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Game 6: Bills vs. Ravens
The Bills finally broke into the win column last week at home against the winless Dolphins. Now they will try to get the job done on the road. They travel to Baltimore to play the Ravens who are coming off their bye. These teams are similar as they both have weak offenses but solid defenses. The Ravens offense will be a bit weaker this week as all-world running back Jamal Lewis is sitting this one out because of a league suspension.
FACTS AND FIGURES
| Matchup: |
Buffalo (1-4) vs. Baltimore (3-2) |
| Place: |
M&T Bank Stadium |
| Television: |
CBS |
| Announcers: |
Ian Eagle and Solomon Wilcots |
| Spread: |
Ravens by 6 |
| Series: |
Bills lead 1-0 |
| Last Meeting: |
Bills 13-10 in Baltimore (1999) |
| Ravens Off: |
Rush (2nd); Pass (32nd); overall (30th) |
| Ravens Def: |
Rush (11th); Pass (7th); overall (6th) |
| Bills Offense: |
Rush (21st); Pass (25th); overall (27th) |
| Bills Defense: |
Rush (5th); Pass (14th); overall (8th) |
INJURY UPDATE
The Bills are getting healthier as they suffered no significant injuries against the Dolphins. Troy Vincent most likely remains out with his knee injury as does Trey Teague who fractured a bone in his leg. Jonas Jennings and Travis Henry should be back in the lineup for the Bills this week. Lawyer Milloy also hopes to return but will likely be a gametime decision. J.P. Losman remains out with a broken leg.
The Ravens will likely be without their starting TE Todd Heap once again. He has been out for several weeks with an ankle injury and began practicing this week but most likely will not be ready to return to the lineup. WR Travis Taylor has a groin injury that makes him questionable for the game.
 Bills Daily Injury Page
KEY MATCHUPS
RT Mike Williams vs. OLB Terrell Suggs:
Suggs leads the Ravens pass rush with five sacks. Williams is coming off a great day of pass protection last week as he helped keep Jason Taylor at bay. His game has come on of late and he needs to be able to keep Suggs off of Drew Bledsoe.
DE Aaron Schobel vs. LT Jonathan Ogden:
This could be a classic matchup. Schobel has been on fire the last two weeks and is playing great football. Ogden is one of the premier left tackles in the game. This matchup in the trenches will be one to watch for sure.
DT Sam Adams vs. RB Chester Taylor:
The Bills get a break with the absence of Jamal Lewis but Taylor is a very capable back. Adams, if he even starts, will be looking for blood after he was benched last week.
WR Eric Moulds vs. CB Gary Baxter:
Moulds is having a good season and with absence of Jamal Lewis, he becomes the best offensive player on the field for either team. He needs to beat Baxter, that could give the Bills enough offense to win.
RB Travis Henry vs. LB Ray Lewis:
Henry is expected back after sitting last week. He will be looking to prove that he should remain the starter but will have a tough go of it against one of the best middle linebackers to ever play the game in Lewis.
K Rian Lindell vs. K Matt Stover:
Stover has been the offensive MVP for the Ravens as he is a perfect 7 for 7 on field goals. Lindell kicked well last week. This game may come down to which kicker has the better game.
GAME PLAN
When The Bills Have The Ball: There is little weakness to the Ravens defense, but the run defense is slightly behind the pass coverage. Look for the Bills to try to run the ball a lot but still take their shots downfield to try and loosen up the very good defense. This may open up plays for Moulds over the middle.
When The Ravens Have The Ball: Even without Jamal Lewis, this is a running football team. They will not deviate from their gameplan because they can't. They have no passing game with Kyle Boller at the controls. Look for a healthy dose of Chester Taylor who can have a big day if the Bills aren't careful.
BILLS DAILY PREDICTION
This game may be similar to last week's win since it promises to be a defensive struggle. The Ravens are a better team than Miami and are confident they can win down the stretch. They make less mistakes than the Bills do and that gives them an advantage in a tight game. Plus, the Bills on the road is never a good bet. They will battle to the end but with a familiar final score:
Ravens 13, Bills 10
Season Prediction Record: (3-2)
Season Record Against The Spread: (1-4)
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