Baltimore Ravens top lethargic Buffalo Bills

The more things change, the more seem to stay the same for the visiting Buffalo Bills as they faced the Baltimore Ravens. It was an opening season loss for the Bills, falling to the Ravens 13-7.

First Quarter

In the Ravens' opening drive, the Bills managed to hold them despite an attempt at a hard count to draw the Buffalo defense off-sides. The Ravens had to punt as did the Bills after an uneventful first drive.

During the Raven's second series, the Bills caught a break when a bad snap sent the football into a seemingly unprepared Joe Flacco's chest causing a fumble. Preston Brown recovered the ball at the Baltimore 47-yard-line. Despite the turn over, the Bills were unable to convert on offense and were once again forced to punt.

Late in the first, Baltimore got the first points of the game when Justin Tucker hit a 50-yard field goal. It was 0 – 3 Ravens with :41 seconds left in the first. The Bills got three plays off before the start of the second.

Second Quarter

Sammy Watkins managed to get the Bills' first first down after running out of bounds for following a five yard reception. Tyrod Taylor threw on the next two plays the first was incomplete the second to LeSean McCoy for just four yards. On third and six Taylor got sacked for a loss of four and the Bills were forced to punt again.

The Ravens' came barreling back in the next series. After earning a first down, on third and one, Joe Flacco threw a 66-yard pass to Mike Wallace for the touchdown. With the extra point, (in which Ronald Darby got a penalty for unnecessary roughness) it put Baltimore up 0-10 with about 10 minutes left in the second.

LeSean McCoy had a 16-yard run to start off the next series for the Bills. McCoy followed it up with another 8-yard rush. A couple of short passes to Sammy Watkins and Robert Woods and another run from McCoy followed in the next series of downs. After a loss of 3-yards on a Reggie Bush run play, Taylor connected with Tight End Charles Clay for 33 yards to the Baltimore three yard line. In the next set of downs, it took until the fourth for LeSean McCoy to run it in for the touchdown. With the Dan Carpenter extra point, it made it 7 – 10 Baltimore.

Third Quarter

Buffalo began its second half offsensive series on the ground with two runs from LeSean McCoy before Sammy Waktins made a 19-yard reception to get the Bills past mid field. A Reggie Bush rush and a couple of short receptions from Robert Woods set up a 49-yard field goal for the Bills. Dan Carpenter missed it wide right keeping the score 7 – 10.

Both Baltimore and Buffalo punted it their next possessions. When the Ravens got the ball back for the second time in the quarter, they earned a few first downs but failed to convert after a big Bills stop on fourth and one.

Fourth Quarter

Buffalo's uneventful streak continued into the fourth quarter with another three and out for the Bills. It would then be a back and forth of three and out for the Ravens and Bills. It wasn't until less than six minutes left in the fourth the Ravens put up three more points when Justin Tucker made a 37-yarder. The Bills did get the ball back but couldn't seem to get the offense on track. The Ravens won with a final score of 7 – 13.