Ravens Star Delivers Bold Message to Bills After NFL Schedule Drops
Baltimore Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith didn’t waste time sending a message to the Buffalo Bills after the NFL revealed its 2025 schedule.
For the second consecutive season, the Ravens will open the regular season against the same team that ended their playoff run the year before—the Buffalo Bills. And Smith is making it clear the Ravens are looking for payback.
“Revenge is best served cold,” Smith said during an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show. “It’ll feel good to go up to Buffalo and return the favor after what happened at the end of last season.”
The Ravens were knocked out of the AFC Divisional Round by the Bills in a narrow 27-25 loss on January 19. That came just months after Baltimore handed Buffalo a decisive 35-10 defeat in Week 4 of the regular season.
The 2025 season opener between these AFC powerhouses is set for Sunday Night Football on NBC, promising an electric rematch in primetime.
Week 1 Focus: A Statement Opportunity
When asked which matchup on the Ravens’ schedule he’s most anticipating, Smith didn’t hesitate.
“The first game of the year,” he said. “That’s how you set the tone for the season, and that’s the game I’ve been thinking about.”
In 2024, Baltimore also opened the season with a high-profile matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs. Despite a strong performance, they fell 27-20 after a would-be game-tying touchdown was ruled incomplete as Isaiah Likely couldn’t get both feet in bounds.
This year, the Ravens will get another crack at the Chiefs in Week 4, traveling to Kansas City for a late-afternoon showdown on September 28.
“I’ve got a ton of respect for that team,” Smith said. “But we’re ready to go in there and play our game — no self-inflicted wounds, no mistakes. If we do that, we can beat anyone.”
Playoff Stakes Loom Early
Last year, if the Ravens had managed to beat either the Chiefs or the Raiders early in the season, they would’ve secured home-field advantage over Buffalo in the playoffs due to a tiebreaker. Instead, they had to go on the road — a tough blow that ultimately contributed to their postseason exit.
Though Baltimore nearly forced overtime in the playoff matchup — falling short on a failed two-point conversion — Smith said the loss is fueling their offseason preparation.
“They earned that win,” Smith admitted. “But that’s something that’s been on our minds ever since. It’s motivation.”
With the Bills, Ravens, Chiefs, and Bengals once again projected as top contenders in the AFC, the outcome of the Week 1 clash could have long-lasting implications, including a potential edge in playoff seeding.
A Personal Game Against His Former Team
Beyond Buffalo and Kansas City, there’s another date Smith has highlighted: Week 8 against the Chicago Bears — the team that drafted him.
“I’m really looking forward to that one,” he said. “That’s going to be a special game.”
The Bears selected Smith with the eighth overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. He recorded 16.5 sacks during his time in Chicago before being traded to Baltimore in 2022 in exchange for two draft picks and linebacker A.J. Klein.
Since arriving in Baltimore, Smith has been named to three consecutive All-Pro teams — but he’s yet to face his former team. That will change when the Ravens host Chicago on October 26.
“I still have friends there and keep in touch with a few guys,” Smith said. “It’s been a long time coming, and I’m definitely excited for that game.”
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