Buffalo Bills vs Baltimore Ravens
Week 1 Sunday, September 11 at 1:00p ET
Are the Bills and the Ravens a New Rivalry in the NFL? written by: Julia3016
Are the Bills and the Ravens a New Rivalry in the NFL?
While the rivalry between the Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens may not be at the top of the list when it comes to classic NFL rivalries, it’s beginning to become one of the best to watch on any given Sunday.
The Buffalo Bills vs. the Baltimore Ravens in week 1 of the 2016-2017 season was one for the ages. If you appreciate a strong, knock-down-drag-out defensive battle, then this was the game for you.
With no Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers to help push the scoring forward, you get to witness the Tyrod Taylor and Joe Flacco show. If you were looking for an offensive explosion, you are looking at the wrong game.
Ending in favor of the Ravens by a score of 13 – 7, this was a defensive struggle from beginning to end. While the Ravens were determined to keep Tyrod Taylor squarely in their sights, securing him was another matter entirely. He completed 15 out of 22 passing attempts that helped keep the Bills within striking distance of the Ravens for most of the game.
Flacco, on the other hand, completed 22 out of 33 passing attempts for 258 yards and the lone touchdown of the game to help secure a victory in week one.
After the game, the Buffalo Bills coach Rex Ryan was quoted as saying that “it’s only week one and we have plenty of time to turn things around.” While the Baltimore Raven’s coach John Harbaugh lauded the skills of his ex-quarterback backup and current Bill’s starter Tyrod Taylor, saying, “His quarterback rating last year was very high (it was actually at 99.4). He did it with his legs, certainly, but that is not to take away what from what he has done with his arm and his mind. He operates an offense extremely well. He manages the game very well. He is an accurate thrower. He makes good decisions. The added element of the fact that is he is probably one of the best athletes in the game just makes him a real weapon.”
Fortunately for Harbaugh, the Ravens were able to escape with a 13 – 7 victory over the Buffalo Bills.
The Bills could get a much-needed boost in the coming weeks with the return of Safety Aaron Williams after missing almost a month with a concussion. Stephon Gilmore and Ronald Darby could really use the added help in the secondary, as that is where Flacco operated with immunity.