Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir tries to break a tackle by Baltimore Ravens safety Ar'Darius Washington. Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

3 biggest concerns for Buffalo Bills entering Week 1 vs. Baltimore Ravens

Originally posted on Buffalo Bills on SI | By Randy Gurzi | Last updated Sep 2, 2025 7:24 AM ET

The Buffalo Bills will be in prime time to kick off the 2025 season as they host the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday Night Football in Week 1.

These two teams last faced off in January as the Bills ended Baltimore's season with a 27-25 victory in the AFC Divisional Round. As expected, this game was close down to the wire, with a failed two-point conversion from the Ravens being the difference.

In Week 1, Baltimore will be out for revenge while Buffalo will be aiming to prove they're the top contenders in the AFC. It's a massive showdown to kick things off, and the Bills can secure a win if they adequately address these three primary concerns.

Is Tyler Bass back to 100 percent?

Tyler Bass missed much of the offseason with a pelvic injury, but was back for Buffalo's preseason finale. He made 3-of-4 field goals, but there are concerns that he might not be fully healthy.

The Bills must feel this way as well, since they brought in Eddy Piñeiro, Greg Joseph, and Zane Gonzalez for a workout last week. As we saw in their playoff meeting, these two teams are evenly matched, meaning it could come down to a field goal. Will Bass be up to the task if needed?

Secondary health/effectiveness

The Buffalo pass defense was an issue in 2024, and it's hard to feel confident in their secondary heading into 2025. Not only is Maxwell Hairston out with an injury, but Tre'Davious White was banged up near the end of preseason.

Even if they were at full health, the Bills would have issues, especially at safety, where Cole Bishop has struggled in coverage. They signed Jordan Poyer, which was an excellent move, but there are still more questions than answers in the secondary.

Wide receiver pecking order

There's no clear-cut WR1 in Buffalo, but that doesn't mean there's no talent. Keon Coleman can be a gamebreaker, and Joshua Palmer has been thoroughly impressive, according to Josh Allen. As much attention as those two have received, it's easy to overlook Khalil Shakir, who was their top receiver last season.

Buffalo has no shortage of options, but they have to figure out the right order. That's something that will be answered throughout the season, but they have to head into Week 1 with a solid plan if they want to start out with a 1-0 record and send the Ravens back to Baltimore with a loss.