Bills-Ravens Preview & Prediction: What's Vegas saying? Weather, injuries, storylines

Finally.

The moment we’ve all been waiting for.

The Buffalo Bills kick off their 2025 regular season with a titanic matchup, a rematch of last year’s Divisional round meeting between Buffalo and its conference rival, the Baltimore Ravens.

When and Where

Buffalo and Baltimore will lock horns on NBC’s Sunday Night Football at 8:20 p.m. ET on Sunday night, with the winner of the early-season blockbuster earning an early leg up in the race for the coveted No. 1 seed.

Sunday’s game will be the final season opener hosted in the current Highmark Stadium, with the Bills’ new digs set to open in time for the 2026 campaign. Plenty of pomp and circumstance surrounds this game, from the matchup itself to the significance of a farewell season within a stadium that has played host to so many great memories for Buffalo football fans.

Bills fans — Children scream out Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott’s name trying to get him to come over and sign autographs during the Return of the Blue & Red practice | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

What’s Vegas Saying?

The Bills began the week as 1.5-point favorites, per FanDuel sports book. But they have since shifted to 1.5-point underdogs leading into this weekend’s contest. Buffalo met the Ravens twice during the 2024 season, with Buffalo calling 35-10 in a Week 4 blowout before earning a 27-25 revenge win during the playoffs. Sunday will serve as a temporary rubber match, but something tells me we have not seen the last of this matchup this season.

Weather Report

It’s expected to be perfect football weather when these two teams take the field in Orchard Park, with temperatures forecasted to be in the high-40s to mid-50s at kickoff. Conditions are expected to be optimal, with 5-10 mph WSW winds and a 3% chance of precipitation.

With the smell of tailgating goodies in the air, the sights and sounds of the stadium and two great teams set to square off, the question is: Where else would you rather be?

Before completing your game day prep, let’s dive a little bit deeper into this matchup:

Lamar Jackson Damar Hamlin — Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin grabs a hold of Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson’s leg and sacks him causing a fumble that Bills Von Miller picked up during divisional game in Orchard Park on Jan. 19, 2025. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Bills’ Injuries

Leading into Sunday’s game, the Bills placed kicker Tyler Bass on injured reserve with groin and hip injuries, which likely means 41-year-old practice squad K Matt Prater is set to take over kicking duties against the Ravens. Prater will become the oldest player to ever play for the Bills, surpassing former Buffalo quarterback Bill Munson, who played for the Bills at 38 years old during the 1979 season.

Prater has limited experience playing inside Highmark Stadium, where swirling winds often make it difficult for punters and kickers. In his career, Prater has visited the Bills three times. He is a perfect 5 for 5 on extra points and 2 for 3 on field goal attempts inside Highmark Stadium. Both of his made field goals in Orchard Park came in the 2024 season opener, when he drilled kicks from 29 and 31 yards. He missed a 48-yard attempt during a 2018 meeting.

Before sustaining a season-ending meniscus injury in Week 4, Prater was a perfect 6 for 6 on field goal attempts last season, including four successful attempts from 40-plus yards, one of which came from 50-plus.

Due to his placement on IR, Bass will be forced to miss the first four games of the season, so it appears as if it will be Prater for at least the short term.

While Bass has been declared out, the only other Bills player with an injury designation entering this game is cornerback Tre’Davious White, who has been listed as doubtful due to a groin injury. Since Sean McDermott became the Bills’ head coach in 2017, a player listed as doubtful entering a contest has never suited up to play in that game. If the Bills are without White on Sunday, it will likely be rookie CB Dorian Strong or Ja’Marcus Ingram earning the start in the veteran’s stead.

Ravens’ Injuries

On the Ravens’ side, tight end Isaiah Likely (foot) and fullback Patrick Ricard (calf) have both been listed as out, leaving two significant holes on Baltimore’s offense. Likely led the Ravens in receiving yards and scored a touchdown during last season’s Divisional Round defeat at the hands of the Bills, while Ricard is one of the most important run blockers. Without both players, Charlie Kolar may see increased playing time as both a tight end and in some of the lead-blocking situations in which Baltimore typically deploys Ricard.

Coaching Matchup

Bills head coach and Ravens head coach John Harbaugh have faced off four times in their career, with Harbaugh winning three of four regular-season meetings, and McDermott winning both career postseason matchups.

McDermott has a superior career winning percentage of 64.1%, while Harbaugh's mark sits at 61.7% entering the Week 1 matchup. Both coaches have guided their teams to conference championship matchups in recent seasons, with McDermott doing so in 2024 and 2020 and Harbaugh doing so in 2023. Harbaugh also helped Baltimore to the AFC title game during the 2011 and 2012 seasons, winning a Super Bowl in 2012.

Top Storyline

Clearly, the most significant talking point entering this game is the matchup between two MVP-winning quarterbacks — Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson.

Allen is 1-3 against the Jackson-led Ravens during his regular-season career, while the Buffalo QB is 2-0 against the Baltimore signal caller during the postseason.

In his four regular-season matchups with the Ravens, Allen has not necessarily played his best football. During those meetings, Allen has completed just 48.74% of his passes, thrown for just two touchdowns and been sacked 13 times. He has been relatively effective as a runner, compiling a 5.73 yards per carry average, scoring once.

Jackson has been phenomenal during the two teams’ four regular-season meetings, completing 65.79% of his passes, including six touchdown passes, while being sacked only five times. He has also been impactful while carrying the ball, totaling a 5.89 yards per carry average and a touchdown.

Both teams have added pieces this offseason, but this one will likely come down to which quarterback can remain efficient and guide his team effectively over the course of 60 minutes.

Player to Watch

Since entering the league as a second-round pick, Cole Bishop has struggled to find his footing as the starting-caliber player he was expected to be when selected in the 2024 NFL Draft. Injuries have played a role in his story. But even while on the field and healthy, Bishop has found it challenging to keep up in the back end of Buffalo’s defense.

Coverage has been an issue for Bishop over his first season and change, and whether or not he can remain reliable on the team’s last line of defense in the secondary will be something to watch, beginning this week.

One thing that will potentially play in Bishop’s favor this week is the fact that he spent ample time filling a starting role in both matchups against Baltimore a year ago. However, in both of those games, fellow safety Taylor Rapp was injured, which has prevented Bishop from gaining much-needed time on task with his current running mate.

How quickly Bishop and Rapp can build a rapport this season will play a significant role in the team’s ability to slow opposing passing games.

Prediction

This game is going to be a close one. With injuries impacting both teams, expect an even matchup for 60 minutes. But at the end of the day, I think the Ravens just have too much for the Bills to handle, whether it be Baltimore's explosive offensive firepower or elite defense. I'm taking the Ravens here.

Baltimore 27, Buffalo 24

— Enjoy free coverage of the Bills from Buffalo Bills on SI —

More Buffalo Bills News:

Buffalo legend Thurman Thomas, Carhartt honor men and women of Bills' new stadium

Bills make two pregame moves, preparing roster for SNF showdown vs. Ravens

3 intriguing Buffalo Bills' player propositions for 2025 NFL regular season

James Cook receives ultimate compliment from retired Bills' HOF running back

HBO delivers highly disappointing 'Hard Knocks' season finale starring Buffalo Bills