The Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens got off to an awkward start because of injuries and other factors early on.
In the end, the Bills (6-1) managed to roll with a 36-10 win over the Ravens (4-4) on Sunday.
Here are Bills Wire's five takeaways from the Week 8 contest:
Game-changing injury
The Ravens suffered an injury on their first play of the game on offense that, not only impacted the outcome of this one, but probably the entire AFC picture.
Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson dropped back to pass and Buffalo pass rusher Greg Rousseau caught Jackson's hand as he attempted to throw the ball. In doing so, Jackson somehow injured his hand on the play as he immediately ran to the sideline and down the tunnel and into the locker room.
Jackson did not return and that
took the wind out of the Ravens' sails right away. Jackson was already previously returning from an ankle injury.
On top of that, following the contest, the Ravens announced Jackson will be sidelined for an extended period.
That's a huge shackup in the AFC. Many considered Baltimore a playoff team.
Ravens QB Lamar Jackson needs surgery on his thumb and is going on injured reserve, coach Jesse Minter told reporters. pic.twitter.com/7sj3Nw7Syb
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) November 1, 2026
Defense shows it can play
It's an interesting breakdown for the Bills on defense. Did they play well and hold the Ravens to 10 points? That's a positive.
But not only did Jackson get hurt, backup QB Tyler Huntley (toe) was quickly hurt as well. Third-string quarterback Joe Fagnano played most of the game and any NFL defense should perform well against a No. 3 QB.
So in the end, the Bills can only play the hand they are dealt. Buffalo's defense handled that well.
Bills offense pushes off sloppy first half
Similar to the defense, it's a weird type of review for the Bills on offense. It was a sloppy first half with some questionable play calls from head coach Joe Brady and a lot of penalties being called against both teams. Buffalo took 10 total penalties for 87 yards.
In the end, 36 points is good, but it felt like the Bills left some meat on the bone.
DJ Moore scores on return
Wide receiver DJ Moore returned from a shoulder injury in this one. It looked like Moore might've gotten banged up again, but he did finish the contest healthy.
Moore's impact was felt. He caught a touchdown pass and had 82 yards receiving. There was even a bit of a trickle down from Moore being on the field as others such as tight end Dalton Kincaid thrived.
Quarterback Josh Allen finished 21-for-34 passing for 289 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Allen scored one on the ground as well.
The bottom line... a weird one
As referenced, it's a difficult one to digest, but the important note: It's following a win.
The Bills beat a team they should have after their starting quarterback went down and it's a conference victory. Such a win might not come in handy in terms of a head-to-head tiebreaker if the Ravens are not in the playoff race later on this year, but it could factor into other potential tiebreakers.
The bottom line, a win that's ugly in moments... is still a win.
This article originally appeared on Bills Wire: 5 takeaways from the Bills' 36-10 win over the Ravens
