 

[Steptide]

I'll keep saying it all week, but the bills have to be better than they have been the last few weeks. Cooper needs to step up, Coleman needs to step up, kinkaid needs to step up etc. And someway, somehow, the d line needs to get pressure 

[HOUSE]

20 hours ago, Taro Nimbus said:

But wait…. The Ravens beat the Bills in week 4. 😱

That was 2024, it's a new year

[Pete]

32 minutes ago, Steptide said:

I'll keep saying it all week, but the bills have to be better than they have been the last few weeks. Cooper needs to step up, Coleman needs to step up, kinkaid needs to step up etc. And someway, somehow, the d line needs to get pressure 

Bills were awesome Sunday.  48% pressure rate.  Josh, Cook, Samuel, Knox excelled this week.  Whom do the Ravens prioritize?  It’s like whack a mole.  You try to stop Samuel and Shakir goes off, etc.  It’s the beauty of “everyone eats”.

 

If Buffalo plays the complimentary football they played on Sunday, Ravens do not stand a chance.

 

[colin]

i think it comes to strength on strength.  we will have to maul and run cook effectively.  only philly really ran on the ravens this year, we had like 80 something rush yards, i think we need to double that up.  if they get a taste of their own medicine they won't like it.

[Tanoros]

10 hours ago, Niagara Dude said:

I think they need to put in Williams more as 3rd LB to help stop Henry

That’s so easy to say, but who do you take out? Do you take Taron Johnson out? You’re not replacing a safety with a LB and leaving Taron in. Perhaps it’s some version of what they did last week when they replace a d linemen with a lber who part spy’s or rushes, but that’s getting smaller not bigger. 

[foreboding]

10 hours ago, Niagara Dude said:

I think they need to put in Williams more as 3rd LB to help stop Henry

I think this will be a big part of the plan. Plus it will get Taron (one of our biggest hitters) some rest during the game.

[DCofNC]

11 minutes ago, Tanoros said:

That’s so easy to say, but who do you take out? Do you take Taron Johnson out? You’re not replacing a safety with a LB and leaving Taron in. Perhaps it’s some version of what they did last week when they replace a d linemen with a lber who part spy’s or rushes, but that’s getting smaller not bigger. 

I don’t think it needs to be any more complicated than telling the DEs, on an RPO, crush Jackson EVERY Time.  Force them to hand the ball to Henry.  Now that’s dangerous enough, but if you let Jackson out on the run, he’s faster, more elusive and more importantly, can flip it over your head to the seemingly ALWAYS wide open TE.   The Steelers chose to always take the back, and Jackson just kept it and gouged them.   Make Lamar feel it, he’s built like a WR, hit him with a DE a bunch and he’s not going to do it and it’s going to lessen his willingness to stand in the pocket and take shots. 
 

If I were McD, I’d let it slide out in the press conference that the Steelers had the right plan and did a good job overall, let them think you will be running the same strategy, then just light Lamar up.

[Buryravens]

2 hours ago, The Firebaugh Kid said:

Lamar does not scare me. Never has. He typically doesn’t perform very well against McDermott’s defense. The key to this game will be slowing down Henry and the game script itself. If the Bills can get the lead early, they should be in good shape. 

The 4th best passer rating ever doesn’t scare you? 8.9 YPA ? 45/4? 
 

might just be the fan in you but if I was about to play Lamar I’d be scared 

[Stretch]

4 minutes ago, Buryravens said:

The 4th best passer rating ever doesn’t scare you? 8.9 YPA ? 45/4? 
 

might just be the fan in you but if I was about to play Lamar I’d be scared 

Yeah, he is not giving enough credit to the current version of Lamar.  But I do agree loading up to stop Henry and containing Lamar from getting outside is the key.  Have less in coverage and make him earn it with good throws.

[Ray Stonada]

26 minutes ago, Buryravens said:

The 4th best passer rating ever doesn’t scare you? 8.9 YPA ? 45/4? 
 

might just be the fan in you but if I was about to play Lamar I’d be scared 

Definitely impressed with Lamar’s level and how the game has slowed down for him. I also think these stats are inflated by the threat of Henry. He’s throwing against teams so scared of he and Henry running that receivers are getting wide open. 

[zow2]

2 hours ago, Steptide said:

I'll keep saying it all week, but the bills have to be better than they have been the last few weeks. Cooper needs to step up, Coleman needs to step up, kinkaid needs to step up etc. And someway, somehow, the d line needs to get pressure 

 

Just by the eye test, I didn't think the Bills played all that great on Sunday..and yet they won easily 31-7.   The D balled out after the first Denver drive, I'll give them that.  Then when i saw the stats from the game it was eye popping how efficient the Bills were.   It was a weird game, thinking Oh, they can be much better than this.

 

If they do put it together vs Baltimore i think the Bills win for sure.  They will need a better first half this week.  Against the Ravens a mediocre first half won't be enough to win the game.

[Chicken Boo]

There's no snubbing here regardless of who wins.  They're both deserving.  

 

And if the Bills can't contain Henry, it's a wrap.  

[billieve420]

3 hours ago, The Firebaugh Kid said:

Lamar does not scare me. Never has. He typically doesn’t perform very well against McDermott’s defense. The key to this game will be slowing down Henry and the game script itself. If the Bills can get the lead early, they should be in good shape. 

 

Yeah to me this is key. Offense needs to jump on Ravens early and allow the defense to play with a lead. Put the pressure on Lamar to perform and see if they give up on the run early if they get down. In addition, will be key for the Bills to establish the run against strong Ravens defense and control time of possession.

[DrBob806]

23 hours ago, chongli said:

 

Yeah, the game is huge. It's debatable whether it's a bigger challenge than last year hosting KC in the divisionals, but I think it is bigger given how the Ravens beat us earlier this year and are playing now, with Lamar vs. Josh as an added story line.

This is what 24/7 news coverage does. It can manipulate our minds into thinking it comes down to a QB matchup.

 

The reality is the trenches will decide the game. 

 

If the Bills D slows down the Ratbirds rushing attack, they should win it. 

 

Lamar isn't going to throw for a ton of yards.

 

Just my two cents.

[chongli]

3 hours ago, machine gun kelly said:

To me it’s 6 of one, half dozen of the other.  The Ravens sticking it to us is in the back of everyone’s minds myself included.  Beating the Chiefs four times in four years in the regular season, but never beating them in the playoffs.

 

These next two weeks can be vindicating for the players, coaches, and fans proving we are the best team in the NFL.

 

Ipromised myself I won’t watch any of the NFL shows as I’ll just get ticked people picking Ravens for so many dumb reasons.  I’ll stick with WGR and NFLR in the afternoon between sales calls.

 

Agreed with everything you wrote my friend. For sure, we must win this game and then at the Chiefs (most likely). if we don't, this board will be a completely depressing and negative place this off-season, with daily threads about how we're wasting Josh in his prime years, fire McBeane, they're boycotting the team, and who knows what else.

[ChronicAndKnuckles]

23 hours ago, jaybeezee said:

I  felt the same way and still do. We definitely didnt capitalize on several trips to the Red Zone that we will have to score TD's, not FG in order to beat the Ravens. There were times that Josh held the ball way too long and he will have to beat them with his legs when our receivers dont get open. Raven have an even better defense and the only way to make Lamar a passer only is to get a good enough lead where Henry becomes a non factor and Lamar has to be a passer. If we play that cushion defense, they will take the chunks that we give them and pound the ball into the EZ with Henry. 

And still put up 31 points. I agree with OP. I think Bills/Ravens are evenly matched, but the home crowd will be the deciding factor for the win. Regardless, Buffalo can’t afford any wasted possessions like u said. There’s no room for error

[Paul Costa]

23 hours ago, Sweats said:

I might be in the minority here, but i think we win handily over the Ravens.........like, i'm talking an old fashioned, out behind the woodpile spanking.

 

There is no team in the league that we can't beat.

I truly believe that and i think the team believes the same thing.

I think Sweats is spot on here. Defense had all the studs out that we all know about. Plus Hamlin was out & Rapp got hurt on the 16th defensive play. Bills offense was struggling to find consistency & Shakir sprains ankle in second quarter. Cooper obviously wasn’t on the roster. I see a comfortable win here. Game script is key

[jletha]

3 hours ago, Pete said:

Bills were awesome Sunday.  48% pressure rate.  Josh, Cook, Samuel, Knox excelled this week.  Whom do the Ravens prioritize?  It’s like whack a mole.  You try to stop Samuel and Shakir goes off, etc.  It’s the beauty of “everyone eats”.

 

If Buffalo plays the complimentary football they played on Sunday, Ravens do not stand a chance.

 

In week 4 they played man and had no issue covering our guys. I know the defense was horrible but the offense was also mediocre for a lot of the game. We are a different team now but I do agree that we need the WRs to get separation reliably. If they can comfortably cover our WRs in man coverage it frees up the LBs to focus on spying Josh and containing the run.