How to watch and what to know
Two MVP-caliber quarterbacks open the season in primetime. The Baltimore Ravens vs Buffalo Bills matchup kicks off Sunday at 8:20 p.m. ET at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York. It’s Sunday Night Football, which means a national TV window and a loud, late crowd on the shores of Lake Erie.
TV: The game airs on NBC in the United States. If you’re streaming, use a service that carries NBC’s Sunday Night Football feed or the network’s own streaming platform for live coverage and replays. Local radio broadcasts will carry team calls in the Baltimore and Buffalo markets, with the national radio call available on major sports networks.
Betting line: Baltimore is a 1.5-point favorite on the road (-1.5, -108 at FanDuel). The total sits at 51.5 points, a nod to two explosive offenses and their playoff history. That over/under opened just under the 52-point mark that hung over their postseason meeting.
Setting: Highmark Stadium in September usually means mild temperatures, but Orchard Park can flip from calm to gusty in a blink. Wind off the lake is always worth monitoring for kickers and deep balls. Check the weekend forecast before you set any last-minute fantasy or betting decisions.
Preview, storylines and matchups
There’s no need to fake the drama here. The last time these two saw each other, Buffalo beat Baltimore 27-25 in the AFC Divisional Round. The game swung late. The Ravens led by double digits, then gave up 22 fourth-quarter points. Mark Andrews had a two-point try hit his hands and fall away. That sequence has lived in Baltimore’s head all offseason, and it’s a clean motivational line into Week 1.
Lamar Jackson enters year two with Todd Monken’s offense fully in his bones, and this time he has Derrick Henry behind him. Henry’s carries prop opened at 17.5, which tells you what oddsmakers expect: Baltimore will lean into its power run game early to soften Buffalo’s front and set up play-action shots. If Henry is rolling on early downs, the Bills’ safeties have to creep down and Lamar gets single coverage on crossers and deep overs.
On the other sideline, Josh Allen is still Buffalo’s engine and its safety valve. He’s the Bills’ best short-yardage back, their best off-script option, and the guy who can make a third-and-12 feel routine. Without the star power of recent years on the outside, Buffalo has shifted toward a spread-the-ball approach built around Dalton Kincaid at tight end and route-winner Khalil Shakir, with explosive additions on the perimeter to stretch the field. The goal: keep Allen on schedule and reduce the hero-ball moments that bring big plays and backbreaking turnovers.
Coaching chessboard: John Harbaugh’s Ravens have a clear identity—win the line of scrimmage, steal possessions with timely pressure, and play downhill on offense. Zach Orr, now calling the defense, inherits a fast, physical unit that attacks the ball. Sean McDermott’s Bills, with Bobby Babich coordinating the defense, are multiple up front and disguise well on the back end. Expect Buffalo to spin safeties late and dare Baltimore to stack first downs instead of explosives.
Trenches decide everything in this one. Baltimore wants to mash. If the Ravens’ line moves bodies in the A and B gaps, Henry’s eight-yard gains will turn into 18-yard chunk plays, and Jackson will live in second-and-3. If Buffalo’s interior holds up and forces third-and-long, the game tilts back to the Bills’ pass rush and simulated pressures. On the other side, Allen must be kept clean on his first read. Baltimore’s edge pressure can get home in a hurry, so Buffalo’s quick game—slants, sticks, and option routes to Kincaid—has to hit early.
Explosive plays vs. explosives prevention is the core theme. The number to circle is 51.5. Oddsmakers expect points, but how we get there matters. Baltimore’s path is methodical drives punctuated by red-zone efficiency and a couple of Lamar scrambles that break structure. Buffalo’s path is Allen creating off platform, finding chunk gains after the catch, and stealing a possession with a deep shot when Baltimore shows single-high.
Key storylines to track:
- Revenge and composure: Baltimore blew a late lead in January. Do they tighten up if this becomes another one-score fourth quarter? Or do they lean on the run and shut the door?
- Red zone: The Bills have thrived using Allen’s legs inside the 10. The Ravens counter with physical linebackers and safeties who trigger fast. Field goals vs. touchdowns will swing this game.
- Turnovers: Both quarterbacks extend plays. One tip ball or a strip-sack could be the difference in a spread this small.
- Third-and-short: Henry gives Baltimore a new hammer on third-and-2. Buffalo’s answer could be run blitzes and crowding the interior gaps to force the ball into Lamar’s hands in space.
Personnel notes and usage clues: Derrick Henry’s debut is the obvious headline for Baltimore. His prop at 17.5 carries suggests a 20-touch script if game flow allows. Watch for Baltimore to pair Henry with pistol looks and motion to stress Buffalo’s linebackers. For the Bills, Dalton Kincaid’s route tree keeps expanding—seam shots, option routes vs. zone, and red-zone iso looks. If the Ravens bracket Kincaid, Buffalo will test the boundary with speed to loosen the middle.
Special teams usually gets ignored until it decides everything. Justin Tucker changes Baltimore’s calculus near midfield; a couple of first downs can mean points. Buffalo’s return game has had pop in recent seasons, and hidden yardage on a short field could tilt a quarter. Wind is the wild card here, as always in Orchard Park.
What a win means in Week 1: It’s only one game, but it’s a heavy one. Both teams expect to be in the AFC’s top tier. The winner grabs a head-to-head tiebreaker that could matter in December, plus the confidence of solving a top opponent out of the gate.
If you’re keeping tabs during warmups, look for two early tells. One: Do the Bills commit extra bodies to the box against Henry, or do they trust their front to win with light boxes? Two: Are the Ravens corners comfortable pressing and disrupting timing, or do they give cushion and dare Buffalo to run? Those answers usually reveal the scripts before the first snap.
Final thought on the total and tempo: If this opens fast—think early scripted touchdowns—the defensive coordinators will start trading counters by the second quarter. That’s when Allen’s improvised throws outside the numbers and Lamar’s second-reaction runs show up. If it’s tight and choppy, Baltimore’s ground game and Tucker’s leg are built to win the field-position grind. Either way, it’s a premium primetime matchup with real January vibes in Week 1.
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