Bills vs. Ravens Predictions: An Explosive Primetime Showdown?
NFL Week 4 Betting Preview: Buffalo Bills at Baltimore Ravens
Where: M&T Bank Stadium (Baltimore, MD)
When: Sunday, September 29th at 8:20 PM EST
Watch: NBC
Betting Odds
Baltimore Ravens -2.0
Over/Under: 46.5
Game Overview
The absolute best game of the entire Sunday slate is also the Sunday Night Football matchup on NBC. The game will see the Buffalo Bills travel to Baltimore, Maryland, to take on the Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. The building will be rocking, and these two teams want this one badly. Both the Ravens and the Bills have their eyes on the ultimate prize at the end of the 2024 season, which is to hoist the Lombardi trophy. While it seems that the path to the Super Bowl goes through Kansas City, if there are two teams that can challenge the Chiefs, it’s these two. The expectations have been high for the Bills and the Ravens, and this year feels like as good of an opportunity as ever. There should be plenty of fireworks in this matchup, and I, for one, am excited to see how it plays out.
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Buffalo Bills Betting Preview
The Buffalo Bills have looked nearly flawless to start their 2024 campaign. They find themselves undefeated after beating the Cardinals, Dolphins, and Jaguars in decisive fashion. The Bills have scored over 30 points in every game, and quarterback Josh Allen looks like an early MVP candidate. Allen enters this game with a 133.7 passer rating, highlighted by 634 yards, seven touchdowns, and zero picks. He’s added 85 rushing yards to his season stats and punched it into the endzone twice on the ground.
The big question mark for the Buffalo offense was who would fill into Stefon Digg’s role with his departure. So far, it has been a combination of Khalil Shakir, James Cook, and Dalton Kincaid. Rookie receiver Keon Coleman has had a slow start, but he is poised for a breakout game sooner rather than later. In addition to Josh Allen’s ability to run the ball, the Bills are led by James Cook, who is averaging a solid 4.6 yards per carry and has found paydirt three times.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Bills have found a way to shut down opposing QBs. They rank 8th in passing defense and have only allowed 168.3 yards per game through the air. They also rank 16th against the run and 7th in total points allowed. Even with the loss of linebacker Matt Milano, the Bills have the pieces to put forth a solid defensive effort each week. They will need it in week four as they face the reigning NFL MVP, Lamar Jackson.
Baltimore Ravens Betting Preview
Jackson and the Ravens had a tough draw to open their season. The schedule makers matched them up with the Chiefs on the road at Arrowhead, as tough of a place to play as any. They should have had an easy bounce back in week 2, but they shockingly dropped their home opener to the Las Vegas Raiders. In that game, the Ravens were the heaviest favorite in the league. Another tough game in week 3 saw them travel to Dallas for a battle with the Cowboys. The Ravens were able to hold their lead despite a late comeback from Dallas and picked up their first win of the season. Baltimore hopes to carry momentum over from last week and defend their home turf.
As I mentioned, the Ravens feature MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson, and he is putting together another great season. While he has only thrown for three touchdowns, he has racked up over 250 rushing yards and added another score. Jackson will need to play a little cleaner and limit turnovers, but his explosive and chaotic nature is what makes him so great. The Ravens added Derrick Henry to their backfield, and he has lived up to his name. On 56 attempts, he averaged just over 5 yards per carry and crossed the goal line on four separate occasions.
The Ravens’ receiving core is led by Zay Flowers and also features tight end duo Isaiah Likely and Mark Andrews. Andrews has started slow but will be a necessary component if Baltimore hopes to make a title run. The Ravens are the best defensive unit when it comes to stopping the run and have only allowed 50 yards per game. The exact opposite is true about their pass defense, which ranks last in the entire league.
Free NFL Betting Pick
My Pick: Over 46.5
There is always at least one primetime game per season that turns into an absolute shootout. I think this game will be just that. These two offenses are fast and explosive and have the necessary playmakers to exploit their opponent’s defense. Lamar and Derrick Henry will run wild, and Josh Allen will shred the Ravens’ secondary. I expect at least one of these teams to score over 30, and I wouldn’t be surprised if both do. You won’t want to miss this one, folks.
