Ravens @ Bills
Final Score: Bills 41, Ravens 40
Writer: Brett Ford (@FadeThatMan)
It remains that the only team in the NFL that is good enough to consistently beat the Baltimore Ravens is the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens dominated this game through the first three quarters and led by 15 points with 11:42 left to play in the game. And then the Bills woke up, starting to force mistakes and then taking advantage of them to mount a remarkable comeback. Led by Josh Allen and Keon Coleman, the Bills overcame a two-score deficit to take down the Ravens, 41-40, in far and away the highest scoring game of the day. Let’s dig in.
Three Up
- Derrick Henry – The King still holds the crown. Even at 31 years old, he keeps crushing it – the fumble in the fourth quarter was very out of character
- Keon Coleman – Overcame a poor first half and shined in the final frame, including a touchdown catch
- Zay Flowers – The clear top receiver for the Ravens was used in a lot of ways and scored a touchdown
Three Down
- Mark Andrews – The Ravens had too much success on the ground to worry about passing the ball, but just one target is concerning after last season’s slow start
- Rashod Bateman – Also disappeared as the Ravens ran the offense through Henry and Flowers
Baltimore Ravens
Quarterback
Lamar Jackson: 14/19, 210 Yards, 2 TDs | 6 Rushes, 70 Yards, TD
The rushing yardage creates an incredibly high floor for any quarterback, and Lamar showed exactly how that works on Sunday night with 210 yards passing, 70 yards rushing, and a score for 29.36 fantasy points. His playmaking ability is 1 of 1, as exhibited on his fourth-quarter scramble. He only threw the ball 19 times and still finished with a top-five quarterback performance in Week 1. This loss certainly isn’t on him.
Lamar Jackson traveled 75.9 yards on this 19-yard scramble.
Jackson is responsible for 4 of the 5 longest scramble runs by total distance traveled over the last two seasons.#BALvsBUF | #RavensFlockpic.twitter.com/oJZrQV3ADX
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) September 8, 2025
Running Back
Derrick Henry: 18 Carries, 169 Yards, 2 TDs
It’s just not fair. No mortal man should be forced to try and tackle Henry in open space. It’s virtually impossible. And the Ravens’ offensive line did a nice job of creating holes for Henry to exploit. He gashes Buffalo nearly every time he plays them. He caught his only target, but he’s clearly not integrated into the passing game plan as he left the field on most third downs and in the Ravens’ two-minute drill. The fumble at the end of the game was a killer and cost the Ravens the victory.
Justice Hill: 2 Carries, 7 Yards | 5 Targets, 5 Receptions, 61 Yards, TD
The Ravens’ pass-catching back nearly lost a fumble but managed to recover it on a fortunate bounce. He caught his only target but was a non-factor as the Ravens dominated the scoreboard and leaned on Henry and the rushing game.
Rasheen Ali: 2 Carries, 7 Yards | 5 Targets, 5 Receptions, 61 Yards, TD
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Zay Flowers: 9 Targets, 7 Receptions, 143 Yards, TD
Flowers has ascended as the Ravens’ top pass-catcher, and it’s not particularly close. Flowers was utilized in several different ways, lined up wide and in the slot, and was the clear focal point of the Baltimore passing game. He scored his touchdown on a well-designed screen pass, following two massive pulling linemen to the end zone untouched.
Rashod Bateman: 4 Targets, 2 Receptions, 10 Yards
A non-factor. The game script worked against him, and Flowers’ emergence has left him in the dust.
Mark Andrews: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 5 Yards
This was a triggering performance for managers who rostered Andrews early last season. The Ravens’ tight end looked like an amazing pulling tackle, clearing the way for Jackson on several long runs.
DeAndre Hopkins: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 26 Yards
One target, one catch, one incredible highlight… and then another later in the game that was just short of the sticks. The usage will never be super-high, but Nuk is ring-chasing. He’ll do whatever he’s asked to do to win.
ARE YOU KIDDING @DeAndreHopkins????
TOUCHDOWN RAVENS!!!! FIRST CATCH AS A RAVEN!!!! pic.twitter.com/GahQ5EKVqV
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) September 8, 2025
Buffalo Bills
Quarterback
Josh Allen: 33/46, 394 yards, 2 TDs | 14 carries, 30 yards, 2 TDs
Allen came out firing, clearly exhilarated by the emotion of the night, with how much heat he was getting on the football in his first drive. It nearly cost him an interception as he overthrew Khalil Shakir deep downfield and it barely deflected out of a Ravens’ defenders hands. Two passes later, he zipped one into the seam for a touchdown connection with Dalton Kincaid. Allen absolutely blew up in the fourth quarter, making every play (and most of them to Coleman). Any time the game script turns against the Bills, Allen has a legit chance to be QB1 by a landslide because he’ll get a shot to air it out.
Running Back
James Cook: 13 carries, 44 yards, 1 TD | 5 targets, 5 receptions, 58 yards
Cook managed just 19 rushing yards on his first seven carries, but some gaps opened in the second half as he popped for an 11-yard rush and found a gap for a two-yard score. The Baltimore rush defense has been stout for years in a row now, and for Cook to struggle on the ground after holding out/holding in isn’t that surprising. Most of his yardage came on a 51-yard catch and run. He should have gotten into the end zone, but the Ravens’ pursuit ran him down on the two-yard line. The fact that he was so involved in the pass game was encouraging, though.
Ty Johnson: 2 carries, 24 yards | 2 targets
Dropped a touchdown on a wheel route in the fourth quarter that felt like a massive miscue, but ultimately didn’t matter.
Ray Davis: 1 carry, 2 yards | 1 target, 1 reception, -1 yards
All three backs worked into the Bills’ first offensive drive, but Davis didn’t see much opportunity beyond that.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Khalil Shakir: 9 targets, 6 receptions, 64 yards
Shakir was exactly what he’s always been – reliable hands in the short to intermediate yardage range, pulling in a handful of catches and holding down PPR managers with a consistent output. Nothing flashy, nothing bone-headed. Just good, consistent pass-catching ability.
Keon Coleman: 11 targets, 8 receptions, 112 yards, 1 TD
He had a poor first half, including an egregious drop on a screen play, but redeemed himself with a couple of excellent high-point catches in the second half. He caught a dumb-luck tip pass in the back of the end zone for a score, showing incredible awareness and focus to reel in the catch. He should have had a second score but was brought down by the shoelaces on the final drive. If the second half is any indication of what’s to come this season, Coleman could truly have a breakout year.
Keon Coleman tonight:
– 8 REC
– 112 YDS
– 1 TD#Billsmafia #NFL
pic.twitter.com/JZlDIXwXJL— Bills Report (@BillsReport_) September 8, 2025
Elijah Moore: 1 target, 1 reception, 3 yards | 1 carry, 8 yards
Dalton Kincaid: 4 targets, 4 receptions, 48 yards, TD
Kincaid showed more pep in his step than most of last year, looking spry and healthy for the first time in a while. He generated separation on his usual out-breaking routes, but also caught a touchdown on a seam in the first half, showing a willingness to dive in over the middle and absorb contact to make the play.
Dawson Knox: 2 targets, 2 receptions, 20 yards
Jackson Hawes: 1 target, 1 reception, 29 yards
Clearly the backup tight ends, even though Knox was on the field quite a bit for blocking purposes, Hawes made one of the most important catches of the day, pulling in a seam route for 29 yards to set up a Buffalo score in the fourth quarter.
Josh Palmer: 9 targets, 5 receptions, 61 yards
He had a touchdown slip just through his fingers in the fourth quarter on a slight overthrow on a go route, but pulled in a long catch on the sideline to set up the game-winning field goal.