The Ravens are 4-3 entering Week 8’s game in the new Highmark Stadium against the Buffalo Bills after consecutive losses in the AFC North to the Browns and Bengals.
Let’s dive into Baltimore’s tendencies before this clash of former MVPs on Sunday.
Ravens offense
First half vs. second half
The Ravens own the league’s largest disparity between first half and second half efficiency to date this season. In the first two quarters, Baltimore’s EPA per play on offense is third in the NFL (behind the 49ers and Bills). They’ve scored the most first-half
points (118) and have the best point differential in the first half (+65), per Warren Sharp.
In the second half, the script flips completely. Their EPA per play is 29th in football. They’ve scored the the second-fewest second-half points in the league and have the worst point differential after halftime at -70.
This is a trend to keep in mind, one that will be fascinating to monitor throughout this game.
They’ve also struggled mightily on third downs inside their opponents’ 35 yard line to date despite massive success on third downs outside their opponents’ 35 yard line.
Another TE-heavy offense
Much like their last two contests against the Rams and Raiders, the Bills defense will see plenty of multi tight end looks against the Ravens in Week 8. (Clearly this has become a league-wide trend).
Baltimore enters this contest seventh in 12 personnel usage, at 32%. The Ravens are also fifth in 13 personnel utilization at 14%.
Mark Andrews remains the No. 1 tight end. Matthew Hibner and Durham Smythe have played 167 and 126 snaps respectively this season. Even Josh Cuevas as been on the field for 102 snaps.
Lamar Jackson got out to incredible start before injury
In the first four games of the season, the Ravens quarterback completed 70.8% of his passes at a sizable 10.1 yards-per-attempt clip, with six touchdowns and one interception, and he rushed 19 times for 144 yards with a score on the ground too.
At the time, his 80.9% adjusted completion rate was the fifth-highest in the NFL among qualifiers.
It appears Jackson will return this Sunday after missing the past three games, and we won’t know how close to 100% he is. However, the Bills should expect him to be fully operational when he’s on the field.
And he was humming before the ankle injury.
Ravens defense
Baltimore lives in sub-packages
Only the Browns (91.2%), and Seahawks (83.9%) have played a higher percentage of their defensive snaps in a sub-package than the Ravens (80.6%).
And it’s sensible because beyond superstar Kyle Hamilton and former first-rounder Malaki Starks, the Ravens signed Jaylinn Hawkins in free agency.
It’s mostly been Roquan Smith and Trenton Simpson, and the latter has really come on in his fourth season, at linebacker for the Ravens in the first half of the 2026 campaign.
Trey Hendrickson’s unique production
Hendrickson was the big-ticket item the Ravens signed this offseason, snagging him from the division-rival Bengals after the Maxx Crosby fiasco unfolded.
He’s currently seventh in the NFL among qualifying edge rushers in pressure rate, at 16.9% (one spot below Greg Rousseau). Despite that, Hendrickson is 18th in pass-rush win rate %, which is the times at which charting suggests he “won” the rep, regardless of a pressure was ultimately registered on the play.
The 31-year-old rusher still brings it around the corner, and mostly aligns on the right side of the Ravens front, so we’ll get plenty of Hendrickson vs. Dion Dawkins in this contest.
