Five questions with Baltimore Beatdown before Bills at Ravens for ‘SNF’

While we wait for what should be a great game between the Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens for this week's edition of Sunday Night Football, there's time to catch up with SB Nation's Ravens blog. This week Kyle Phoenix — Ravens beat reporter, and managing editor with Baltimore Beatdown , took time to chat about the playoff-like atmosphere that awaits Bills-Ravens tonight.

Phoenix and I touched on everything from thoughts on the Ravens' 1-2 start, to how quarterback Lamar Jackson's play continues to evolve. Plus, we discussed what Buffalo may find as exploitable weakness of Baltimore's on both sides of the ball, what's behind the Ravens' run game, and whether Baltimore is equipped to adapt and stop the Bills no matter the cards they're dealt.

You can also catch up with Phoenix's pre-game chat with John Boccacino on the latest edition of the Billieve podcast :

Without further delay, I'll turn things over to Kyle Phoenix...

It's certainly concerning. The early part of their schedule is a gauntlet and the "easiest" game on their schedule, the Las Vegas Raiders , went up in fourth quarter flames. It didn't help that it was a conference game of value, either. Going 1-2 put them behind other teams like the Bills and Kansas City Chiefs . They needed wins on these teams, along with the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 5 to gain head-to-head tiebreakers and conference wins when the playoff seeding comes down to the final few weeks.

The issue is the optics. Being 2-1 with a win over the Raiders would've made things look so normal. A close loss to KC and wins over the Raiders and Cowboys seem like they're solid entering Week 4. But instead they look downtrodden at 1-2.

I think it's a bit overblown, but there's fair criticism to be made. And, more important than it all, is how the team gets through the next few weeks, namely Sunday night.

Think the weapons the Ravens have pair well against the weaknesses of the Bills' defense. The Bills are down a few players where the Ravens are strongest: tight end. The duo of Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely are strong. Though Andrews (and many other notable tight ends) haven't got going, it feels imminent. This, coupled with Derrick Henry's breakout last week with an offensive line that generated tremendous push showed the Ravens where they can be successful.

I think the Ravens' offense just matches up well against the Bills' defense. Where the Bills' defense is strongest, the secondary, is not where the Ravens make their offense move. They don't go toe-to-toe with their wide receivers against an opposing team's secondary. Instead, they have their running game balanced with shorter throws and attack the middle. The previous teams the Bills have faced went at the proverbial teeth of the Bills' defense the Ravens are significantly different than much of the NFL, but especially the Cardinals, Dolphins and Jaguars.

Offensively: Offensive line

The Ravens replaced three starters from last year and it hasn't paid off for them much. In Week 1, Chief's pass rusher Chris Jones was a menace. Raiders' edge rusher Maxx Crosby won AFC Defensive Player of the Week in Week 2 after shellacking the Ravens' O-line. I expect the Bills to see just how they can get after Jackson, keep the Ravens from getting ahead of the sticks and limiting their rushes, forcing Jackson into true passing downs and getting off the field.

Defensively: Inside linebackers in coverage

It's been a bit of a slog for the Ravens' linebacker duo this season. Roquan Smith has given up 11 of 15 targets for 162 yards and a touchdown. First-year starter (second-year NFL pro) Trenton Simpson has allowed 11 of 13 targets for 96 yards. In general, coverage has been a challenge against good tight ends and I feel Dalton Kincaid can win these matchups. Though, I imagine the Ravens will hope to quell Kincaid with safety Kyle Hamilton.

Outlasting the Ravens is another area. They've struggled to close games. The Bills know this as the Ravens were up 20-3 over them at halftime in 2022, only to defeat them 23-20. The past couple games they've relinquished leads, too. Unless the Ravens exorcise those demons, the Bills just keep the door open long enough if they get behind the Ravens in the fourth quarter. Or, slam the door closed on the Ravens if they're ahead first.

4. Concerning the run game, in two parts: What's been the biggest key to Baltimore's league-best yards per offensive play, and also the team's top-rated run defense — and why hasn't it led to a better record in September? The Ravens rushing numbers feel a bit inflated as they went against the porous Cowboys' defensive line and hammered them repeatedly. But, they've begun to settle in and solve where best to rush and blend Jackson and Henry's talents. In Week 1, it was a challenge against the Chiefs' front. But the past two games they solved and expanded on how best to involve them.

Defensively, the Ravens have the talent to clamp down rushing attacks. Their defensive line has good run defenders, from Michael Pierce, Nnamdi Madubuike and Travis Jones to their depth with Broderick Washington and Brent Urban. They have linebackers who pride themselves in getting to gaps, clogging lanes or tackling ball-carriers.

The reason why they don't have a better record has to do with being the NFL's worst pass defense. They've given up 875 passing yards in three games, and it wasn't because Patrick Mahomes carved them for 300+. It wasn't because Gardner Minshew or Dak Prescott did so, either. It's because the Ravens are getting leads, forcing teams to become one-dimensional and then struggling to get off the field in the second half of games.

The Ravens — at their best — can go toe-to-toe with anybody. Similarly to the Bills, these two teams just have the talent and coaching to punch, get punched and punch back.

While I agree the Bills have overcome teams attempting to make them one-dimensional by out-performing the avenue of which defenses are trying to put them in, I still think it's a bad idea to welcome the Bills on their terms. By doing so, you give them the ability to run, pass, use play-action and Allen is at his most dangerous. Nullifying their successful run game can limit Allen and Offensive Coordinator Joe Brady's play-calling weapons. Then, it's just about lining up your best against their best and seeing who comes out on top. Because if you don't try to limit Brady's play sheet and Allen's access to any and all play calls, you're meeting them at a disadvantage. Trying to out-execute the Bills' offense at full-strength with everything at Brady's disposal is a fool's errand, regardless of your talent level.

I loathe doing predictions but I'll say this feels like a game the Ravens can win, and I think they do. Where they're at their best offensively, the Bills don't have their strengths defensively. I think the Ravens have the edge in more areas than the Bills do.

But to act or speak like this is a foregone win for Baltimore is an outright dumb thing to believe. The Bills are Super Bowl contenders. The Ravens are in need to prove themselves as one. But at home in prime time, with a mostly healthy roster, I feel the oddsmakers are right to make the Ravens slight favorites.