The Buffalo Bills started the game hot, with Josh Allen driving the team down for the season's first touchdown, a 15-yard pass that continued their impressive run.
With his touchdown to Kincaid, it's the ninth time since the beginning of the 2024 season that the team has scored a touchdown on their first drive of a game, with the Cincinnati Bengals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers being next on the list with eight each, according to the Buffalo Bills PR.
Despite that, the Ravens answered back in a big way, and one of the Bills' biggest issues is rearing its ugly head once again. The run defense has been abysmal , with Buffalo getting gashed by Derrick Henry and the explosive Ravens offense throughout the first half. Henry has a history of dominant performances against Buffalo, and it's continuing with his Week 1 performance.
Josh Allen's TD throw to Dalton Kincaid marked the ninth time since the beginning of last season that the Bills have scored a TD on their first drive of a game.
— Buffalo Bills PR (@BuffaloBillsPR) September 8, 2025
That's the most by any NFL team in that time (CIN & TB are second with 8 each).
Henry finished the first half with over 100 rushing yards and a touchdown. At one point, the Bills were allowing 13.7 yards per carry, an atrocious number that simply cannot sustain if the team wants long-term success.
DERRICK HENRY STIFF ARM TOUCHDOWN.
— NFL (@NFL) September 8, 2025
BALvsBUF on NBC
Stream on @NFLPlus + Peacock pic.twitter.com/r5c4gOgj1I
It's not the first time Henry has run all over the Bills, with fans remembering the infamous stiff arm he had on Josh Norman.
HENRY TOSSED JOSH NORMAN! #SCtop10
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 14, 2020
(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/7h5KPyi1gT
Nate Geary, part of the Buffalo Bills' pregame with WGR550, highlighted the concerning issue, pointing out that it was something the front office has tried to address all offseason. Something that keeps on popping up, despite the team continuing to draft defensive linemen to be disruptive up front.
Brandon Beane and the Bills overhauled the unit , adding six new players in Joey Bosa, Michael Hoecht, Larry Ogunjobi, T.J. Sanders, Landon Jackson, and Deone Walker through either the draft or free agency. While it's early, the run defense has left much to be desired.
The run defense, which has basically always had the same issue, has the same issue.
— Nate Geary (@NateGearySports) September 8, 2025
Henry is running roughshod on the Bills, and they'll need to adjust at halftime to stop the bleeding. Luckily, they're only down a score heading into halftime. Plenty of time to make corrections, but seeing a repeated issue pop up once more, in such a drastic way, has the fan base more than a little concerned. Taking a look at social media, plenty were highlighting that Buffalo needs to get better at stopping the run if they want to see long-term success.
Bills offense can’t execute simple plays
— Buffalo Sports Talk (@BUFSportsTalk) September 8, 2025
Bills defense can’t stop the Ravens run game#BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/u7hLxOt9RW
The day a Buffalo Bills’ McDermott defense can dominate against the run, then we will be contenders
— Thigh Doctor (@ThighDoctor) September 8, 2025
Josh Allen and the Bills offense will look to get things going in the second half, as Allen finished two quarters going 12 of 17 for 113 yards and a touchdown, while driving the team down the field in just seconds to wrap up the first half, which allowed kicker Matt Prater to keep the game within one score.
Dalton Kincaid gets out of bounds with :01 on the clock and the Bills get a field goal before the half ⏱️pic.twitter.com/mP1C8P7tqh
— Covers (@Covers) September 8, 2025
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