The NFL wasted no time giving us one of the most highly anticipated showdowns of the upcoming campaign. Reigning MVP Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills host runner-up for the prestigious accolade (and previous two-time winner), Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens. Even if it's only Week 1, this is a clash of titans with massive implications.
Given the circumstances, it will be an all-hands-on-deck affair at Buffalo's Highmark Stadium. However, the Ravens are reportedly expected to be without tight end Isaiah Likely, who's still recovering from an offseason foot fracture that required surgery. His absence is a brutal blow for Baltimore, and conversely, it could swing the conference playoff pendulum in the Bills' favor come January.
Ravens TE Isaiah Likely's Week 1 absence gives Bills prime opportunity to gain upper hand in AFC
Yes, Likely is stuck behind longtime Ravens seam-stretcher Mark Andrews. Nevertheless, he's not your average backup, as the Chiefs and Bills each experienced firsthand in 2024. The 2022 fourth-round pick torched Kansas City in last year's regular-season opener, hauling in nine of his 12 targets for 111 yards and a touchdown. Then, we saw him record a 4-73-1 stat line in Baltimore's gut-wrenching Divisional Round loss in Buffalo.
Likely was the only Ravens pass-catcher to assert himself in either contest versus the Chiefs or Buffalo. He nearly willed Baltimore to a victory over Kansas City in the second half. The 25-year-old was an inch away from tying the match with a heroic toe-tapping grab at the end of regulation! Bills Mafia should feel relieved about him not taking the field.
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh has publicly said he wants to see Likely earn All-Pro honors, regardless of Andrews' presence. Coachspeak aside, that speaks to his ability to single-handedly impact Baltimore's chances of prevailing. Nonetheless, the team is stepping into the lion's den of Buffalo sans him.
Not having Likely as a big-play threat to take the top off the Buffalo's defense makes it easier to focus on Baltimore's dynamic rushing attack. Jackson and star running back Derrick Henry will get theirs, though this makes them more one-dimensional. It also makes life harder for wide receiver Zay Flowers in screen/short-yardage looks, which the Ravens like to use.