Let me start off by saying that if you told me last week that the Bills would have a chance to tie the Ravens late in the 4th quarter, I would have taken that scenario in a heartbeat. There were a few issues that led to the Bills demise yesterday, as pass catchers dropped some big first down plays, and Allen continued to overthrow his receivers. This game was very similar to the Patriots earlier in the season when Allen could not handle the blitz, and the Ravens were there to stop any running that he had in mind.
The first half was definitely one to forget by the offense, while the defense continued to shine all day long. I would not put all the blame on Allen, as the offensive line did not handle the pressure very well. Allen did not have much time, but those maddening moments where he took the sack in field-goal range popped up again. Not to be lost in the outcome was the atrocious non-call of pass interference. This was a huge moment in the game and was a big momentum turn for the Ravens. What I don’t understand is why McDermott did not challenge this one. Yes, it is rare to change that call, but the risk/reward was just too obvious to ignore.
Overall, Buffalo came to play and really showed that they can hang with the NFL’s elite. The biggest game of the season comes Sunday night in Pittsburgh… and if fans are wanting to dream big, the #5 seed is going to be a must. Knock off the Steelers and it is there for the taking. Steelers defense is top 10, and they will certainly take a look at what the Ravens just did to fluster Allen in the pocket.
The good news is that Buffalo’s defense is not going to be a walk in the park for Devlin Hodges, and since “Duck” has not faced an elite defense yet, expect a heavy dose from their run game. I feel pretty good about the Bills, and although they only need one win to secure a playoff spot, it would be a TREMENDOUS advantage in seeding if they could create that win vs the Steelers.