This week’s game against the Buffalo Bills is a weird game for the Ravens. There is not much national intrigue. There isn’t much buzz around town. There isn’t a rivalry of any kind (only one matchup in the John Harbaugh era) between the two teams. This isn’t what I would call a big intra-conference game either. The Bills haven’t sniffed the playoffs in over 13 years.

It’s kind of a blah game.

With each teams’ recent pedigree being our guide, all signs point to a Ravens’ win. However, there are plotlines to this game that could alter that prognostication.

Here are the plotlines for the Baltimore Ravens at the Buffalo Bills.

The Ravens certainly earned an impressive and decisive win over the Houston Texans on Sunday. The Ravens faced many hurdles in this game (key injuries on offense, a still-jelling defense, and a potent and balanced Texan offensive attack), yet they not only won, they won in convincing fashion.

A 30-9 victory over a quality opponent does not drastically change the concerns that have been apparent since training camp. But the victory does speak to the resolve and dedication of this team.  

This week’s reality assessment will continue to assess perceptions, realities, and emerging trends within this young Raven season.

This week’s matchup against the Houston Texans is intriguing on many levels. For a game so early in the season, this game has a little bit of everything. With the success of both teams in recent years, there is familiarity between the teams as this will be the fifth time in four years they will have played against one another. These two teams have Super Bowl aspirations, and making the playoffs would not merely suffice. Moreover, there is the revenge factor, as the Texans demolished the Ravens last year in Houston, 43-13.

Oh, and there may be a smidge of emotion throw into the mix…

You may have heard that there is a certain retired Raven returning, and that there is a certain Ballhawk returning, but in the visitor’s uniform. M&T Bank Stadium should be super-charged.

All throughout this week, there has been much written about the return of Ed Reed. There has been also a fair amount written about Ray Lewis entering the Ring of Honor. Two legendary and impactful players for the Ravens’ franchise, and their paths intersect in such a peculiar fashion this Sunday. I can’t wait to see how this emotional plotline plays out.

This plotline deserves an entire post unto itself. But, sometimes it is better to wait and reflect on such magical moments. I will post my reflections later this weekend. It certainly deserves it.

Compartmentalizing the emotional angle for a moment, there are enough plotlines within the lines of play for us to analyze. 

I am sure many fans had hoped that the Ravens would have come out on Sunday and buried the Cleveland Browns, answering the lingering questions that swirled around the team since their dismal performance against the Denver Broncos. I am sure fans wanted to see Joe Flacco and the passing attack find more continuity. I am sure fans wanted to see the secondary and linebackers lockdown the middle of the field. And, I am sure fans wanted to see the run game get cranked up.

Unfortunately, those questions were (at best) answered incompletely.

It is amusing, on one hand, to hear the griping and criticism from some fans (and national media). Many of the issues the Ravens face this year are the same issues the Ravens faced as they entered the playoffs last year! Relax! It is only week two of a very long, long season that will have many twists and turns along the way.

This week’s Reality Assessment will assess perceptions, realities, and emerging trends within this young Raven season. You are going to hear the following sentiment from me quite a bit over the next several weeks: This team is a work in progress, and is going to take time to gel together. We will have a much better bead on this team once we approach the midway point of the season. 

The Ravens face The Cleveland Browns in their home opener this Sunday and they look to rebound from a second half disaster against the Denver Broncos. Fortunately, the entire AFC North opened the season with losses, so no ground was lost within the division.

In the NFL, every game is a big game. But this game is big for the Baltimore Ravens for a number of reasons. They need to right the ship, get into the win column, while steadying the offense and defense.

Here are this week’s plotlines. 

I completely admit it: that stung. Watching Anquan Boldin slice and dice the Green Bay Packer defense to the tune of 13 receptions, 208 receiving yards, and 1 touchdown was reminiscent of his dominant play throughout the Ravens’ epic postseason run. Watching him do it in a San Francisco 49er jersey was even worse. The major kick in the gut? Watching the Ravens struggle on offense against the Denver Broncos with receivers dropping the ball left and right, and knowing how much better the offense would be with Q still in a Raven’s uniform.

The Ravens disastrous opening game against the Denver Broncos could not have gone much worse. A 49-27 drubbing on national television in front of the entire football world was not exactly the best way to proclaim, “Here we are.”

Many fans are ready to throw in the towel on the season. Really? It’s week one! The Ravens played an emotionally charged Denver Broncos team, on national television, and stared across at arguably one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game.

I have to be honest; this outcome was not a total shock to me whatsoever. I thought the Ravens could have pulled off the upset, had hoped they would at least keep it close, but a blowout by Denver was very likely. There were just too many factors going against the Ravens on this tough opening game.

Where do the Ravens go from here? Let’s examine key elements of the game and assess the reality of what it means moving forward. 

Finally. The preseason talk, the over analysis, the hyperbole, the rhetoric—it’s all put on hold. We get to enjoy actual, meaningful football play on the field. And then once the game is over, we can resume the talk, over analysis, hyperbole, and rhetoric.

But for now, in the word of Mills Lane and Marvin Gaye, “Let’s Get It On!”

This week’s plotlines, Denver: