Ravens’ first-play touchdown vs. Bills was talked about all week

The Ravens coaching staff caught the Bills lacking and made them pay with an 87-yard touchdown on their first play.

The Ravens entered Week 4 prepared against the Buffalo Bills. Not just on a macro-level, facing one of the best teams in the NFL with all eyes on them in prime time, but also at a singular play, strategic level.

According to multiple players, the Ravens prepared to counter-punch the Bills’ defense if they showed a specific front. A front they hoped and expected the Bills to use on the first play.

“We all knew that was going to be the first play call,” center Tyler Linderbaum said. “If we got the look, we’re going to run it. If we didn’t, we’re going to can it. We got the look and I think everyone did a good job of blocking their guy and then Derrick made a guy miss out of the gate.”

“Yeah, just watching film and just reading the front, [we] kind of knew what the defense would do,” Lamar Jackson said.

Their preparation paid off. The Bills aligned how they expected and the result was running back Derrick Henry setting a franchise-record for the longest run in Ravens history: an 87-yard touchdown.

Key blocks were crucial on the play. The Ravens needed fullback Patrick Ricard to make a Wham-block on three-technique Ed Oliver, who rushes past right guard Faalele—whose assignment is to block the nose tackle. Ricard was the first of multiple key blocks to spring Henry.

“I had the block of kicking out the 3-technique and [we] had the right look and I made sure I was low to hit him and all the other blocks were great,” Ricard said. “Roger [Rosengarten] kicked out the end and Mark [Andrews] went up on the backer or safety, whatever it was and Derrick [Henry] just saw the lane and just hit it.”

Right tackle Roger Rosengarten sealed the outside defensive end Greg Rousseau, center Tyler Linderbaum got to the second level to block linebacker Dorian Williams and the final block was up to tight end Mark Andrews, who engaged safety Taylor Rapp, who came hauling downfield. All that was left was for Henry to foot-race the remaining Bills defenders. He exploded for 21.29 miles per hour as a 6-foot-2, 247-pound running back.

All week, teammates were excited about the play’s potential. Teammates were hyping up Henry.

“I felt pretty good about that play all week,” Henry said. “Justice [Hill] and everybody in the room was talking about how that play has always been successful since they’ve been here. It’s always been explosive. So, I was anticipating it but they did a great job. The O-line, receivers did a great job, tight ends blocking and I just had to make one cut and get to the end zone.”

The first play’s execution was the first of many in a game-long coaching masterclass of the Ravens trouncing the Bills, 35-10. The offense overwhelmed the Bills’ defense and had no answers for the Ravens, who finished with over 400 net yards of offense, with 271 of those yards coming from their rushing attack.