Ravens confident in Flacco's new fleet vs. Buffalo

Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton became a hero in Buffalo last winter when his fourth-and-12 touchdown pass to Tyler Boyd in the final minute of the final regular season game defeated the Ravens and sent Bills to the playoffs for the first time since the 1999 season.

As if the Ravens needed a reminder of falling short in 2017, the Bills visit M&T Bank Stadium Sunday to open the 2018 season.

Now it's the Ravens who are looking to overcome a three-year playoff drought. Since winning Super Bowl in January 2013, Baltimore has gone 40-40 and made the playoffs once.

"I'm not going to give a 'playoff or bust' edict to my coach," owner Steve Bisciotti said of John Harbaugh's standing. "(But) he's under as much pressure, probably, than he's ever been in his life. I expect him to keep his chin up and take his positivity and his talents and make the most of this season."

After finishing No. 27 in total offense (305.4 yards per game), the Ravens added free-agent wide receivers Michael Crabtree, John Brown, and Willie Snead IV. First-round pick, quarterback Lamar Jackson, will be deployed as a wild card for now.

Joe Flacco is 33 but enters this season healthy -- as opposed to 2017 when a back injury kept him out of preseason -- and with a revamped offense around him.

"I definitely feel a lot better, but I don't think that has anything to do with the confidence that we have as an offense and that I have as a quarterback in this offense," Flacco told team'. "Really, the confidence just comes from a good hard offseason, a good preseason and just believe that we have guys up front, outside, behind me, that can make plays."

Having a veteran mainstay at quarterback is not a starting point the Bills' offense can boast.

Sunday will not be the start of the Josh Allen era at quarterback for the Bills. Nathan Peterman put together a strong preseason and emerged as the starter with AJ McCarron traded to the Oakland Raiders and Allen, the No. 7 overall pick in the draft, the backup.

Peterman, a fifth-round pick in 2017, threw five interceptions in less than two-quarters of his first NFL start last November and finished the season 24 of 49 passing in four games.

"I believe he's a resilient young man. He's certainly come through sometimes of adversity throughout his career," Bills coach Sean McDermott said. "I've been impressed with his mental toughness, his command of the offense -- he generated yards and then points in the preseason -- as well and the way he's developed at this point."

Running back LeSean McCoy, Buffalo's primary offensive weapon, rushed for 1,138 yards last season (4.0 yards per carrying) and caught 59 passes for 448 yards.

But he's 30 now and also dealing with a lawsuit in connection with a home invasion in which his former girlfriend was beaten and robbed.

"I didn't have a lot of playing time in the preseason, so I'm really locked in and just trying to focus everything on football right now," McCoy told ESPN. "But we'll take care of that."

The Bills' defense allowed 124.6 rushing yards per game last season, fourth worst in the league, and they added free agent defensive tackle Star Lotulelei and drafted Stanford to tackle Harrison Philips in the third round to address it.