The Buffalo Bills visit the Baltimore Ravens to open their 2018 NFL campaign with a little different feeling. Last season, the Bills ended a 17-year drought of missing the playoffs. Buffalo bowed out to the Jaguars 10-3 in the Wild Card game, but have renewed hope. The Bills moved up to take Josh Allen with the 7th pick of the draft but he'll serve as the backup to Nathan Peterman and learn from the sideline. Most likely you'll see a lot of LeSean McCoy who has been the workhorse for the Bills for the past three seasons. He has averaged 4.6 yards per carry in Buffalo leading the team to 6th overall in the run game. It's the passing game where the Bills have been deficient: Peterman took over for Tyrod Taylor after Taylor was hurt in week 13. In the five games Peterman played, he completed an average of fewer than five passes per game. That put Buffalo 31st in total passing for the season, which -- coupled with being 29th in total defense -- shows why they had to squeak into the playoffs.
How To Watch
Where: Baltimore, Maryland
Start time: Sunday, Sept. 6, 1 p.m. ET
TV Network: CBS
Stream Online: Watch live with fuboTV
The Ravens, meanwhile, are hoping Joe Flacco can return to his playoff form. Baltimore has missed the playoffs three years in a row, leaving coach John Harbaugh's job in jeopardy. Flacco averaged fewer than six yards per pass attempt and threw only 18 touchdowns last year, which was his fewest total in a full season since his rookie year in 2008. To light a fire under Flacco the Ravens drafted Lamar Jackson, who was one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in college football, and they've added former Robert Griffin III to the mix. Flacco will have a new bunch of receivers to throw to, adding Michael Crabtree, John Brown, and Willie Snead to the Ravens offense. The Ravens also believe in their run game, which ranked eleventh in the league last season, thanks to rising star Alex Collins.
