11-12-2018, 06:02 AM
Following a victory worth savoring http://www.billsfootballauthentics.com/m...-authentic , the Baltimore Ravens whisked through the film of their season-opening rout of Buffalo before turning their full attention toward a Thursday night matchup against AFC North rival Cincinnati." Monday's practice. "Not as quick as baseball or basketball, I guess. But this is close."The Ravens probably wish they could linger a little longer in the aftermath of their 47-3 trouncing of the Bills, mainly because just about everything went well.The offense got touchdowns from six different players, the defense didn't yield a first down until the third quarter and special teams contributed two field goals and a 51-yard punt return.Alas, all those good things were but a memory when the players took the field for Monday's practice."That game is behind us," strong safety Tony Jefferson said. "Although it's great to have momentum, it's over with. It's a new week. This is a division opponent; they know us very well and we know them very well."Yes, indeed. Baltimore opened the 2017 season with a 20-0 victory at Cincinnati, and the Bengals returned the favor in the finale with a 31-27 comeback win that knocked the Ravens out of playoff contention.Those thoughts will accompany the team to Cincinnati on Thursday night. But the Ravens aren't going to get caught up in last year, any more than they will be thinking about last Sunday."We played a young Buffalo team," linebacker Terrell Suggs said. "You don't take any win for granted, but it's one game. It's on to Cincinnati."One positive facet of the lopsided opener was that Harbaugh pulled his starters in the third quarter with the score 40-0. Quarterback Joe Flacco joked on the sideline while rookie Lamar Jackson took the offense through the motions, and most of the defensive starters were done before Buffalo finally got on the scoreboard.When you're playing two games in the span of five days, any respite is welcome. But Harbaugh didn't perceive that to be much of an advantage against a Bengals team that rallied with a 17-point fourth quarter to beat Indianapolis 34-23."You can't rest too many guys because it's not the preseason where you have your whole 90-man roster http://www.billsfootballauthentics.com/s...-authentic ," Harbaugh noted. "There are still only 46 guys that are playing. A couple of guys got to sit down a little bit early, and that was probably somewhat helpful."Playing against two young quarterbacks, Baltimore's defensive backs picked off two passes and allowed only 11 completions for 98 yards. Harbaugh liked what he saw, but wasn't about to brand it a perfect game."You look at the good stuff and go, fine, but then you look at the things you need to get better at," he said. "Really, between the first game and the second game, even though it's a short week, it's still a great opportunity to improve because you finally know where you're at. And when you know where you're at, you can kind of tell what you need to work on to get where you want to go. That's what we'll try to do this week and the next couple weeks."This week, it all begins with adjusting to a quick turnaround."Mentally, you've just got to get into the playbook as quick as you can because we're short on preparation," linebacker C.J. Mosley said. "Physically, you've just got to get training room and into the cold tub. There are no tricks to it from that standpoint."Cornerback Maurice Canady (thigh) http://www.billsfootballauthentics.com/s...-authentic , running back Kenneth Dixon (knee), defensive tackle Willie Henry (abdomen) and tight end Hayden Hurst (foot) did not practice Monday.Canady and Dixon were hurt against the Bills, but have not been ruled out for Thursday.Nathan Peterman Headlines Five Bills to Watch Against Ravens The Buffalo Bills enter the 2018 season the same as every other team, sitting with an unblemished record and a mountain of hope. When the team begins its quest for a repeat playoff berth, taking on the Baltimore Ravens Sunday, they will do so with a brand-new offensive coordinator, and a new starting quarterback.Opening weekend in the NFL is often unpredictable and always fun, and part of that excitement comes from watching new players on each team’s roster. Here are five Bills that we’ll be watching this weekend.QB Nathan PetermanThe Bills’ signal-caller is arguably the most important player on this list, and aside from the unit assigned to protect him, his performance could go a long way in deciding how competitive the Bills will be in Baltimore. Peterman had a phenomenal preseason, completing 33-of-41 passes (80%) for 431 yards, 3 touchdowns, and a bad-luck interception on a tipped ball. If Peterman can have similar success against the Ravens, then the Bills have a good chance on Sunday. If not, it could be a long afternoon.WR Zay JonesHead coach Sean McDermott proclaimed Jones “ready to go” in his Tuesday press conference http://www.buffalobillsteamonline.com/lo...der-jersey , but the second-year receiver has had a tumultuous off-season and a training camp filled with rehab rather than production on the field. If Jones can play up to his draft position, the Bills have a fourth solid weapon in the passing game behind Kelvin Benjamin, Charles Clay, and LeSean McCoy—or a fifth if you rank Jeremy Kerley ahead of Jones. Either way, now in his second season, Jones will look to take a leap forward. Sunday, against the Ravens, is a good place to start.DE Trent MurphyBuffalo’s $22.5 million pass-rushing free agent spent most of the preseason hampered by a groin injury. While his absence allowed former first-round pick Shaq Lawson to see more playing time, the coaching staff obviously envisioned a rotational situation where Lawson backed up starters Murphy and Jerry Hughes. If Murphy has fully recovered from his groin injury and the ACL surgery that ended his 2017 season before it began, and he can revert to his 2016 form where he notched 9 sacks, then the Bills should field a far more formidable pass rush than last season.CB Vontae DavisWhen the veteran former first-round pick signed a one-year, $5 million deal with Buffalo in the spring, it was presumed that he did so to be the starting corner opposite Tre’Davious White. However, after struggling in the preseason, Sean McDermott would not commit to Davis as the starter http://www.buffalobillsteamonline.com/je...ley-jersey , instead saying that the competition between Davis and fellow free-agent signing Phillip Gaines was ongoing. If Davis has lost a step, Baltimore’s solid receiver corps of Michael Crabtree, John Brown, and Willie Snead IV could exploit him all afternoon, leaving a glaring weakness in what was expected to be an area of great strength for the Bills this season. It’s only one game, but Davis has a lot to prove this week.C Ryan GroyThe centerpiece of the unit giving Bills fans the most agita going into this weekend is Groy, the winner of a competition over newcomer Russell Bodine. Groy performed well in Eric Wood’s place during the 2017 season, but he appeared to struggle this preseason, as the Bills allowed consistent pressure on their quarterbacks in all four exhibition games. If Groy can settle in and be consistently above-average, it will go a long way towards stabilizing a worrisome positional group for Buffalo.
