Honestly, if you blinked during the first play of the Ravens vs Bills Week 4 matchup, you basically missed the tone-setter for the entire night.
Derrick Henry took the first handoff 87 yards to the house. Boom. Just like that, the "King" reminded everyone why Baltimore backed up the Brink's truck for a 30-year-old running back. It wasn't just a touchdown; it was a statement that the Bills' defense, which had looked elite for the first three weeks, wasn't ready for the "Darkness" game atmosphere in Baltimore.
The Ravens ended up winning 35-10. It wasn't even as close as that score looks, if we’re being real.
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Why the Ravens vs Bills Week 4 Score Stunned the League
Going into this game, Buffalo was the talk of the NFL. Josh Allen was the MVP frontrunner, and the Bills were sitting pretty at 3-0. Baltimore, on the other hand, was 1-2 and still trying to figure out if their offensive line could block a light breeze.
Then Sunday Night Football happened.
Baltimore's defense turned into a group of heat-seeking missiles. Kyle Van Noy—who apparently found the Fountain of Youth in the Chesapeake Bay—pockets two sacks for the third game in a row. He’s out there playing like he’s 22 again. The Ravens' front seven harassed Josh Allen all night, holding him to just 180 passing yards and, more impressively, keeping him out of the end zone entirely.
Derrick Henry’s "Welcome to Baltimore" Moment
People were worried about Henry. They said he was too old. They said the tread was off the tires.
In this Ravens vs Bills Week 4 clash, Henry hit a top speed of 21.29 mph on that 87-yard sprint. That is terrifying for a man that size. He finished with 199 rushing yards on 24 carries. He also caught a touchdown pass from Lamar Jackson just to show off.
It’s kinda wild to think that 75% of his yards came on just three plays. If you’re a Bills fan, you might argue that the defense actually "stopped" him on 21 of his carries, holding him to a 2.3-yard average on those touches. But that’s the Derrick Henry experience. He’s a big-play back who wears you down until you miss one gap, and then he’s gone. You can't ignore the 87-yarder just because it hurts your feelings.
Lamar Jackson’s Quietly Elite Night
Lamar didn't need to throw for 400 yards. He didn't even need to throw for 200. He was efficient, finishing 13-of-18 for 156 yards and two scores through the air.
His real value was the threat of the run. He added 54 yards and a 9-yard touchdown on the ground. When you have to account for Lamar's legs and Henry's power, the Bills' linebackers looked like they were trying to solve a Rubik's Cube in the middle of a hurricane.
Justice Hill was the unsung hero here too. He led the team with 78 receiving yards. The Ravens have this "Thunder and Lightning" thing going with Henry and Hill that feels way more dangerous than any backfield they've had in the Lamar era.
The Turning Point No One Expected
Buffalo actually tried to make a game of it in the third quarter. They cut the lead to 21-10 and had the ball back. Momentum was starting to shift, and you could feel a little bit of that familiar Baltimore "late-game collapse" anxiety creeping into M&T Bank Stadium.
Then the Bills tried a trick play.
Josh Allen went to throw, and Kyle Van Noy—there he is again—swiped at his arm. The ball popped loose, Kyle Hamilton recovered it, and the stadium erupted. The Ravens turned that turnover into a touchdown and never looked back. That was basically the moment the lights went out for Buffalo.
Breaking Down the Numbers
If you’re into the box score, the disparity is pretty jarring:
- Total Yards: Ravens 427, Bills 236
- Rushing Yards: Ravens 271, Bills 47
- First Downs: Ravens 22, Bills 12
- Third Down Efficiency: Ravens 5-of-9, Bills 3-of-13
The Bills were outgained on the ground by over 200 yards. You aren't winning many games in the NFL when your opponent doubles your rushing output five times over. James Cook, who had been on a tear, was limited to just 39 yards.
What This Game Taught Us About the AFC
This Ravens vs Bills Week 4 matchup changed the narrative for both teams.
For the Bills, it was a reality check. They missed their key linebackers, Terrel Bernard and Matt Milano, and it showed. Without that veteran presence in the middle, the Ravens’ run game was a hot knife through butter. It proved that while Buffalo is a powerhouse, they are vulnerable to physical, run-heavy teams if their defensive front isn't 100%.
For the Ravens, it was a "we’re back" game. They proved they could protect Lamar. They proved the defense still had that "Purple Reign" DNA. Most importantly, they proved that Derrick Henry was the missing piece to a Super Bowl puzzle.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Bettors
- Watch the Injury Report: The absence of Milano and Bernard was the single biggest factor in the Bills' inability to stop the run. Don't overlook linebacker health when Buffalo plays a heavy-set team.
- The Henry Factor: Derrick Henry gets stronger as the game goes on, but he relies on home-run plays. Look for "longest rush" props rather than just total yardage consistency.
- Baltimore’s Home Field: The "Darkness" games in Baltimore aren't just a marketing gimmick. The atmosphere clearly rattled a seasoned vet like Allen.
- Van Noy’s Heater: Kyle Van Noy is a must-watch in pass-rushing situations. His streak of multi-sack games is a historic outlier that suggests the Ravens' scheme is perfectly suited for veteran edge rushers.
The Ravens vs Bills Week 4 game wasn't just a win; it was a demolition. It reshaped how we look at the AFC hierarchy heading into the meat of the season.
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To keep track of how these two teams trend for the rest of the year, keep an eye on Buffalo’s rush defense stats against bottom-tier offensive lines to see if they’ve actually fixed the gap issues revealed in Baltimore. For the Ravens, the focus remains on the offensive line’s consistency—if they can keep Lamar clean, this offense is virtually impossible to scheme against.