Buffalo Bills get the last laugh after Roquan Smith's overconfident comments before their Divisional Round playoff clash
The Ravens and the Bills squared off in the Divisional Round of the playoffs in what was truly an epic battle. It was the meeting of MVP front-runners in Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson, of two great ground games in Derrick Henry and the oft-underrated James Cook, and between two defenses tasked with controlling the […]
The Ravens and the Bills squared off in the Divisional Round of the playoffs in what was truly an epic battle. It was the meeting of MVP front-runners in Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson, of two great ground games in Derrick Henry and the oft-underrated James Cook, and between two defenses tasked with controlling the uncontrollable.
Last week, Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith seemed a bit too confident in his team's abilities, saying it would be "simple" to contain Allen and the potent Bills offense.
To be fair, Smith had reason to be confident. The Ravens had the No. 1 rush defense in the league this season, and over the second half of the year, led the league in points allowed and total yards. They were playing at an elite level.
Operative word being "were."
The best defense in the NFL saw the Bills go into halftime with an 11 point lead. Josh Allen and the ground attacks, in particular, took it to the Ravens early. The rush defense that was shutting everyone down this season got pushed around by the Bills offensive line, especially on the final drive before halftime.
That was the drive where it looked like the Bills had what it took to win the game. The offensive line was opening up rushing lanes and winning their individual battles. On that drive, Buffalo effectively and surgically killed nearly three and a half minutes of game clock, capping off the drive with a Josh Allen rushing touchdown and leaving the Ravens next to nothing on the clock.
That drive saw Buffalo rip off runs of 16 and nine yards on their way to a total of 41 rushing yards.
Smith was confident, but as the Bills have proven this season, there's nothing "simple" about slowing down Josh Allen and the offense. They're one of the most balanced, diverse, and creative offenses in the NFL, and have every opportunity to reach their first Super Bowl in 31 years. And all they'll have to do is beat the two-time defending Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs in Arrowhead Stadium in the AFC Championship Game. No big deal.
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.
