The Buffalo Bills host the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday Night Football in a rematch of their 2024 AFC Divisional Round playoff game, which Buffalo won 27-25 en route to an appearance in the AFC Championship game.
This year’s season opener will pit the last two NFL MVPs — Bills quarterback Josh Allen and Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson — just the fifth time that the last two league MVP’s have squared off in Week 1 of the NFL season.
Today’s edition of Buffalo Rumblinks leads off by examining the key matchups to watch and positional analysis as the Bills look to begin the season with a huge primetime win over a fellow Super Bowl contender.
Bills vs. Ravens story lines to watch
The Buffalo Bills will most likely be without two key pieces of their team when they face the Ravens — kicker Tyler Bass was placed on Injured Reserve (IR) with a left hip and groin injury while veteran cornerback Tre’Davious White is considered doubtful with a groin injury — which presents an opportunity for youngsters in the secondary like cornerbacks Dorian Strong and Ja’Marcus Ingram to step up in White’s absence.
Among some of the other positional battles to watch Sunday night: how well rookie defensive linemen T.J. Sanders and Deone Walker fare trying to tackle Lamar Jackson; how offensive coordinator Joe Brady is preparing to attack a Ravens defense that has historically fared well containing Josh Allen; can Buffalo’s “everybody eats” passing attack find success against a good Baltimore secondary?; how Christian Benford has developed into a shutdown cornerback; what the absence of tight end Isaiah Likely and fullback Patrick Ricard will mean for Baltimore’s offense; and more!
Tyler Bass starting season on IR
The Bills will be without the services of starting kicker Tyler Bass for at least the first four weeks of the season after the team placed him on IR Friday with a hip and groin injury. The team will now turn to 41-year-old Matt Prater, the oldest active player in the league, to handle kicking duties.
Previewing how the members of Buffalo’s 2022 NFL Draft class have their sights set on leading the Bills to a Super Bowl; how wide receiver Khalil Shakir is developing into a vocal leader in the locker room; learn about the special caps quarterback Josh Allen will wear this year to support Buffalo’s Oishei Children’s Hospital and the Patricia Allen Fund; hear who the Bills think will be the team’s next breakout superstar; and more!
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