The Baltimore Ravens became the laughingstock of the NFL after a late-game meltdown in Week 1 against the Buffalo Bills. The game was littered with disastrous performances down the stretch and is certainly one of the worst losses in Ravens’ history.
Many players fell short of their expectations, and while others showed promise, it was a night to forget. Here are two winners and three losers from Sunday night’s loss.
2 winners (and 3 losers) from Ravens’ disastrous Week 1 loss vs. Bills
Loser: Trenton Simpson
It appears Trenton Simpson has already had his starting spot taken by rookie fourth-round pick Teddye Buchanan. While All-Pro linebacker Roquan Smith played every snap, Simpson and Buchanan split snaps. Buchanan got the upper end of the snap share, taking 34.1% of the snaps, while Simpson got 30.6%.
#FFIDP - Baltimore Ravens LINEBACKERS in Week 1:
— Jon Macri (@PFF_Macri) September 8, 2025
85 defensive snaps
Roquan was the lone every-down LB, as per usual.
There was a consistent rotation at LB2 with Trenton Simpson and Teddye Buchanan basically taking turns with drives.
Neither player played every down when it was… pic.twitter.com/W9MgRSlH2n
The biggest reason Simpson falls under this category, though, is his special teams mishap. With seven minutes to go, punter Jordan Stout had Buffalo pinned at the one-yard line. However, despite the ball coming to a stop just ahead of the goal line, Simpson inexplicably dove for the ball and slid over the goal line, giving the Bills possession at the 20-yard line. That uncorked the team’s unbelievable collapse.
Winner: Teddye Buchanan
On the other hand, Buchanan could be deemed a winner from Sunday night. While there is no actual winner after such a poor performance down the stretch, it is clear the 22-year-old is already becoming a factor in the Ravens' defense.
The rookie out of California made several key plays, and made his mark almost entirely on his own on a Bills’ drive late in the second quarter. He stopped James Cook on a second down run in the red zone, and a play later, he helped stop Khalil Shakir short of the first down marker on third down. He is already making waves, and it is only Week 1.
Loser: Pass Rush
You cannot expect to win a game with the type of pass-rush effort Baltimore put on display. They tallied just one sack, thanks to defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike, but once again failed to bring down Allen. The worst part of it? They could not contain him either.
Countless times, Baltimore’s pass rush broke contain and let Allen extend plays. It made life even harder for an already struggling defensive back group on Sunday. The unit was undisciplined all night, and it showed especially in the biggest moments. If they want to win big games and find success in the playoffs, they have to find ways to beat elite offensive lines like Buffalo’s.
Winner: Jordan Stout
Hey, Jordan Stout looked outstanding. The 27-year-old has struggled with consistency throughout his NFL career thus far, but showed up when called upon. He did not see the field against the Bills in the Divisional Round last year, but got three punt attempts and unleashed three beauties.
All of Stout’s punts landed at or inside the 20. One pinned Buffalo at their own 16-yard line, another at the 20, and another should have been downed at the one if not for the misplay by Simpson. Unfortunately, his efforts will not be remembered.
Loser: Jaire Alexander
Cornerback Jaire Alexander had an awful Ravens’ debut. It is important to note that he is just returning from injury and went nearly a month without practicing, but when you are on the field with the game on the line, you have to show up, and Alexander was picked on time and time again.
Josh Allen had Alexander pinpointed during the entire comeback, and Alexander had no answer. He got beat by Josh Palmer on a 2nd and 10 when Buffalo had possession on their own side of the field, which allowed them to march into Ravens’ territory with less than a minute to go. Later, he was once again beaten, letting Keon Coleman haul in a pass for a big gain, and tackling him just before the end zone, which allowed Buffalo to run out the clock and kick the game-winning field goal.
It was a forgettable 2025 debut for almost everyone involved, and the Ravens will look to get back on track against the Cleveland Browns in Week 2.