The NFL officially released the 2025 schedule on Wednesday night, and the Baltimore Ravens didn’t have to wait long for a shot at redemption. They’ll open the season in Buffalo on Sunday Night Football against the same Bills team that abruptly ended their Super Bowl hopes this past January.
Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith made it very clear how he feels about that rematch. During a live interview on NFL Network, the All-Pro linebacker called it the perfect way to start the season, saying “Revenge is best served as a cold dish. It'll be nice to get up there in Buffalo and get a little payback for those guys from the end of the year," before promising the Ravens would be ready to unleash months of frustration.
Smith has always been one to embrace the moment—and it's obvious this one is very personal.
But amid all the schedule buzz and primetime chatter, Ravens fans shouldn’t forget that another member of the defense made his intentions known long before the dates were even announced... and he'll also get to shoot his shot Week 1 in Buffalo.
Malaki Starks had his eyes on Josh Allen before Week 1 was even on the radar
Roquan might’ve been the first to publicly circle the Bills on his calendar, but he wasn’t the first Ravens defender to take aim at Bills quarterback Josh Allen. That honor came weeks earlier when first-round rookie safety Malaki Starks was asked which quarterback he most wanted to intercept. His answer was short and sweet:
“I wanna get Josh Allen.”
Mic drop. It was a quiet challenge to one of the league’s top quarterbacks, and now, thanks to the way the schedule fell, Starks gets his chance right out of the gate. Especially with Ar'Darius Washington's injury, Starks is the presumed starter Week 1, if he proves he's ready for it.
A primetime debut against the reigning MVP isn’t just good TV—it’s a massive opportunity for a rookie looking to make his mark. Starks arrives in Baltimore with All-American credentials and a reputation as a game-changing talent. Now, he’ll walk into a defense led by Kyle Hamilton, Roquan Smith, Nnamdi Madubuike, and Marlon Humphrey with a very clear task: help flip the script against one of the quarterbacks Baltimore has yet to figure out when it matters most.
Allen is 2-0 against the Ravens in the playoffs, which is super annoying and frustrating. For Starks, this is more than a welcome-to-the-NFL moment. It’s a chance to send a message to the league—and maybe pick off the one guy he’s had his sights on since draft night.
Roquan isn’t the only one with a score to settle. Starks just got the chance to chase his dream in front of a national audience.
