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Baltimore Ravens outlast Buffalo Bills 24-17: Questions, Comments and Concerns

By Keith Runk

ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 08: Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens attempts to handle the ball during the second quarter against the Buffalo Bills in the game at New Era Field on December 08, 2019 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images)
ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 08: Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens attempts to handle the ball during the second quarter against the Buffalo Bills in the game at New Era Field on December 08, 2019 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images) /
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BALTIMORE, MARYLAND – DECEMBER 01: Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens hands the ball off to Mark Ingram #21 against the San Francisco 49ers after throwing a first quarter touchdown pass at M&T Bank Stadium on December 01, 2019 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND – DECEMBER 01: Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens hands the ball off to Mark Ingram #21 against the San Francisco 49ers after throwing a first quarter touchdown pass at M&T Bank Stadium on December 01, 2019 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

Questions:

Will the Week 17 Steelers match up have any meaning?

With a win against the New York Jets Thursday, the Ravens would clinch the AFC North for the second straight season.

With the division already decided, it seems likely that the Ravens would use Week 17 as an extra bye week for the starters before the postseason starts. However, Pittsburgh has been hot as of late and are vying to hold onto the second Wild Card spot at 8-5. With the Bills and Jets up next on the schedule, Pittsburgh could come to Baltimore in a win-and-in scenario.

I think it’s worth asking whether the Ravens would give their rival an easier path to the playoffs.

light. Related Story. Ravens beat the Bills: The good, bad and ugly

Now, assuming the Ravens win their next two games and they have clinched both the AFC North and the top seed, the starters will sit. But if Baltimore still has something to play for, they could bask in the glory of knocking the Steelers out of the playoffs in Week 17, for the second straight season.

Best case scenario: The Ravens win two straight, clinch the number one seed and the division, then Robert Griffin III knocks the Steelers out of the playoffs with the second-stringers.

What’s up with all this punting stuff?

Sam Koch did not punt more than 3 times in a game all season until Sunday. In fact, Koch had punted just 13 times during the win streak. He punted 7 times Sunday.

Are the Bills that good? Is the Ravens offense struggling? Even the league’s best defense in terms of statistics, the San Francisco 49ers, only made Koch trot out to punt twice.

Despite the win, Greg Roman seemed to have switched up the game plan Sunday. Not once did the Ravens go for it on 4th down. Baltimore has converted 75 percent (15 of 20) of their 4th-down attempts this season, another category they lead the league in. There were two scenarios where Baltimore usually goes for it, that they sent Koch out instead.

The first came with 8 minutes left in the third quarter on 4th-and-1 from their own 46 yard line. Fast forward to the end of the third quarter and Baltimore punted again on 4th-and-1 from their own 41 yard line. And there’s a bonus scenario if you count the punt on 4th-and-3 in the 4th quarter. But this one was from their own 32 yard line with a touchdown lead.

On the first two, Baltimore had an 8 point lead and could have extended their drive and even scored to put the game further out of reach. Pair this with uncharacteristic wildcat formations and throwing in short yardage situations and this definitely becomes something to keep an eye on.

The Ravens got hurt early in the season trying to do too much. Is the same happening here?

Will Eric DeCosta win the NFL Executive of the Year Award?

Josh Bynes, LJ Fort and Marcus Peters have been tremendous additions. Both Bynes and Fort were both jobless before coming to Baltimore and the Peters trade was highway robbery. Trading Kenny Young—who did not play for two weeks before being traded—and a 5th-round pick for an All-Pro cornerback is ridiculous.

Fort and Bynes each had a sack yesterday and Bynes also came up with a big deflection in the end zone. And it was Peters who sealed the game with his defense on Josh Allen’s 4th-down pass to John Brown.

If DeCosta doesn’t get Executive of the Year, is there an award for best mid-season additions?

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