Baltimore @ Buffalo

[tsylvester]

That is unless Denver mounts a massive 4th quarter comeback, down 28-7.

We shall find out just how good this secondary is, granted they were great at the beginning of the season when the Ravens shut down Allen and the Bills, winning 35-10 with 271 rushing yards.

You can bet the Bills will do everything they can to try and stymie the Ravens running game.

Ruah lane discipline will be key, ball security goes without saying I suppose.

How this game will go is difficult to say, the Bills defense is not as good as it was at the beginning of the season due to losses caused by injuriess.

So, who ya got?

[oldno82]

It'll be a nail-biter. Stevens allowing so many passes to be completed against him really scares me. He just won't turn around and locate the ball. Allen could easily chew him up as Wilson did, only more often. Our offense will be OK with Lamar and Henry carrying the ball, and with Andrews, Bateman, and Likely catching. Be nice if Flowers could make it back, but I don't think he'll be available.

We'll have to run the ball and control time of possession to keep Allen off the field because when he's on it, he could rip our cornerbacks, Humphrey excepted.

I have a hunch we'll pull it out, but I don't feel confident enough to make a prediction.

[tsylvester]

Sunday, 6:30, get the popcorn ready.

[papasmurfbell]

The afc really did get good placement for the first round.  All early games.

[tsylvester]

Yeah, I'm glad it is at a time i can watch in real time, though I love fast forwarding through the commercials

These teams know each other well, the path to the Super Bowl should be hard.

But this team knows how to beat the best, be themselves, for they are among the best.

[GrubberRaven]

So we dominated the first game with a D that hadn't found itself yet and from what I understand their D is healthier now.  Also, in Buffalo where they are undefeated.  Should be interesting.

[varaven45]

Tough game! If we don't replace/fix No 21 in the secondary, we lose.  If we adequately do and control J Allen, we have a fighter's chance.     

 

[GrubberRaven]

I saw a comment made that Pickens is probably the best receiver we'll face in the playoffs.  Not sure how much stock I have in that.

[papasmurfbell]

51 minutes ago, GrubberRaven said:

I saw a comment made that Pickens is probably the best receiver we'll face in the playoffs.  Not sure how much stock I have in that.

He could be but on that team it’s a lot easier. 

[tsylvester]

Buffalo doesn't have a true deep threat but Shakir is a real intermediate one, deadly on crossing routes.

Their defense still has issues with coverage and can be run on, Denver just didn't stick with it nor do they have a very good running game.

[deeshopper]

https://www.espn.com/video/clip/_/id/43398117

This is hilarious.

[tsylvester]

Dopey Dan, one of the few times i want to egg on Steven A

[oldno82]

That was a riot!

[oldno82]

3 hours ago, tsylvester said:

Buffalo doesn't have a true deep threat but Shakir is a real intermediate one, deadly on crossing routes.

Their defense still has issues with coverage and can be run on, Denver just didn't stick with it nor do they have a very good running game.

I agree but is Howard Stephens enough to hold down Shakir?

[tsylvester]

CTB, catch-the-ball

Not just the offense, but the defense.

No, Josh doesn't throw a lot of picks, one reason maybe because defenders are shocked that he threw an errant pass, they drop the ball.

Defense has to catch the one or two bad throws he will make, they won't come often, nor be many, but catch the game changers when they come.

[tsylvester]

Just now, oldno82 said:

I agree but is Howard Stephens enough to hold down Shakir?

Depends on the defensive coverage. Stephens plays the dime backer when the Ravens are in dime. The corner when they are in nickle.

The best way to prevent Shakir is actually with the drop of the backers, get a good deep drop and keep your feet moving, following Josh's eyes. This will make those crossing routes more difficult.

It is the way they stopped them back in week what four, five when they held them to 10 points.

I don't expect the same result, but 17, maybe 20, sure.

 

[oldno82]

BTW...what happened to TJ Watt on Saturday night? Looked like he just disappeared. Is Rosengarten that good now or was it Monken's schemes? Or a little of both?

[papasmurfbell]

Rosengarten is doing well.  He should be a solid starter for yrs.

[tsylvester]

1 hour ago, oldno82 said:

BTW...what happened to TJ Watt on Saturday night? Looked like he just disappeared. Is Rosengarten that good now or was it Monken's schemes? Or a little of both?

What papa said, Rose did a great job on him, plus he was still nursing injuries. We forget how totally draining it is to defend 1 90+ yards drive, but to defend 2 of them plus a 13 play, all run 85 yard drive, all in the first half! It's why the half was so "short" and what wore them down

But the Steelers decided to crash on Henry when it was zone read, they didn't count on Lamar taking the run, he was hesitant to earlier this year.

Now what will the Bills do? They have faster linebackers, especially with Milano back, and safeties when they go dime, a defense they play pretty much all of the time.

But, those players are under sized, even Milano, so while they may be able to be speedy enough to hold Lamar down running, they will take punishment trying to tackle Henry.

Plus, their dime backs are not big enough nor fast enough to stay with Andrews and Likely, those two may be the key for the Ravens in the passing game.

Their backers will play closer to the los, opening up big areas behind them.

[oldno82]

So then we're liable to see more passes than with the Steelers...or will the Bills' under-sized backers be hard pressed to stop Henry?

Or is it another 'pick your poison dilemma for them?

[tsylvester]

I expect the Bills to have Milano shadow Lamar, spy him as he did Nix in the Denver game

 Also to not do what the Steelers do by attacking Henry on the zone read, rather, attack the mesh with the end/outside backer

 That is the proper way to go.

I don't expect another game of 50 runs, even though they are not great at stopping the run, they have added a couple of tackles to their line rotation, fresh meat

I think once they get past the scripted plays, it will be a lot of players action to draw the linebackers up, then crossing & seam routes behind them.

They may be at "full" strength on defense, but they are still 17th overall on defense, 24th against the pass. 19th in average yard per pass

[oldno82]

Does sound like they have issues, as we do too, with pass defense. Lamar should be able to have success. I think Henry and Hill will keep the Bills honest on D as well.

Our biggest problem is our own pass defense. This might be a higher scoring game than we're used to seeing.

[deeshopper]

4 minutes ago, oldno82 said:

Does sound like they have issues, as we do too, with pass defense. Lamar should be able to have success. I think Henry and Hill will keep the Bills honest on D as well.

Our biggest problem is our own pass defense. This might be a higher scoring game than we're used to seeing.

The only saving grace is that the defense (and Tucker) have been playing better than they were when the Ravens played the Bills earlier in the season. And they won then, so...

[oldno82]

1 hour ago, deeshopper said:

The only saving grace is that the defense (and Tucker) have been playing better than they were when the Ravens played the Bills earlier in the season. And they won then, so...

True, Dee. We handled them pretty well down here. I hope the same holds true for a trip to Buffalo.