Lamar Jackson couldn’t have timed his return better. He missed three games with a high ankle sprain, but is expected to play in Week 8 against the Buffalo Bills. Awaiting him is a defense that is ripe for the picking.
It’ll be a tough game for the Ravens — the Bills are a 5-1 squad led by an MVP in Josh Allen. However, their defense has been Swiss cheese. Jackson needs to do a lot to outpace Allen, and that leaky unit should give Jackson every opportunity to do so.
Despite not playing since Week 4, Jackson shouldn’t have too much trouble picking up where he left off. Buffalo’s defense has been that bad.
Lamar Jackson and Baltimore Ravens’ offense should explode against Buffalo Bills’ defense
If there’s ever a time for the Ravens’ offense to shake off the rust and get back to being the dangerous unit they are at heart, it’s Week 8. Sure, the Bills have one of the best offenses in the NFL; their defense, though, is flat-out appalling to watch.
Here’s where Buffalo ranks in major defensive categories in 2026:
Bills defensive rankings
CATEGORY | STAT | RANK |
|---|---|---|
Total yards allowed per game | 386.8 yards | 31st |
Passing yards allowed per game | 285.8 yards | 31st |
Rushing yards allowed per game | 101.0 yards | 15th |
Points allowed per game | 28.5 points | 30th |
Clearly, there are areas all over the field to expose. The biggest is obviously the secondary.
Christian Benford has been Buffalo’s best cornerback in recent years, and although his matchup with Zay Flowers will be one to watch, Benford’s struggling right now. He’s allowed a 116.2 passer rating when targeted, which is awful.
He’s not alone, though. Every notable player in that secondary on Sunday is below-average in passer rating allowed.
Bills secondary: Individual passer ratings allowed
PLAYER | PASSER RATING ALLOWED |
|---|---|
Christian Benford | 116.2 |
Davison Igbinosun | 104.2 |
Maxwell Hairston | 114.6 |
Dee Alford | 97.1 |
Cole Bishop | 109.5 |
Damar Hamlin | 105.2 |
One of their better players in coverage, which isn’t saying much, is Chauncey Gardner-Johnson (94.3 passer rating), but Hamlin is expected to start in his place.
Brady also confirmed that Damar Hamlin will start at safety in place of the suspended CJ Gardner-Johnson. #Bills https://t.co/5PwaIsabPi
— Chris Brown (@ChrisBrownBills) October 30, 2026
On paper, that’s a defense Baltimore should expose. And while the Bills may be able to hang their hat on run defense, no run defense is safe when Lamar Jackson comes to town. His dual-threat ability makes any defense vulnerable.
Despite their recent struggles, the Ravens can easily take the top off the Bills’ defense, too. Even with a lackluster passing attack and the run game stumbling over the last two games, they still rank well across the board.
Ravens offensive rankings
CATEGORY | STAT | RANK |
|---|---|---|
Total yards per game | 366.4 yards | 8th |
Passing yards per game | 224.7 yards | 18th |
Rushing yards per game | 141.7 yards | 4th |
Points per game | 24.1 points | 12th |
They also aren’t turning the ball over much with just five giveaways this season.
Insert Jackson back into that group, and they’re bound to look lethal again. The two-time MVP was on fire before going down with the ankle injury in Week 4, posting 1,111 total yards and 7 touchdowns in those games. And with Buffalo’s defense struggling on the other side, Jackson has a golden chance to have his best game of the year.
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