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Week 1 is finally here, Bills Mafia! With that comes our weekly confidence polls, and asking Rumblers how they feel about the direction of the Buffalo Bills. Sunday is Buffalo’s home opener, and they’ll face the Baltimore Ravens under the lights of Highmark Stadium to kick off Sunday Night Football on NBC.
Considering how the last game between the Bills and Ravens went, Sunday night should be a real treat for football fans. The stakes were far bigger in January with a date against the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game on the line, but the latest Buffalo-Baltimore bout could prove key in several ways as the season wears on.
Everyone will be watching the quarterback battle between Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson, and how each performs could play into any NFL MVP talk later this season. While championships aren’t won in Week 1, there is an opportunity for a direct leg up against the other in terms of conference seeding. After Sunday, the soonest these teams could meet would be next January during Super Wild Card Weekend, or later.
There’s a lot to look forward to, but with that also comes concern for the Bills’ roster, which has endured a massive amount of injuries before the season even begins. Right now, first-round cornerback Maxwell Hairston is on Injured Reserve, unable to return to the fold until Week 5 at the soonest. Buffalo’s cornerback room is hurting right now, with Christian Benford and Tre’Davious White both dealing with groin injuries.
Also on the latest injury report is kicker Tyler Bass and wide receiver Keon Coleman. They, too, are dealing with groin injuries. None have been ruled out, but the injury reports will demand close attention later this week. In positive developments, wide receivers Khalil Shakir and Curtis Samuel were both full participants during Wednesday’s practice session.
With just preseason action to go off of and almost nothing to glean from Buffalo’s starting units, it’s anyone’s guess as to how things will look on Sunday night. Where does that leave you? Are you confident in the direction of this team, only days before their quest to finally make it back to the Super Bowl?
Vote now!