The Ravens head to Orchard Park on Sunday with a chance to reset their season, but the people making predictions for Week 8 aren’t lined up neatly behind Baltimore. The Banner’s staff split on the game, while guest picker Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News is backing the Ravens as well.
The Bills are three-point favorites, according to DraftKings, and kickoff is set for 1 p.m. Sunday at Highmark Stadium.
Kyle Goon doesn’t see enough from Baltimore yet to trust the bounce-back. He pointed to Lamar Jackson as the one piece that can give the Ravens life in any game, and he acknowledged Buffalo’s defense has holes. But the bigger issue, in his view, is what he’s seen from the Ravens this season.
“Buffalo is a hard place to play, and Josh Allen is a tough quarterback to defend. He’s the most mobile, most capable passer they’ve seen this year, and I don’t have enough confidence in this front to keep him in the pocket. There are some reasons to pick Baltimore to bounce back on vibes, but based on evidence, the Ravens haven’t earned a vote of confidence here.”
His pick: Bills 28, Ravens 21.
Giana Han also landed on Buffalo, but with a tighter scoreline. She noted that Jackson’s return helps, though it doesn’t erase Baltimore’s defensive problems.
The Ravens can attack a weak Bills secondary, but Han sees Allen doing damage to Baltimore’s back end as well. She also pointed out that the Bills are coming off a bye and have faced tougher tests this season than the Ravens.
Han wrote that Baltimore’s offensive line will have to stand up to Buffalo’s pass rush, and she added that the Ravens have struggled in Buffalo for as long as she has covered the team. She also noted that this is a new stadium just down the road from the old Highmark Stadium.
Her pick: Bills 28, Ravens 24.
Jonas Shaffer’s forecast came down to reliability. He called the Bills’ defense the weakest unit on the field, but he wondered whether the Ravens could actually take advantage if Jackson isn’t fully healthy, the run game isn’t working, and the offensive line is still banged up.
Shaffer instead leaned on Buffalo’s offense, which he described as the more dependable side. He cited the Bills’ collection of pass-catchers, James Cook in the backfield, and a strong offensive line. Even if Baltimore’s defense plays better than it did in the second half against Cincinnati, Shaffer still sees Allen as too much to handle.
His pick: Bills 27, Ravens 24.
Childs Walker went the other direction. He called the matchup potentially brutal for the Ravens even with Jackson expected back, and he said Baltimore’s defense lost its way in the second half against the Bengals to the point that it’s hard to trust the team’s top playmakers against Allen. He also mentioned knee injuries for Kyle Hamilton and Roquan Smith that could affect them even if they suit up.
Still, Walker acknowledged Buffalo’s defense remains vulnerable to downfield throws, allowing 7.4 yards per attempt. That opened the door for Jackson to spark Baltimore’s offense, and Walker said the Ravens have hung big numbers on the Bills in recent years. Even so, he went with history over hope.
His pick: Bills 31, Ravens 27.
Brandon Weigel saw the same ugly loss to Cincinnati, but he still came down on Baltimore. He called the Ravens’ current situation an identity crisis, then argued that Jackson’s return changes the entire feel of the offense.
Weigel also hammered Buffalo’s pass defense, which has allowed 285.8 passing yards per game, 31st in the NFL. He cited Matthew Stafford and Kirk Cousins going for 300-plus against the Bills in their last two games before the bye.
Weigel said the Ravens need Jackson’s arm talent and explosiveness, and he thinks Baltimore answers the call.
His pick: Ravens 33, Bills 30.
Lysowski, the guest picker, also took Baltimore. He wrote that Buffalo’s communication problems in the secondary were a major reason the Bills allowed at least 29 points in all but one game before their bye. He also said the Bills have given up too many explosive plays in key spots, including in the fourth quarter, where they have allowed 8.1 yards per pass attempt and eight passing touchdowns.
He added that Buffalo’s run defense has improved, but it hasn’t yet seen a backfield tandem as dynamic as Jackson and Derrick Henry. Lysowski expects the Bills’ streak of seven straight wins when they allow at least 30 points to end Sunday.
His pick: Ravens 31, Bills 24.
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