Buffalo Bills linebacker Matt Milano (middle), linebacker Terrel Bernard (left), and Taron Johnson (right) all missed the team’s Week 4 game against the Baltimore Ravens. They all will play on Sunday in the playoff rematch.n/a
Orchard Park, N.Y. — Derrick Henry was smack dab in the middle of his season-best rushing performance in Week 4 when the NBC cameras spent a few moments showing the Buffalo Bills sideline.
The Bills were down 14-3 to the Baltimore Ravens with 7:57 left in the second quarter of a game that ended in a 35-10 blowout loss. All-Pro linebacker Matt Milano, All-Pro cornerback Taron Johnson, and defensive captain Terrel Bernard stood together on the sideline.
That image was widely shared on social media after that game. Bills fans pointed to the absence of three key pieces as to why Henry ran for a season-high 199 yards in the most lopsided loss Buffalo has had this season.
Bills defensive tackle Ed Oliver saw the picture reemerge this week on social media. One fan posted the picture with the caption: “This photo may become immortalized if they make an impact in a win next week.”
The Bills and Ravens meet again this Sunday in a rematch of epic proportions with a trip to the AFC title game on the line.
After the Bills opened as a slight favorite, bettors started hammering Baltimore. Before long, the Bills flipped to the underdog. It’s the first time in 18 home playoff games since entering the NFL in 1970 that the Bills have been a home underdog, according to ESPN Bets.
By almost every statistical measure, Baltimore is the best running team in the NFL. The Ravens rank first in total rushing yards, yards per carry, percentage of runs that go for a first down and explosive runs (20+ yards). On the first play against the Bills in September, Henry ran untouched for 87 yards for the first of his two touchdowns.
Buffalo’s run defense has come under fire during the season. There is considerable national doubt about the Bills’ ability to contain Henry and dual-threat, two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson.
But this isn’t the same Bills defense Henry trampled four months ago. Bernard stood before the defense on Wednesday and used a quote from Greek philosopher Heraclitus to help each player visualize what was different this time.
No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river, and he’s not the same man.
“The past is the past,” Bills edge rusher Von Miller said. “We have a huge opportunity in front of us to go out there and achieve all our dreams. We get one game to go do it.”
