Ravens vs. Bills: 6 keys to victory in the NFL playoffs
For the Baltimore Ravens, facing the Buffalo Bills this weekend may be the toughest challenge of the season. Rightfully so given that the winner of this matchup advances to the AFC Championship Game.
Both teams feature explosive offenses, suffocating defenses, and quarterbacks who can beat you with their arms and their legs. If the snow starts falling, the Ravens may have the upper hand, relying mainly on their ground game while the Bills do their damage mostly through the air. However, Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen seems to be immune to cold weather, while Lamar Jackson has never played football in the snow.
We could analyze the similarities and differences of these teams all day, but for now, let’s take a look at what the Ravens can do to ensure they continue their path to Super Bowl LV.
Offense: Run the ball
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Not like you didn’t know this already, but the Ravens are no stranger to milking the clock and pounding the ball. Baltimore is the best rushing team in the NFL, finishing the season with 555 attempts for 3,071 yards. The Ravens had 236 rushing yards against Tennessee in last Sunday’s wild-card win, with Lamar Jackson accounting for 136 of them. Meanwhile, the Buffalo Bills' defense is ranked 20th against the run with teams averaging 122.2 yards-per-game. If the Ravens stick to what they're known for -- pounding the ball -- they'll run right out of Orchard Park victorious. -- Robert Sobus
Offense: Take what the defense gives you
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While the Ravens' rushing attack has been pretty solid all season long, the one biggest failing of the passing attack has been forcing things. When Baltimore takes what a defense gives them, they tend to drive down the field at will and put points up on the board. But when they start trying to force throws into heavily-covered areas, that's when everything falls apart. It might not always be pretty but quarterback Lamar Jackson and offensive coordinator Greg Roman need to take what the Bills give up. If that's the edges in the run game and the flats in the passing game . . . good. If there's a lack of safety help and guys are getting one-on-one coverage on the outside, throw the ball deep. If they can do that and play smart football, Baltimore's offense should be able to beat up on Buffalo's defense all game long. -- Matthew Stevens
Defense: Know where Stefon Diggs is at all times
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Diggs has become the focal point of the Bills passing attack, setting career and franchise marks in receptions and yards in 2020. It’s not that Josh Allen can't go elsewhere with the ball, he’s just very likely to go to Diggs. The Ravens will need to make sure they have Diggs in their sights at all times, both outside and when he ventures into the slot. -- Neil Dutton
Defense: Mix up coverages and pressures on Josh Allen
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Allen is deadly when he's given time to throw but he's also really good when pressured. So even getting consistent pressure on him isn't going to be enough, just like it wasn't last week against Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill. The same as last week, Baltimore is going to need to mix up and disguise their coverages to get the best of their opponent. That means showing pressure pre-snap and then dropping guys back into coverage, sending delayed blitzes, using stunts at the line of scrimmage, mixing up both man and zone coverages, and using the safeties both deep and in the box. The goal here is to ensure Allen doesn't get the same looks very often so he has to spend time reading what he sees, allowing pressure to get to him and throw off the play. -- Matthew Stevens
Overall: Don't lose the energy
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The Ravens had something to play for on Sunday against the Titans, beyond just advancing in the playoffs. They wanted to get Lamar Jackson his first playoff win and shut down the tired narrative their franchise quarterback couldn't get over the hump. They wanted to get revenge on Tennessee for beating them twice in under a year. They wanted to show them they wouldn't take any disrespect from anyone after the midfield confrontation between the two teams earlier in the year. However, there aren't any of those motivators for their divisional-round matchup with the Bills. Yet, Baltimore still needs to play with that same passion, energy, and fire that they did against the Titans if they want to come out ahead and go to the AFC Championship Game. Wherever that energy comes from -- perceived disrespect or just an unstoppable swagger -- the Ravens need another big helping of it this week. -- Kevin Oestreicher
Overall: Limit mistakes
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The way I see it, if Baltimore plays perfectly in all facets of the game for the entire game, this one should be a blowout. But nothing this team has done so far has shown me they can play perfect football for 60 minutes. And on a potentially snowy evening in Buffalo, the winner could be decided by a field goal, a big play, or even a crucial turnover at the right time. Limiting mistakes -- that means turnovers, drops, even the boneheaded drive-killing flag -- could be the difference in a game where both teams may find themselves equally matched. Whoever can make the fewest mistakes, while taking advantage of their opponents' blunders, will move one step closer to Super Bowl LV. -- Alex Bente
