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| ARI at WAS | ATL at NO | BAL at BUF | CHI at PHI | IND at JAX | KC at OAK | MIN at DAL | NE at MIA |
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Week 7 Game Recap: Baltimore Ravens 14, Buffalo Bills 19
What you need to know
| Baltimore Ravens |
Baltimore entered the contest on a two game win streak, but started out flat. The Ravens ran only nine plays on their first four possessions and gained only 31 yards. Baltimore accomplished little offensively for most of the first half. Their final two drives of the opening half both entered Buffalo territory, but stalled and yielded no points.
The Ravens defense did a good job of keeping the Bills out of the end zone and held Buffalo to three first half field goals. Although he was effective, Baltimore held Marshawn Lynch under 100 rushing yards. The Ravens defense has not allowed a 100 yard rusher yet this season.
Willis McGahee found very little running room and was hit frequently while still in the backfield until late in the half, when he broke off runs of seven and 18 yards that sandwiched the two minute warning. McGahee finally got the Ravens on the scoreboard with a 46 yard touchdown burst on the opening drive of the second half. On the play, McGahee broke into the secondary and punctuated the run with a wicked stiff arm that cleared him a wide open path to the end zone.
Steve McNair dressed for the game, but was rested in hopes of getting him healthy after the upcoming bye week. Kyle Boller started instead and had an uneven game. While Boller threw some impressive darts, he also threw too many passes that were off the mark. Boller completed his first eight passes after halftime, but hit on only six of fourteen for the remainder of the game. Boller was unable to step up and lead the offense to a score with the game on the line.
| Buffalo Bills |
Buffalo dominated the game early. The Bills put together two strong drives that resulted in short Rian Lindell field goals, then forced a fumble and added a third field goal. The 9-0 lead would hold up for the rest of the first half. When Baltimore opened the second half with a touchdown drive, the Bills answered with another Lindell field goal. The defense then held the Ravens to a three and out and the offense drove for its only touchdown of the game. Trent Edwards hit Lee Evans for a 54 yard completion on the longest play of the season for the Bills. The play put Buffalo deep into Raven territory and helped set up Marshawn Lynch's one yard touchdown run.
Buffalo was able to hold onto the lead for their second win of the season. The Bills defense, which has been decimated by injuries, played much better than its second to last ranking. Baltimore's offense was stifled for much of the game and managed only 14 points.
Rookie Trent Edwards remained the starting quarterback despite the improving health of J.P. Losman. Edwards has done a good job so far. He did not have a great game against Baltimore, but played well enough to win and is now 2-1 as the starter. Edwards entered the game ranked third among NFL quarterbacks with a 69.6 completion percentage. He completed just over 50 percent of his passes in this game, but was composed and generally made good decisions. He made one costly mistake by trying to force a pass to Lee Evans on a slant route deep in Buffalo territory. Samari Rolle jumped the route and picked off the pass.
The Bills ran the no huddle offense throughout most of the game in an effort to keep the Baltimore defense off balance. Edwards was entrusted to the task and had no difficulties. Buffalo's version of the no-huddle also helped them to control the clock. The Bills controlled the ball for better than 18 minutes of the first half and for almost 31:26 in the game.
Rookie running back Marshawn Lynch continues to be productive. Lynch helped to control the clock and keep the chains moving. He gained 84 yards on 27 attempts and scored his fourth rushing touchdown of the season.
The Bills have a plus five turnover margin on the season.
What you ought to know
| QB Kyle Boller, Pass: 21 - 36 - 191 - 1 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 1 - 7 - 0 (1 targets) |
Boller started for Steve McNair, who is less than 100 percent. Boller completed 58 percent of his passes and threw a touchdown to Derrick Mason. Boller had an up and down game. He was seven for 14 in the first half, when the Ravens were shut out. Boller started the second half strongly; he completed his first eight passes after halftime. However, Boller finished only six for his last 14 passes and was unable to get Baltimore into the end zone in crunch time. Boller's best moments came on passes requiring him to display his arm strength. His fifteen yard laser to Derrick Mason threaded its way through three defenders and into the end zone. Boller also threw a strike to Demetrius Williams to convert a fourth and ten into a first down. Another pretty throw was a perfect pass to Derrick Mason for a 27 yard gain on a third down and 11 play.
However, Boller had his share of throws that were off target. Boller displayed a tendency to rush throws without setting his feet. One example is his rushed pass attempt to Musa Smith on a fourth and short play that sailed wide and sealed the Ravens' fate. Boller scrambled once and picked up seven yards on a third down and six play. He was also targeted in the end zone on a trick play. Mark Clayton took an end around handoff from Boller. Clayton then threw attempted to hit Boller for a touchdown. Boller came very close to catching the ball; however, it sailed just off his fingertips.
| QB Steve McNair |
McNair stayed on the bench during the game. He is expected to return as starting quarterback after the Ravens' bye.
| RB Willis McGahee, Rush: 19 - 114 - 1, Rec: 2 - 1 - 0 (3 targets) |
McGahee was swarmed by the Buffalo defense and had little room to run early in the contest. McGahee started to get on track in the second quarter. 39 of his 40 first half yards came in the second quarter. McGahee kept the momentum rolling in the second half. His 46 yard burst on the opening possession of the second half got Baltimore on the board. On the play, McGahee flattened the safety with a textbook stiff-arm and was off to the races. McGahee left the game to get an IV during the second half, but was able to return.
McGahee caught two passes, but gained only one yard.
| RB Mike Anderson, Rush: 3 - 0 - 0, Rec: 1 - 2 - 0 (1 targets) |
Anderson relieved Willis McGahee, who went to the locker room to get an IV, in the second half. In three carries, he gained zero net yards and had a long run of two yards. Anderson caught his only target for a two yard gain.
| RB Musa Smith, Rush: 1 - 6 - 0 (1 targets) |
Smith gained six yards on his only touch. He was targeted and was open on a fourth and one play at the end of the game, but Boller led him too much.
| WR Derrick Mason, Rec: 7 - 78 - 1 (12 targets) |
Mason led the NFL with 49 receptions coming into the game. He was targeted a game high 12 times and added seven more receptions to his total. Mason caught a 15 yard touchdown pass in heavy traffic. He also hauled in a perfectly thrown pass from Boller for 27 yards. On the play, Mason initially bobbled the pass, but gained control and concentrated to hold on, despite taking a vicious hit. Mason almost made a nice catch on a high pass from Boller early in the game. He was able to get one hand on the ball, but couldn't quite reel it in.
| WR Mark Clayton, Pass: 0 - 1 - 0 - 0 TD / 0 INT, Rec: 5 - 49 - 0 (8 targets) |
Clayton was second on the team with five receptions for 49 yards. His long gain was a 26 yard strike from Boller. Otherwise, he caught passes for modest gains.
Clayton took a handoff on an apparent end around, but instead attempted a pass and missed by a whisker of throwing a touchdown pass to Kyle Boller
| WR Devard Darling, Rec: 1 - 10 - 0 (2 targets) |
Darling caught his third career pass. It was his first reception of the season and his first catch in more than three years.
| WR Demetrius Williams, Rec: 1 - 18 - 0 (4 targets) |
All of Williams' targets came in the second half. His only reception went for 18 yards to convert a fourth and ten play.
| TE Quinn Sypniewski, Rec: 4 - 33 - 0 (5 targets) |
Sypniewski saw increased action due to injuries to Todd Heap and Daniel Wilcox. Sypniewski caught four of his five targets for 33 yards. However, he dropped the other target and lost a fumble in the first half.
| TE Todd Heap |
Heap missed the game with a hamstring injury.
| TE Daniel Wilcox |
Wilcox missed the game with a foot injury.
| PK Matt Stover 0 - 0 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 2 points |
Stover had no field goal attempts. He converted both of his extra point tries.
| BAL Rush Defense |
Marshawn Lynch had some success against the Raven run defense. Lynch rushed for 84 yards on 27 attempts and ripped of runs of 13 and 23 yards. Lynch's one yard touchdown was the second rushing touchdown allowed this season by Baltimore. No opposing running back has run for 100 yards against Baltimore this year. Ray Lewis led the unit with eight solo tackles and five assists.
| BAL Pass Defense |
The Ravens held the Bills to 139 passing yards. However, Baltimore was guilty of frequent penalties, including being drawn offside five times and getting called for two pass interference penalties for 37 total yards. Trent Edwards found Lee Evans was wide open on a deep post for a 54 yard gain, Buffalo's longest play of the season.
Corey Ivy had seven solo tackles. Terrell Suggs and Dwan Edwards each had sacks. Edwards' sack was the first of his career. Samari Rolle had a big interception in Buffalo territory that set up the Ravens' second touchdown.
| QB Trent Edwards, Pass: 11 - 21 - 153 - 0 TD / 1 INT |
Although J.P. Losman is healthy enough to play, Edwards was given his third straight start. He did not have a great outing, but did a mostly good job orchestrating Buffalo's no huddle offense in this game. Edwards displays remarkable composure for a rookie. He rarely tries to force passes into coverage and shows a willingness to throw the ball away if his receivers are not open. Two of Edwards' passes were tipped at the line of scrimmage. Edwards threw one interception, when he uncharacteristically tried to force a pass to Lee Evans on a slant route. Samari Rolle read the play and beat Evans to the spot.
Edwards tried to use a hard count to draw the Ravens offside and was successful on five occasions. Edwards is now 2-1 as a starter and has played well enough to have the opportunity to continue in that roll.
| QB J.P. Losman |
Losman is healthy enough to play, but was the number two quarterback for the game.
| RB Marshawn Lynch, Rush: 27 - 84 - 1, Rec: 3 - 14 - 0 (3 targets) |
Lynch averaged only 3.1 yards on his 27 attempts, but his impact against a tough Raven defense was important. Lynch helped Buffalo keep the Baltimore offense off the field and scored the Bills' only touchdown. Lynch is a tough runner who is hard to bring down on the first hit. Most of Lynch's runs resulted in modest gains. However, he did reel off impressive runs of 13 and 23 yards.
Lynch caught all three of his targets.
| RB Anthony Thomas, Rush: 3 - 9 - 0 |
Thomas had three rushing attempts. His best run netted seven yards off left tackle. Thomas also had a four yard run negated by a penalty.
| RB Dwayne Wright, Rush: 3 - 10 - 0 |
Wright gained three, four, and three yards on his three attempts.
| WR Lee Evans, Rec: 5 - 98 - 0 (8 targets) |
Evans entered the game with only 12 catches for 113 yards. He had his best game of the season with five grabs for 98 yards. Evans was wide open on a deep post pattern that netted 54 yards. He bobbled the ball, but was able to corral it for the Bills' longest gain of the season. Evans still does not have a touchdown reception this season.
| WR Josh Reed, Rec: 1 - 25 - 0 (4 targets) |
Reed's only reception went for a 25 yard gain. He was targeted in the end zone, but the pass was too high. The play drew a pass interference penalty, however. Reed also dropped a pass he could have caught. Instead, it looked like he was attempting to play volleyball with the pass.
| WR Roscoe Parrish, Rec: 1 - 9 - 0 (2 targets) |
Parrish was the Bills' leading receiver entering the game. He was targeted only twice and caught only one pass for a nine yard gain. The other target was a deep attempt; the ball went off of Parrish's fingertips, but drew a pass interference penalty.
Parrish averaged 14 yards on four punt returns.
| WR Peerless Price (1 targets) |
Price missed the game with an injury.
| TE Michael Gaines, Rec: 1 - 7 - 0 (3 targets) |
Gaines caught one pass for a seven yard gain. Gaines was open for a first down, but dropped the pass on Buffalo's first play from scrimmage. Gaines was also guilty of a false start penalty.
| TE Robert Royal (2 targets) |
Royal did not have any receptions.
| PK Rian Lindell 4 - 4 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 13 points |
Lindell was perfect on the day. He nailed field goals of 29, 26, 35, and 41 yards plus his only extra point try. Lindell has hit 26 consecutive field goal tries of less than 40 yards.
| BUF Rush Defense |
The Bills defense allowed Baltimore to rush for 127 yards. However, 46 of those came on Willis McGahee's touchdown run. Buffalo was especially effective early in the game, when Baltimore struggled to do much of anything on offense. Early on, McGahee found running room scarce as the Buffalo defense frequently penetrated into the Baltimore backfield. Angelo Crowell led the Buffalo linebackers with six tackles, three assists, and a forced fumble. John DiGiorgio contributed four tackles, an assist, a half sack, and a fumble recovery.
| BUF Pass Defense |
Kyle Boller passed for 191 yards against the Buffalo defense. Boller averaged only 5.3 yards per attempt, but did throw for one touchdown. Early in the game, the Ravens were able to do nothing as the Bills shut them out for the first half. After Baltimore had closed to within a touchdown, the Buffalo unit stiffened and held the lead. Terrence McGee led the unit with eight solo tackles. Donte Whitner had six solo tackles and two assists. Anthony Hargrove shared a sack with DiGiorgio. Chris Kelsay missed a large portion of the game after injuring his ankle.
