In Week 4, the Baltimore Ravens offense ran over a lightweight Buffalo Bills defense with heavy use of fullback Patrick Ricard and multiple tight ends, while the defense rotated the front seven to avoid fatigue in obvious passing situations in the second half.

Offence

The most telling Ravens snap count was Josh Johnson’s three garbage time snaps as Lamar Jackson relaxed on the sideline after a calm, efficient performance. Too many times in recent years, Jackson has been asked to close out games on an offense where a lead slipped away, but the Ravens kept the game well out of reach and let their two-time MVP watch the final attack from the bench.

The Ravens offensive line played all 57 snaps, with Ronnie Stanley, Tyler Linderbaum and Daniel Faalele all starting their fourth straight game.

Patrick Mekari made his first-ever start at left guard, completing a career-high offensive line cycle for the versatile veteran, and Roger Rosengarten started at right tackle for the first time in his NFL career. Ben Cleveland also made one appearance on offense as the sixth offensive lineman on a goal-line package.

Derrick Henry’s rushing share of 65% was his highest as a Raven due to a tough game plan that challenged the Bills’ linebackers and defensive backs to try to tackle the All-Pro.

Justice Hill’s count dropped to 20, his lowest of the season as Baltimore avoided obvious passing situations. However, he made his playing time count by catching all six of his targets and converting a 3rd-and-14 and a 19-yard touchdown in the span of three plays.

Three Ravens receivers played at least 50% of the game, with 39 snaps for Zay Flowers, 37 snaps for Rashod Bateman and 29 snaps for Nelson Agholor. They only combined for six targets, but were busy blocking their run all night. Tylan Wallace also played 10 snaps across the game, much of it blocking as well.

Todd Monken brought out the heavy personnel against a Bills defense that exclusively ran nickel and dime packages. Patrick Ricard played 61% of the snaps, his highest percentage since Monken took over as offensive coordinator. Like the wide receivers, tight ends Isaiah Likely (31 snaps) and Mark Andrews (26 snaps) only saw a few targets but played a big role in the running game to move up to the second level.

Defense

No Ravens defenseman went the distance as the team’s 25-point lead allowed Brandon Stephens, Kyle Hamilton, Marcus Williams and Roquan Smith to come off the field after 54 snaps, 92% of the defense’s total. Stephens recorded another impressive game in coverage as Hamilton, Williams and Smith rotated around the center of the field.

Rookie Nate Wiggins played a career-high 51 snaps (86%), a significant step up from his 55 combined snaps in Weeks 1 and 3. The Ravens relied on him as a boundary running back, with Marlon Humphrey sliding into the slot frequently. Humphrey missed a handful of snaps with an injury just before halftime, but returned after the Bills’ first drive of the third quarter.

With Michael Pierce sidelined, Travis Jones played 41 snaps for a career-high 69% snap share, his fourth straight game with at least 60% playing time. Nnamdi Madubuike was his main partner in the trenches with 38 snaps (54%), his lowest snap count and percentage this year. Broderick Washington played 26 snaps and Brent Urban made his first appearance of the season with 25 snaps to complete the defensive line rotation.

Trenton Simpson saw a similar usage to the Chiefs and Cowboys game, playing 63% of the snaps with less time on the field as the Bills moved away from the run and stayed in clear passing situations. That gave way to more nickel-and-dime packages with Eddie Jackson (20 snaps, 34%) and Ar’Darius Washington (18 snaps, 31%).

Odafe Oweh and Kyle Van Noy bolstered the edge rusher rotation with 32 and 27 snaps, respectively. Tavius ​​Robinson and David Ojabo both played 21 snaps apiece, while Adisa Isaac played 14 snaps in his first NFL appearance. Malik Harrison played just eight snaps, playing mostly run defense with Zach Orr avoiding dropping him into coverage.

Rookies TJ Tampa and Sanoussi Kane got their first regular season reps on defense in garbage time with five snaps each after Bills backup QB Mitchell Trubisky entered the game.