3) The Ravens took to the field in Buffalo and never looked comfortable or like themselves on Saturday night. Justin Tucker missed two of his three attempts at goal, hitting each of the first two attempts at opposite posts. Ravens’ pass-catchers became their end-of-season counterparts in Pittsburgh, dropping multiple targets and failing to make contested receptions, and Jackson averaged just 3.8 yards per race attempt, winning 15 of his 34 total yards in a run. So did Edwards, who won 22 of his 42 yards on his first two loads to start the game, and Dobbins missed two passes, but he also failed to catch Hughes’ blitz at a point that proved to be crucial. The generally resilient Ravens melted at the end of the third quarter, starting with Jackson’s pick-six and continuing with a failed snap that saw Jackson penalized for intentional grounding and forced out of the game due to a concussion. Speaking of pops, pivot Patrick Mekari struggled significantly, making mistakes in several attempts to deliver the ball to Jackson, forcing the defender to improvise a few times and ultimately leading to his early departure. The combined errors left the Ravens leaving the field at Orchard Park looking for a final score of three points, even after beating Buffalo (340-220), dominating possession time (35: 33-24: 27) and converting more thirds (41.1 to 30.7%) than the accounts. They will have many months to reflect on missed opportunities.
4) We cannot reflect on this game without pointing out the influence of the elements. The wind blew across Bills Stadium on Saturday, probably contributing to Tucker’s mistakes (Ravens coach John Harbaugh said afterwards that he was “very impactful”) and also sending Allen’s deep passes into the vast expanse of the open field. out of reach of any human in their pursuit of them. What appeared to be a trip back in time to Allen’s debut season – in which he became known for sailing a pass or three from a clean pocket beyond the realistic range of his intended targets – may actually have been a product of wind, especially after an end zone angle showed Allen’s attempt for an open Stefon Diggs turning right almost 10 yards beyond the receiver. Bill’s kicker, Tyler Bass, also struggled with his attempts at field goal, missing his last two attempts on a forgettable night for anyone making money with his foot. Buffalo won, however, because he adjusted to the environment. The Bills scored their only offensive touchdown on a screen pass for 3-yard Diggs, and Allen’s passing chart ended up looking like a 15-yard shooting range and inside, with the defender completing just one attempt over 15 yards across in the evening .