The Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills are set to square off in what promises to be a heavyweight clash in the Divisional Round of the playoffs. Two of the NFL’s top teams, led by MVP candidates Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen, will battle under the bright lights in Orchard Park.
With a trip to the AFC Championship on the line, tensions are already high, and fans are searching for any edge to hype up the matchup. Enter Roquan Smith’s so-called “bulletin board material.”
Playoff week is prime time for taking things out of context, and Roquan Smith is the latest victim. A snippet of his recent comments about the Bills has been plastered across social media, with Bills fans claiming the Ravens linebacker handed them “bulletin board material” ahead of Sunday’s Divisional Round showdown. But when you read Smith’s full quote, it’s clear this so-called controversy is nothing more than a desperate stretch.
Here’s the entirety of what Smith said when asked about the Bills matchup:
“Very excited about this matchup with the Bills knowing that they're a very good team led by Josh Allen. Their O-Line is playing some really good ball as well, and then the running back [James] Cook, I've known him for a very long time. And then guys on the outside who can make a lot of plays. I think it’s gonna be very simple for us. We just gotta stick to who we are as a group, stopping the run and making those guys one dimensional. Once you do that, it can create a long day for those guys.”
Context is everything. Smith’s comments were respectful and focused on the Ravens’ defensive approach—not trash talk or disrespect. By omitting the part where he praises Buffalo’s offense and outlines his admiration for key players, the narrative has been twisted beyond recognition.
This says it all:
Ravens LB Roquan Smith says it’s “very simple” to stop the #Bills offense 🤔 okay..#BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/sANaSujf41
— Buffalo Fanatics (@BfloFanatics) January 16, 2025
In theory, anything can be bulletin board material if you have enough push-pins
Here’s the thing: nobody disputes Buffalo’s talent. Smith certainly doesn’t, as his comments show. But social media’s tendency to highlight isolated phrases like “create a long day for those guys” warps what was clearly an even-keeled response.
This isn’t the first time sports fans have stretched logic to create drama—and it won't be the last. Bills supporters want to feel disrespected, even if they have to invent the slight themselves. But taking Smith’s comments out of context does more to highlight their insecurity than anything about Baltimore’s mindset.
Let’s also remember who we’re talking about here. Roquan Smith isn’t shy about throwing shade when he wants to. Just last week, he sent former teammate Patrick Queen and the Steelers packing with a playoff win and a Cabo jab for good measure: “I think my guy ‘PQ’ has the T-shirt he has on. He’ll be in Cabo or somewhere, but he’s still my guy—much love.”
Smith knows how to deliver a verbal dagger. If he wanted to give Buffalo bulletin board material, trust us, there’d be no ambiguity about it.
Bills fans spinning Smith’s thoughtful comments into motivation is grasping at straws. At this stage of the playoffs, there’s no need for fabricated slights. Both teams respect each other and are focused on executing their game plans.
If Buffalo needs to invent reasons to feel disrespected, it’s probably because they’re nervous. Josh Allen and company face the league’s best defense and a Ravens offense that steamrolled the Steelers for nearly 300 rushing yards in the Wild Card round.
Roquan Smith’s full quote doesn’t reflect disrespect—it reflects respect and preparation. Bills fans turning it into bulletin board material are reaching, plain and simple. Come Sunday, the Ravens will show up ready to make Buffalo one-dimensional. And if that leads to a “long day,” it won’t be because of anything Smith said. It’ll be because Baltimore was the better team.