5 things you need to know about Bills vs. Ravens in Week 1

The Baltimore Ravens have won back-to-back AFC North titles. The Buffalo Bills have captured the AFC East five straight years.

John Harbaugh’s club has been a playoff participant six of the past seven seasons. Sean McDermott’s squad owns the second-longest postseason streak in the league at six in a row.

It’s a clash of AFC mega-powers on Sunday night at Orchard Park.

History

The Cleveland Browns/turned Baltimore Ravens first took the field in 1996, so there’s not what you would call a storied history between the franchises. In terms of head coaches Harbaugh and McDermott, there have been six meetings between the clubs. Including the postseason, the teams have split those half-dozen encounters, with the Bills prevailing in both playoff clashes.

In 2024, the Ravens handed the Bills their first loss of the season, rolling to a 35-10 Sunday night win at Baltimore in Week 4. In the AFC Divisional Playoffs at Orchard Park, McDermott’s club held on for 27-25 victory.

What’s in a Number(s)?

Ravens: In their last six encounters with McDermott’s squad, including divisional playoff clashes in 2020 and ’24, Baltimore has had its way with Buffalo’s run defense. It corresponds with quarterback Lamar Jackson arrival in 2018 and has increased with the arrival of Derrick Henry this past season. In the teams' last half-dozen meetings, the Ravens have averaged an imposing 165.7 yards per game on the ground.

Bills: It’s still hard to fathom that a team could be so effective in terms of ball security and yet not capture the big prize. In 2024, the Bills played a total of 20 games (including playoffs) and turned over the pigskin only eight times (all by Allen). All told, McDermott’s club led the NFL in turnover differential during the regular season (plus-24). Buffalo did not turn over the ball in either contest vs. the Ravens in 2024.