The Buffalo Bills took down the Ravens 36-10 at home in Week 8, punching their ticket to a scorching 6-1 record heading into Week 9. Man, talk about a wild one for Baltimore though: they ended up using *three* quarterbacks after Lamar Jackson got knocked out on his very first offensive play, and then Tyler Huntley picked up a turf toe injury later in the game. It was a bizarre scene, but the Bills still got the W.
Defense Does What It’s Supposed To, No Excuses
Alright, let’s talk defense first. Look, given the circumstances, they did exactly what they should have done. I mean, I don’t think anyone expects Buffalo’s defense to allow 144 points at 2.9 yards per play very often, especially not against an undrafted rookie quarterback thrown into an emergency situation. But that’s the thing: they locked it down. Seriously, that’s a huge positive sign. They held Derrick Henry in check, just 11 carries for 53 yards, and Zay Flowers, who came into the game with the NFL’s highest yards-per-route-run figure, didn’t even have a single catch! Joey Fagnano showed some moxie with a few throws, but none of them found that top receiver. So yeah, you can throw out the caveat about the Ravens’ quarterback situation all you want, but the Bills defense was in a total no-win spot, and they dominated. That’s exactly what you want to see.
A Tale of Two Halves for the Offense
But for real, this game was a massive reminder that it’s a full 60-minute grind. The Bills have this insane knack for putting up a C+ or B- performance and still dropping 30-plus points or winning by more than one score. Guess what? Both happened here! They were up 16-7 at halftime, but they absolutely squandered some quality scoring chances and just made flat-out mistakes in those first two quarters. The clock management at the end of the half wasn’t ideal, even if it worked out. It was just disjointed, plain and simple.
The numbers don’t lie: Buffalo went from a pedestrian 2.0 points per drive in the first half to a massive 4.0 points per drive in the second half. That vibe, that ease the offense suddenly moved the ball with? It matched those splits perfectly. In the third and fourth quarters, they ran it way more efficiently and got way more pass-catchers involved at all levels of the field. Josh Allen finished the day 21-of-34 for 289 yards, an impressive 8.5 yards per attempt, with two passing touchdowns, one interception, and a respectable 96.3 passer rating despite the early struggles.
DJ Moore and Ed Oliver Deliver a Jolt
And hey, big shoutout to some key guys stepping up! Finally, the Bills saw one of their receivers make a truly spectacular grab in a low-percentage situation. DJ Moore’s 49-yarder straight down the middle of the field was a thing of beauty that, frankly, we haven’t seen much of from this pass-catching group over the past few seasons. His four snags for 82 yards and a score were a massive jolt to Buffalo’s aerial attack when they really needed it.
On the defensive side, Ed Oliver was an absolute beast. He finished with four pressures on just 18 pass-rush snaps. Think about that: a whopping 22.2% pressure rate! His bull rush was outstanding all game, and his first-step quickness was giving the Ravens’ offensive line fits.
So, the Bills roll into Week 9 at 6-1, proving they can win even when they’re not at their best for all four quarters. That second-half switch they flipped? That’s what other teams should really be worried about as the season rolls on.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Buffalo Rumblings.
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