Baltimore Ravens vs. Buffalo Bills, 9-9-18: In-game report
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In an AFC showdown, the Baltimore Ravens completely dominated Buffalo and left the Bills searching for an answer at quarterback. DraftNasty’s Troy Jefferson gives his impressions of the Ravens 47-3 victory in this in-game report:
Ravens defense
The Ravens turned in a performance reminiscent of their defensive glory years of the early 2000s. Cornerback Tavon Young recorded two sacks in the first quarter as defensive coordinator Don Martindale varied his blitzes and coverages early and often. In total, the Ravens held the Bills to 70 yards rushing and 83 yards passing. Even more impressive was the long list of names who contributed to the effort. Safety Tony Jefferson had his second interception as a Raven when Bills quarterback Nathan Peterman sailed a pass high to his 6’6″ wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin. Jefferson was one of seven Ravens to finish with a tackle for loss.
Buffalo Bills quarterback dilemma
The Bills started the game with Nate Peterman at quarterback. The former University of Pittsburgh quarterback threw two touchdowns and five interceptions last season with a 49-percent completion percentage. His propensity to miss receivers and throw the ball to the opposition showed itself again on Sunday. Peterman completed 5-of-18 passes for 24 yards and two interceptions before being taken out of the game for rookie Josh Allen. Allen didn’t fare much better either going 6-of-15 for 74 yards. He did show an ability to escape the pocket. In his first possession, he fled the pressure up the middle and from Ravens OLB Terrell Suggs on the outside. Allen didn’t find an open man and ended up throwing the ball away but at least it wasn’t a turnover. It must be noted that the Bills got behind so quickly that in order to attempt to keep pace, they went into a lot of obvious passing formations, which allowed the Ravens to unleash its pass rush. All things considered, look for head coach Sean McDermott to take a long look at the quarterback position.
New look Ravens receivers
Quarterback Joe Flacco has seen a steady dip in his production since the Ravens won the Super Bowl in 2012. General manager Ozzie Newsome’s remedy to his perceived quarterback’s decline was bringing in some fresh blood at receiver in the form of a speedster John Brown and a move the chains-type in Willie Snead. The Ravens also acquired a consistent veteran in former 49ers and Oakland Raiders standout Michael Crabtree. It didn’t take long for the trio to stand out. Brown worked his way back to the sticks and caught a laser from Flacco, after he extended a play with his legs on 2nd and 26. Crabtree made an impressive toe-tapping catch in the back of the end zone to give the Ravens a 27-0 lead before halftime and all but put the game out of reach. Snead worked the middle of the field, catching four passes for 49 yards and one touchdown.
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