ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (WROC) — For Bills rookie defensive lineman TJ Sanders, Sunday night’s season opener against the Baltimore Ravens is more than just his first NFL game — it’s the payoff for years of sacrifice.

With a big smile, Sanders said, all the sacrifices in my his up till now are for opportunities like Sunday: a prime-time game against Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry and the Ravens.”

The Bills have spent this week preparing their first-year players for what could be a baptism by fire against one of the league’s most dangerous offenses. Sanders said the hype around Baltimore’s stars doesn’t change his mindset.

“Is Derrick Henry really that strong? Is Lamar really that fast?” Bills Defensive Tackle Deone Walker said. “It’s really just been about the offensive line. We haven’t really been too worried about all of them, because we know if we do our job, play in and play out, we ain’t got nothing to worry about.”

Coaches and veterans have emphasized confidence as much as game prep.

“Make sure there’s no doubt in their mind that they can play in this league and go out there and dominate at a high level,” Bills Defensive Tackle Daquan Jones said.

“They’ve put in the work. They’ve made plays in preseason and training camp. Have that confidence, carry it into the game, and remember it’s still just 11-on-11 football,” Bills Edge Rusher Greg Rousseau said.

Facing Baltimore’s elite offense in Week 1, Sanders said, offers valuable lessons no matter the outcome.

“Right away, you see your flaws and things you need to improve on, so boom — you clean that up,” Sanders said. “If you do good, that could go two ways: you can either get big-headed, or you can see that the training you put in has been working.”

Veteran defensive end Greg Rousseau said he understands what the rookies are about to experience in their first NFL game. His advice is simple.

“It takes a conscious, continuous effort to collect your thoughts and keep playing after both good and bad plays,” Rousseau said. “Breathe, slow the game down, assess something, get rid of it, and move on.”

The Bills and Ravens kick off Sunday night at 8:20 p.m. at Highmark Stadium.

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