One of the best games of the NFL season thus far — the Buffalo Bills vs. Baltimore Ravens — may not end up the game we hoped for. Hurricane Ian, which wreaked havoc in Florida over the past few days, is moving its way up north and is expected to affect the weather in Baltimore for most of Sunday, as of now.
What was expected to be a shoot-out with the two current favorites for league MVP — Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson — may be hindered when it comes to offense. Baltimore is first in scoring in the NFL through 3 weeks, and the Bills are third. The opening over/under line was 55, with it quickly going down and settling in at 51 after it was confirmed that rain and modest winds would happen during the game.
Here are three things that you may not have expected in this game, that will prove to be a factor with the expected weather.
Buffalo Bills will need to find success in the run game
There was a strong sentiment in the off-season that suggested the Bills were serious about running the ball this season. Through three games, that may have all been more smoke than fire. Some of that may be due to injuries to the offensive line and specific game plans, but the fact of the matter stands, and that is the Bills have struggled to find any rhythm when it comes to running the ball.
James Cook, drafted in the third round this year, has yet to really develop a role. Underachieving back Zack Moss has had some decent runs, but most have been in garbage time. The Bills’ most consistent runner, Devin Singletary, is still playing good ball but doesn’t have the abilities to be a workhorse and is coming off a game where he had 13 yards on nine carries.
With all three of these guys having trouble holding on to the ball in the past, it will be interesting to see which one coach Sean McDermott will lean on in a game where the running game should be prevalent. My guess is this will be the first big look we see from James Cook, not only rushing out of the backfield but should be a pretty big part of the short, safe passing game.
Dream weather for runners like Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson
The two best rushing quarterbacks in the league may provide more stats with their legs than their arms in this AFC battle for supremacy. With the slippy conditions, it can easily be imagined as a huge game on the ground for both Jackson and Allen. Projected by Vegas to have 96 yards rushing between them, I think that number might look dwarfed by the time the 4th quarter hits on Sunday. Although both secondaries are in bad shape, the Bills with injuries, and the Ravens with results, there should be a lot of open fields for the two to make plays with their feet.
Weather should affect which of the injured players will get the clearance to play
Both teams are banged up heading into this game, but the Bills are giving a whole new meaning to the phrase. With a rash of injuries over the first few weeks of the season, they signed veteran free agent cornerback Xavier Rhodes, only for him to injure his hamstring in his first practice. He joins cornerback Christian Benford (hand) and defensive tackle Jordan Phillips (hamstring) on the out list for Sunday.
For the Ravens, no one has been declared out yet, but outside linebacker Justin Houston (groin) and offensive lineman Patrick Mekari (ankle) have been listed doubtful and lineman Ronnie Stanley (ankle) has been listed as questionable. With the weather projection the way it is, will Baltimore air on the side of caution with Stanley?
For the Bills, their questionable players are Gabe Davis (ankle), Dane Jackson (neck), Dawson Knox (back/hip), Mitch Morse (elbow), Ed Oliver (ankle), and Jordan Poyer (foot). For Davis, he re-injured his ankle in practice this week but has stated he plans to play. Again, it’s easy to wonder if the guys with ankle/foot injuries will cause the team to use caution in their decision.
Jackson’s return to questionable status is nothing short of remarkable. Just two weeks ago, he was carted off the field and brought to the local hospital after a scary neck injury. He has put in a full week of limited practices and has also stated he is ready to go. Does the Tua Tagovaiola scrutiny change the way the Bills handle Jackson? It’s very possible. It will be interesting to see what chances both teams take with their recovering players, but most importantly it will be important for both of these teams to not come out of the game with more injuries in possible sloppy conditions.