Bills' chase for No. 1 seed takes potential blow before Ravens vs Chargers MNF matchup
All eyes are on the hunt for the AFC No. 1 seed for the Buffalo Bills, who exit their bye week just one game back of the Chiefs in the standings and with a monumental lead in the division. Shockingly, the Carolina Panthers took the Chiefs to the wire and almost pulled off the biggest […]
All eyes are on the hunt for the AFC No. 1 seed for the Buffalo Bills, who exit their bye week just one game back of the Chiefs in the standings and with a monumental lead in the division. Shockingly, the Carolina Panthers took the Chiefs to the wire and almost pulled off the biggest upset of the season, in what would have been incredible news for Buffalo, but it wasn't to be.
Bills fans can't just look up at the Kansas City Chiefs after beating them two weeks ago. They also need to keep a close eye on their rearview mirror. The Baltimore Ravens, who are well in the hunt as well, have a crucial Monday Night Football matchup with a tough Los Angeles Chargers team in a Harbaugh family reunion, and Baltimore is set to be without one of their star players. Linebacker Roquan Smith is likely to miss his first game for the Ravens since he joined the team. But it's not the Ravens that Bills fans should be rooting against.
Smith is one of the best linebackers in the league. A hard-hitting defender that can fly to the ball, he currently sits at third in the NFL with 110 tackles. Smith also has a forced fumble and an interception to his name this season as well.
The Chargers are a team based on old school philosophies that are embodied by their head coach, ideologies shared by both brothers, and therefor, both teams. Play great defense, run the ball, hit explosive plays. There's no denying that Smith is crucial to setting that tone for the Baltimore defense.
Smith missing Monday night's game would be huge for the Chargers ground game. J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards, both gearing up against their former team, should see a heavy dose of opportunities to make their presence felt, freeing up quarterback Justin Herbert to hit play action opportunities down the field.
For Buffalo, the rooting interest in Monday night's game should be for the Ravens. The Chargers currently sit at 7-3, with the Ravens at 7-4. A Chargers win would put them just one game behind the Bills, and in the same division as the Chiefs, they still have one more matchup with Kansas City on the schedule. The Chargers have a better chance than anybody at overtaking the Chiefs, since their head-to-head matchup will help them control their own destiny.
Bills fans should be pulling for a Smith-less Ravens team to pull out a victory on Monday night.
Follow along all year for more Buffalo Bills coverage on A to Z Sports. You can find me on Bluesky @jonhelmkamp.bsky.social, and make sure to follow our main page @AtoZSports.bsky.social for all the latest news.
