The Baltimore Ravens visit the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium in Week 8, with the Ravens needing to stop a two-game skid against a 5-1 team. The opening is Buffalo's pass defense, which gives up nearly 299 yards a game through the air. Baltimore has scored just 13 and 10 points in its last two games, so it needs that opening badly.

The Matchup

Ravens: 4-3 (1-2 home, 3-1 road)
Bills: 5-1 (2-1 home, 3-0 road)
Venue: Highmark Stadium, Orchard Park, NY
Kickoff: Sunday, Nov. 1, 1:00 p.m. ET (18:00 UTC)
TV: CBS
Line: BUF -3, O/U 54.5

Baltimore Ravens at Buffalo Bills tickets
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What Decides It

Baltimore's passing game draws a favorable matchup against Buffalo's secondary. The Bills concede nearly 57 more passing yards a game than the Ravens usually throw for. In plain terms, an ordinary Baltimore passing day would still fall short of what this defense typically allows.

Lamar Jackson has been efficient, with 6 touchdowns and 1 interception, and Zay Flowers leads the team in receiving. Buffalo's back end is also thinned: safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson is suspended and cornerback Dee Alford is questionable with an ankle injury. The Bills have allowed 30 and 34 points in their last two games, both narrow road wins.

The Ravens have been better away from home than in front of their own crowd. Baltimore is 3-1 on the road and 1-2 at home. The most recent road trip was a 13-10 loss, but the one before it was a 30-23 overtime win.

Home field has not been a fortress for Buffalo either. The Bills are unbeaten on the road but 2-1 at Highmark, with a 29-26 loss there on Oct. 4. Baltimore's latest result, a 35-13 home loss, is the worry, not the travel.

Buffalo's passing game could be short its leading receiver. Dalton Kincaid, the team's leading receiver with 23 catches for 315 yards, is questionable with a chest injury. Wide receiver DJ Moore is also questionable with an AC joint shoulder injury.

If either sits, more weight falls on James Cook III and a ground game averaging nearly 149 yards. That runs into a Ravens defense allowing about 97 rushing yards a game, and something has to give: Buffalo runs for about 52 more yards a game than Baltimore usually allows.

Players to Watch

Baltimore Ravens

Passing: Lamar Jackson – 68-96, 967 YDS, 6-1 (TD-INT)
Rushing: Derrick Henry – 147 ATT, 579 YDS, 7 TD
Receiving: Zay Flowers – 40 REC, 608 YDS, 3 TD

Flowers is the matchup to watch against a banged-up Buffalo secondary. Henry has found the end zone 7 times on the ground.

Buffalo Bills

Passing: Josh Allen – 114-171, 1504 YDS, 9-4 (TD-INT)
Rushing: James Cook III – 117 ATT, 627 YDS, 6 TD
Receiving: Dalton Kincaid – 23 REC, 315 YDS, 1 TD

Allen drives an offense scoring nearly 33 points a game. Cook has out-gained Henry on 30 fewer carries.

Injury Report

BUF C.J. Gardner-Johnson (S): Suspension
BUF Dee Alford (CB): Questionable – Ankle
BUF Greg Gaines (DT): Questionable – Calf
BUF Dalton Kincaid (TE): Questionable – Chest
BUF DJ Moore (WR): Questionable – Shoulder, AC Joint
BAL Adam Randall (RB): Injured Reserve – Neck
BAL Jaylinn Hawkins (S): Out – Knee
BAL Olaivavega Ioane (G): Out – Knee, MCL
BAL T.J. Tampa (CB): Injured Reserve – Knee
BAL Tavius Robinson (LB): Injured Reserve – Pectoral

Prediction

Bills 30, Ravens 24. Baltimore should move the ball through the air against this secondary and keep it close. But Buffalo scores more than 8 points a game more than Baltimore, and the Ravens' offense has stalled in consecutive weeks. The Bills cover the 3 in a game that lands right around the total.