Sunday’s Bills-Ravens matchup at Highmark Stadium is going to draw the spotlight for the obvious reason: Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson sharing the same field in a major AFC showdown. But Buffalo has a quieter edge in a phase of the game that often only gets noticed when it goes sideways - special teams.
That’s where the Bills have separated themselves. Pro Football Focus has Buffalo ranked No. 1 in the NFL in special teams, with Baltimore sitting at No.
- Joe Brady pointed to that unit as a reflection of the team’s identity.
“I think coach Rodgers does an incredible job,” head coach Joe Brady said of the veteran that he hired back in January. “We said going back to OTAs, you want to see the type of football team you want to be, watch your special teams, and watch how they fly around.
Watch how they celebrate with one another. Watch how important it is when we're out there trying to win fourth down.”
Buffalo’s group has been built around Tyler Bass, who is a perfect 13-for-13 on field goals, and rookie punter Tommy Doman, who has put six of his league-low 12 punts inside the 20. Ray Davis and Greg Dortch have also given the Bills juice in the return game, while Joe Andreessen, Sam Franklin, Javon Solomon and Michael Hoecht have helped on coverage.
“I thought the Vegas game they were outstanding, and last week in the team meeting I think I showed every kickoff because there were just so many different people getting in on making plays, and just seeing the impact that it has on the sideline,” Brady said.
The return battle could matter, too. Davis, who earned an All-Pro selection for leading the NFL in kickoff return average, is averaging 31.0 yards per return, second among players with at least 10 attempts. He’ll be lined up against a Baltimore coverage unit that ranks 28th and has allowed 28.7 yards per return.
On punts, Dortch is averaging 10.1 yards per return, which ranks 10th, though the Ravens have been better there, ranking ninth and allowing 8.8 yards per return.
“Our special teams is playing like it's the ethos of our football team and they have to continue that and we can't take steps backwards,” Brady said.
For fans looking to watch the game, CBS will carry it on cable and network TV. Local stations include WROC channel 8 in Rochester, WIVB channel 4 in Buffalo, WTVH channel 5 in Syracuse, WKTV channel 2 in Utica, WENY channel 36 in Elmira, WRGB channel 6 in Albany and WBNG channel 12 in Binghamton.
Streaming options include NFL.com and the NFL mobile app, along with NFL+, though that service is limited to phones and tablets and cannot be cast to a TV. The game can also be streamed through Spectrum, DirecTV Choice, Fubo Sports, Sling, Vidgo, Hulu + Live TV, YouTubeTV + NFL Sunday Ticket and Paramount+.
BetMGM listed Buffalo as a 3.5-point favorite as of Thursday, with the over-under at 54. The money line had the Bills at minus-185 and the Ravens at plus-155.
On radio, the game is available on SiriusXM channel 225 for the Bills feed and channel 264 for the Ravens feed, plus the Bills Radio Network. Chris Brown will handle play-by-play, Eric Wood is the analyst and Steve Tasker is the sideline reporter. The network includes stations across New York, Pennsylvania, Canada and beyond, including Rochester, Buffalo, Syracuse, Albany, Utica, Dunkirk, Hornell, Elmira, Jamestown, Olean, Ogdensburg, Watertown, Bradford, Cortland/Ithaca, Auburn, Geneva, Binghamton, Newark, Cobleskill/Schoharie, Williamsport, Erie, New York City, West Palm Beach, Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto.
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