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Here’s what The Baltimore Sun sports staff had to say immediately after the Ravens’ 27-25 loss to the Buffalo Bills in Sunday night’s AFC divisional round playoff game at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York. Childs Walker, reporter: The Ravens knew turnovers could destroy them, and that’s exactly what happened, as Mark Andrews’ fumble erased their march to take the lead in the fourth quarter. His drop on a 2-point conversion attempt that would have tied the game then sealed their doom. Just an awful turn of events for a great, passionate athlete. The Ravens bounced back with fury after halftime, riding their league-best running game and a string of defensive stands to draw oh so close. But again they’ll go home wondering what could have been because of a mistake by one of their most dependable players. Andrews wasn’t the only culprit; Lamar Jackson’s fumble in the first half put them in a hole in the first place. Give Buffalo credit as well for answering all those who said their defense was too small to stand up to the Ravens’ size and relentless creativity. Josh Allen wasn’t spectacular, but he made no glaring errors, and that made him the victor in this collision of MVP frontrunners. Derrick Henry went 87 yards the first time he touched the ball against Buffalo in Week 4. This time around, he got one. It didn’t matter; Jackson was on point in the cold and snow, rolling right to find Isaiah Likely for 39 yards and then firing a 16-yard strike to Rashod Bateman in the end zone. The Bills counterpunched, with Allen finding Khalil Shakir behind Brandon Stephens for 34 yards and keeping the ball to convert on fourth down deep in Ravens territory. At 7-7, it looked like we had the heavyweight fight the football world anticipated. Then, Jackson did exactly what the Ravens could not afford to do, the thing he hadn’t done all season, floating an interception in the face of blitzing linebacker Matt Milano. Buffalo had its chance to nose ahead, but the Baltimore defense, aided by a terrible holding call against the Bills, held. Jackson then handed the advantage right back, losing his grip on the ball to cut short an impressive Ravens drive and set Buffalo up deep in Baltimore territory. This time, the Bills converted. The Ravens were on their heels. It seemed they might climb all the way back until that ball popped from Andrews’ trusted hands. Agony again for a team that figured out so much over the course of this season. Mike Preston, columnist: The Ravens tried to wear the Bills down with the running game in the second half and they succeeded using Derrick Henry and Justice Hill. They scored on their first two possessions of the third quarter, but the Ravens hurt themselves with turnovers, the last on a fumble by tight end Mark Andrews with 8:41 left in the game that the Bills recovered at their own 46. The turnover resulted in a field goal for Buffalo, but the Ravens still had an opportunity to come back trailing by eight, 27-19. They responded, but Andrews dropped a game-tying 2-point conversion attempt. Regardless, the Ravens committed too many turnovers to win, several of those by quarterback Lamar Jackson. He should be blamed for a lot of the problems in this game, but so should the defensive line, as well as an inept offense in the first half. The loss should squelch all of the talk about the Ravens being the best team in the NFL until next season. Actually, let’s not hear it again until they win a Super Bowl. Sam Cohn, reporter: The Ravens turned the ball over 11 times in the regular season, the third best mark of any team in the NFL. What was one of their biggest strengths from September through December sent them home in January. Lamar Jackson overthrew Rashod Bateman up the left sideline on what looked to be a miscommunication but ended in a pick. Then Jackson fumbled the rock away. And perhaps the most costly one was Mark Andrews, who hasn’t coughed the ball up since 2019 bit spit it up in the fourth quarter. His fumble stalled what could have been Baltimore’s go-ahead drive late. It wasn’t, and Buffalo marched. But this game will be remembered for Andrews’ goal-line drop on a 2-point conversion attempt that would have likely sent this game to overtime. The Ravens had been so good at taking care of the ball all season, then unraveled in Buffalo’s freezing conditions. Couple that with an inability to dominate the run game — again, as they had much of the year — and having gotten bullied up front for much of the night, and this Ravens season ends short of ending a 12-year Super Bowl title drought. C.J. Doon, editor: The first thing I thought about when Mark Andrews fumbled that ball in the open field was Taron Johnson’s pick-six against Lamar Jackson on the same field, in the same round, four years ago. That play ultimately sealed the Ravens’ fate in a 17-3 loss, and Andrews’ gaffe was just as gut-wrenching. It’s particularly frustrating with how well the Ravens were moving the ball in the second half up to that point. It felt like a comeback was imminent, unlike last year. When the Ravens fell behind against the Chiefs in last season’s AFC championship game, they panicked and stopped handing the ball off to their running backs, putting too much pressure on Lamar Jackson to make plays by himself. When the Ravens needed to get going in the second half Sunday night, they simply handed off to Derrick Henry and got out of the way. What are we supposed to make of Jackson’s performance, anyway? That early interception looked ugly, but it was likely a miscommunication with Rashod Bateman while under pressure. On the other hand, that fumble is inexcusable. Holding the ball so loosely after a bad snap is a recipe for disaster, and he’s lucky it wasn’t returned for a touchdown. Fair or not, quarterback narratives are ultimately shaped in the postseason, and Jackson has yet to get over the hump against Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes. He’s made a strong case that he’s a better player than those superstars after another brilliant season, but it’s hard not to shake the feeling that the lights are too bright in the playoffs. His postseason wins have come over Ryan Tannehill, rookie C.J. Stroud and 36-year-old Russell Wilson, after all. He belongs in the MVP conversation every year, but it rings hollow with each passing playoff exit. Tim Schwartz, editor: Another year, another playoff flameout for the Ravens. It wasn’t the egg they laid against the Chiefs at home in last year’s AFC championship game, but it was another performance in which the Ravens didn’t look like themselves. Lamar Jackson hadn’t turned the ball over twice in any game this season — until Sunday night. Mark Andrews converts a crucial fourth down on a tush push, then gets the ball punched out to end a potential scoring drive midway through the fourth quarter in a brutal turn of events. Making matters worse, his drop on the would-be game-tying 2-point conversion attempt will live in Baltimore lore for all the wrong reasons. The Ravens got moving in the second half as Derrick Henry came alive, but an 11-point halftime deficit is too much to overcome when you turn it over three times. Aside from two deep passes to Rashod Bateman (who, by the way, deserves a ton of credit for his play this season), Baltimore lacked explosive plays in the passing game to catch up. They missed Zay Flowers in this one. Going to Buffalo and beating Josh Allen and the Bills was always going to be a tall task. This was a heavyweight bout in which the winner instantly became the Super Bowl favorite. Sometimes the other team plays better, and you’ve got to tip your cap to the Bills. They earned it. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens at Bills in AFC divisional playoff game | PHOTOS Baltimore Ravens | Ravens WR Zay Flowers inactive for playoff game vs. Bills Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Bills live updates: Buffalo wins 27-25 after denying late 2-point try Baltimore Ravens | How to watch Ravens vs. Bills: Playoff game time, TV, odds and more Baltimore Ravens | Ravens WR Zay Flowers has ‘chance’ to play against Bills, John Harbaugh says Bennett Conlin, editor: Lamar Jackson is on the verge of winning his third NFL MVP Award, but it’s not much solace to Jackson or Baltimore fans. One of the best quarterbacks in the NFL since he became a starter, Jackson has been a regular-season great and a playoff bust. He’s just 3-5 as a starter in playoff games, failing to reach the Super Bowl despite playing alongside a stellar defense last year and Derrick Henry this season. It’s hard to pinpoint why Jackson can’t get over the hump, other than blaming Baltimore’s AFC competition. The Bills and Chiefs are exceptional, and Jackson hasn’t been his best in the biggest moments. Jackson made a few nice plays Sunday, but he also turned it over twice and missed throws he usually makes. In fairness to Baltimore’s quarterback, he saw his reliable tight end, Mark Andrews, cough up the ball during one of the most important drives of the season and drop a potential game-tying 2-point conversion. But until Jackson overcomes the hurdle of consistently winning playoff games, his status among the great quarterbacks in the league will come under question. It’ll be an offseason filled with hard questions for Baltimore. What can this franchise do to guide its star quarterback to a title? Coming away with zero Super Bowl appearances the past two seasons is an organizational failure. Have a news tip? Contact sports editor C.J. Doon at cdoon@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/CJDoon. View the full article

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir (10) makes a catch against Baltimore Ravens cornerback Brandon Stephens (21) during the first quarter of an NFL divisional playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) Buffalo Bills running back Ray Davis (22) carries the ball into the end zone for a touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens during the first quarter of an NFL divisional playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) is tackled by Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike (92) during the first quarter of an NFL divisional playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus) Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (22) is tackled by Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin (3) during the first quarter of an NFL divisional playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II) Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) is tackled by Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike (92) during the first quarter of an NFL divisional playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus) Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey (44) grabs Buffalo Bills running back James Cook (4) as Cook carries the ball during the first quarter of an NFL divisional playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus) Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) passes against the Buffalo Bills during the first quarter of an NFL divisional playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus) Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews (89) celebrates with wide receiver Rashod Bateman (7) after Bateman scored a touchdown against the Buffalo Bills during the first quarter of an NFL divisional playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman (7) reacts after making a touchdown catch against the Buffalo Bills during the first quarter of an NFL divisional playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) carries the ball for a first down against Buffalo Bills cornerback Taron Johnson (7) during the first quarter of an NFL divisional playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) View the full article

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers was on the field at Highmark Stadium testing out his injured right knee about 2 1/2 hours before kickoff against the Bills on Sunday night. It was all for naught. As expected, Flowers, who was listed as doubtful coming into the game, was made inactive for the AFC divisional round matchup. The winner will advance to the conference championship game against the host Kansas City Chiefs. It marks the second straight playoff game that the Ravens’ leader in receptions and receiving yards will miss after suffering a sprained knee in Baltimore’s AFC North title-clinching win in the final game of the regular season Jan. 4. Flowers hasn’t practiced since, though he did do a few sprints and start-and-stops during his brief on-field workout ahead of Sunday night’s game. He did not do much laterally, however. With Flowers out, Rashod Bateman becomes Baltimore’ top player at the position. Their other receivers include Nelson Agholor, Tylan Wallace, recently acquired Steven Sims and rookie fourth-round draft pick Devontez Walker. The Ravens also promoted veteran receiver Anthony Miller from the practice squad. The rest of Baltimore’s inactive players are running back Rasheen Ali, center Nick Samac, safeties Marcus Williams and Beau Brade, outside linebacker Adisa Isaac and defensive lineman Josh Tupou. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

The Ravens and Buffalo Bills face off Sunday night at 6:30 p.m. in the AFC divisional round at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York. The game will be broadcast on CBS and stream on Paramount+. The winner will face the two-time defending Super Bowl champions and host Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship game. Baltimore Sun reporters Brian Wacker and Sam Cohn and columnist Mike Preston will be in the press box and the locker room. Follow along here for live coverage and analysis. View the full article

Here’s what you need to know about the AFC divisional round playoff game between the Ravens and Buffalo Bills. When: 6:30 p.m. Sunday Where: Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York National Weather Service forecast: A chance of snow. Cloudy, with a low around 6 degrees. Light and variable wind becoming west 5 to 8 mph after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 50%. Here’s how the Ravens are preparing for the frigid conditions. Injury report: DOUBTFUL: Ravens WR Zay Flowers (knee) QUESTIONABLE: Ravens WR/RS Deonte Harty (knee), Bills RB Ray Davis (concussion) Officials The officiating crew will be headed by Carl Cheffers, who is in his 25th season and 17th as a referee. This is Cheffers’ 20th postseason assignment. TV: CBS (Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, Tracy Wolfson); WJZ Ch. 13 (Baltimore); WUSA 9 Ch. 9 (Washington) Stream: Paramount+ Radio: WBAL (1090 AM, 101.5 FM) and 98 Rock (97.9 FM) (Gerry Sandusky, Rod Woodson); Sirius XM Radio Ch. 139 or 229.; Westwood One Sports (Ryan Radtke, Mike Golic, Derek Rackley); Spanish radio: WLZL El Zol 107.9 Tico Sports (David Andrade, Allen Gutierrez) Line: Ravens by 1 1/2 (as of Friday) Over-under: 51 1/2 points (as of Friday) Staff picks Here’s how The Baltimore Sun sports staff views the outcome of Sunday’s game. Scouting report Who will have the advantage when these powerhouses meet with a berth in the AFC championship game on the line? Mike Preston commentary Bills are in trouble against Ravens RB Derrick Henry Ravens vs. Bills. Lamar vs. Allen. There’s plenty at stake. Ravens’ glaring weakness is still a major problem Readers respond We asked readers who will win Sunday’s game between the Ravens and Bills. Here are the results from our online poll. More pregame reading: Ravens vs. Bills is an NFL blockbuster built on similarities between QBs, teams, cities Ravens and Bills have evolved dramatically since Week 4 meeting Lamar Jackson vs. Josh Allen: Who has edge in Ravens-Bills playoff blockbuster? Ravens RB Derrick Henry’s summer on Dallas hillside forged unforgettable season How Ravens’ defense rallied around Zach Orr and became ‘resilient group’ Ravens roundtable: What will be the difference in playoff battle vs. Bills? Ravens-Bills playoff game will be offensive line battle as much as QB showcase Ravens and QB Lamar Jackson emphasize turnover margin in Bills preparation Ravens OC Todd Monken: System is ‘unfortunate’ for balancing coach interviews Ravens’ Lamar Jackson on rival QBs: ‘Not trying to be your friend’ Ravens vs. Bills playoff betting guide: Picks, predictions and odds Bills sign former Ravens quarterback to prepare for Lamar Jackson NFL quarterback rankings: Who’s No. 1 entering divisional round? The choice is clear. ‘Hard Knocks’ episode 7 recap: Ravens treat Steelers as first step toward Super Bowl Former Maryland RB Ty Johnson looks to extend Bills’ playoff run vs. Ravens 5 things to know about the Buffalo Bills, the Ravens’ divisional round opponent View the full article

Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers didn’t practice for a third straight day Friday, putting his status in doubt for Sunday night’s AFC divisional round game against the Buffalo Bills in Orchard Park, New York. Coach John Harbaugh wouldn’t go as far as ruling him out just yet, however. “I think he’ll have a chance,” he said Friday afternoon ahead of the release of the final injury report. Flowers was finishing up a workout inside the team’s field house at the beginning of the portion of practice open to the media, but was also wearing the same substantial brace he’s had on his right knee since injuring it two weeks ago. Should Flowers not be available, it would mark the second straight playoff game that he has missed after suffering a sprained right knee in Baltimore’s AFC North title-clinching victory over the Cleveland Browns in the final week of the regular season. A more likely scenario given the significance of the sprain, though, would be a return for the AFC championship game next Sunday should the Ravens advance. Flowers, in just his second season, led the Ravens in catches (74) and receiving yards (1,059) and is the team’s first Pro Bowl selection at the position in the organization’s history. What kind of impact his absence would have remains to be seen. When the two teams met in Week 4 of this season in Baltimore, he had just one catch on two targets for 10 yards as the Ravens leaned on their running game. Baltimore ran for 236 yards on 34 attempts, with Derrick Henry accounting for 199 yards, including an 87-yard touchdown on the Ravens’ first play from scrimmage. Quarterback Lamar Jackson attempted just 18 passes, completing 13 for 156 yards and two touchdowns as Baltimore rolled to a 35-10 win. The Ravens also deployed a similar strategy without Flowers in last week’s 28-14 home wild-card win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Baltimore ran the ball on 24 of its first 32 plays and racked up 299 yards on the ground. Henry again led the way with 186 yards and two scores on 26 carries. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Bills is an NFL blockbuster built on similarities between QBs, teams, cities Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Bills AFC divisional round staff picks: Who wins Sunday in Buffalo? Baltimore Ravens | Staff picks for NFL divisional round: Commanders vs. Lions, Texans vs. Chiefs and more Baltimore Ravens | Ravens and Bills have evolved dramatically since Week 4 meeting Baltimore Ravens | Former Maryland RB Ty Johnson looks to extend Bills’ playoff run vs. Ravens With Flowers potentially out again, it will be worth watching how Baltimore spreads the ball around and utilizes its wide receivers. Last week, Tylan Wallace led the group with 39 snaps on offense, while Rashod Bateman, who had two catches for 24 yards and a touchdown, was second with 36. Running back Justice Hill led the team in receptions with four for 13 yards and a touchdown. The Bills, meanwhile, are healthy with just one player listed as questionable. Running back Ray Davis was limited in practice for a third straight day Friday and remains in the NFL’s concussion protocol. Buffalo coach Sean McDermott told reporters that he’ll see how the rookie fourth-round draft pick progresses leading into the game. No other players on the Bills had an injury designation for the game, meaning they should be fully healthy. This story will be updated. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

The Buffalo Bills had not even finished dispatching the Denver Broncos when CBS broadcaster Tony Romo jumped ahead a week, unable to contain his excitement over the Bills’ next showdown against Lamar Jackson and the Ravens. “That’s the game I’ve been waiting for,” the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback said, blurting out a sentiment shared by hardcore football lovers around the world. Once set, Ravens vs. Bills on Sunday night in Buffalo became the main event of the richest football-watching weekend on the calendar. It’s a matchup rooted not in bitterness but in thrilling similarities — between Jackson and Josh Allen, the mesmerizing quarterbacks who front each team; between two perennial contenders desperate to get past the Kansas City Chiefs and back to the Super Bowl; between coaches John Harbaugh and Sean McDermott, who paid their dues side by side in Philadelphia; between tough cities, Ravens Flock vs. Bills Mafia, that feel perpetually underestimated in the national gaze. You couldn’t call it a rivalry. It’s just the show everyone who cares a lick about pro football wants to see. “I can’t remember the last time the stakes felt higher for two fan bases and two quarterbacks in this round,” ESPN commentator Mina Kimes said. Harbaugh imagined John Facenda, the late narrator of NFL Films, “coming down from the heavens” to boom out an introduction for the game. “Absolutely. You kind of feel grateful to be a part of it,” the Ravens’ longtime coach said as his week of preparation for Buffalo dawned. “You get a chance to play a team like the Bills … just a super talented, well-coached type of a team. On that stage, in their place — it’s going to be cold; it’s going to be blustery, all that. It’s great, yes.” The story starts with the quarterbacks, both picked in the first round of the 2018 draft, nothing alike in physical stature but so alike in the torture they inflict on defenses. “They’re the two most exciting players in football,” former Ravens cornerback turned ESPN analyst Domonique Foxworth said. Harbaugh refers to Jackson and Allen as “two-play quarterbacks.” You stop the first thing they want to do, and that’s where the fun really begins, because they usually come up with something even better on the fly. Both reached such sublime levels during the 2024 regular season that debate over which one deserves to be NFL Most Valuable Player became the sauciest topic in the sport in recent weeks. Sunday’s game won’t impact the vote, which already happened, though the result won’t be announced until Super Bowl week. But fans hope it will amount to a final referendum on Jackson vs. Allen. Ravens running back Derrick Henry gashed the Bills for 199 rushing yards in late September. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) “It’s going to be an iconic event,” Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey said. “I think I just saw a clip from [Amazon analyst and former All-Pro cornerback] Richard Sherman, and he was like — not that it’s all about the quarterback, but it is essentially all about the quarterback. He was saying whoever comes out of this game will kind of be that next quarterback up. I definitely think it will be a huge game for the NFL, a huge game for the fans.” The beauty of this playoff collision is that its intrigues do not end with the MVP front-runners. Both teams pile up points with balanced offenses that pack as much old-school punch as new-school flash. Ravens running back Derrick Henry, a 6-foot-2, 247-pound living sculpture who exceeds 20 mph at top speed, shines as brightly as the quarterbacks atop the NFL firmament. He scored an 87-yard touchdown the first time he touched the ball in the Ravens’ 35-10 win over Buffalo at the end of September. “Both teams play a uniquely physical brand of football, using jumbo personnel and fullbacks,” Kimes said. “The fact that they have aliens at quarterback on top of that just feels unfair.” ESPN analyst Jeff Saturday played 14 seasons as an NFL center and coached the Indianapolis Colts in 2022. To him, Ravens vs. Bills is the ultimate in trench warfare. “I’ve framed it on TV as this is just gonna be an onslaught of physicality,” Saturday said. “When you think about what both teams want to do, they don’t try to hide. They’ve got the No. 1 and 2 in the MVP conversation, and somebody’s gonna go home heartbroken. And they get to it different ways — the Bills by adding an extra offensive lineman and the Ravens by using [fullback Patrick] Ricard and Henry, who might as well be another offensive lineman but with speed unheard of for someone that size.” A forecast kickoff temperature of 17 degrees, with players’ frosty breaths likely visible throughout the game, will only add to the atmosphere for this anticipated epic. Winter weather is a major component of Buffalo’s football recipe and a reason the Bills have won more than 70% of their home playoff games over the years. The Ravens lost a divisional round game there four years ago, with Jackson throwing an interception that was returned 101 yards for a touchdown. “Hell yes,” he said when asked if that play sticks in his craw. “I just saw it.” That memory aside, the Ravens and Bills have not met in a string of high-stakes games. This isn’t the Steelers or the Chiefs. For all their differences over which quarterback should win MVP, these fan bases have much in common, starting with the fact that both have tasted acid playoff disappointment at the hands of the Chiefs. The Ravens last played in the Super Bowl 12 years ago, the Bills 31 years ago. With Jackson and Allen in their respective primes, both teams face immense pressure to get back. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens WR Zay Flowers has ‘chance’ to play against Bills, John Harbaugh says Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Bills AFC divisional round staff picks: Who wins Sunday in Buffalo? Baltimore Ravens | Staff picks for NFL divisional round: Commanders vs. Lions, Texans vs. Chiefs and more Baltimore Ravens | Ravens and Bills have evolved dramatically since Week 4 meeting Baltimore Ravens | Former Maryland RB Ty Johnson looks to extend Bills’ playoff run vs. Ravens Beyond that, Baltimore and Buffalo share blue-collar histories, with pro football interwoven in their daily fabrics. “Baltimore and Baltimore are regional cities where the fan bases are loyal,” Foxworth said. “Everyone in those cities are fans of their teams.” That affinity won’t ease the pain of a loss for either side. Players, coaches and fans know the Bills and Ravens are both capable of winning it all. “I could see whichever team wins this Baltimore-Buffalo matchup being the favorite next week in the AFC championship game,” six-time Super Bowl-winning coach Bill Belichick said this week on his SiriusXM show. “I still think that those two teams overall have been just a little more solid this year than Kansas City.” That means someone’s big dream will die abruptly in frigid Buffalo. Baltimore Sun reporter Brian Wacker contributed to this article. Have a news tip? Contact Childs Walker at daviwalker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6893 and x.com/ChildsWalker. AFC divisional round Ravens at Bills Sunday, 6:30 p.m. TV: CBS Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM Line: Ravens by 1 1/2 View the full article

Here’s how The Baltimore Sun sports staff views the outcome of Sunday’s AFC divisional round game between the No. 3 seed Ravens (12-5) and No. 2 Bills (13-4) at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York: Brian Wacker, reporter Bills 24, Ravens 20: One big difference in this game compared with the first time these teams met is the Bills having linebackers Matt Milano and Terrel Bernard and nickel cornerback Taron Johnson. That makes their nickel defense significantly better than the last matchup, when the Ravens ran all over them. Couple that with Brandon Stephens giving up a key catch, the Ravens committing a costly turnover and Justin Tucker missing a field goal attempt and Buffalo pulls out the win. Childs Walker, reporter Ravens 31, Bills 24: These teams share so many strengths, and the one that jumps ahead early will have a significant advantage in reducing the other’s options. That was the Ravens in September. They can’t count on smothering Josh Allen to the degree they did in that victory. He threatens a defense in so many ways without paying in sacks or turnovers. The Bills are also healthier than they were four months ago. But the Ravens were more explosive all season, and with Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry, they seem to present an impossible problem for Buffalo’s modest-sized defenders. They’ll batter their way to another AFC championship game. Mike Preston, columnist: Ravens 38, Bills 17: Both teams will try to slow the other with a strong running game, and it’s important for Buffalo to get a lead early to work the crowd into the game. The Bills haven’t lost at home this season, but unless they change up their scheme and get out of using their nickel package so consistently, they can’t stop Baltimore’s running attack led by Derrick Henry. In a 35-10 Ravens victory against Buffalo in late September, he rushed for 199 yards on 24 carries. The Ravens have the No. 1 rushing defense in the NFL, as well as the top rushing offense. That’s not a combination the Bills can deal with, especially this time of year. C.J. Doon, editor Ravens 23, Bills 20: This truly feels like a coin flip. Neither defense is well-equipped to stop the opposing offense, with the Ravens vulnerable against big plays down the field and the Bills light up front when it comes to stopping the run. Will Brandon Stephens or former Bills cornerback Tre’Davious White be able to hold up in single coverage? Will Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson put Buffalo’s defenders in a blender with their misdirection game? One turnover could be the difference, and don’t rule out the bitter cold and raucous crowd being a significant factor. In the end, it feels like the Ravens’ destiny to rematch the Chiefs in the AFC title game. Jackson wills Baltimore over the finish line with a gutsy late drive. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Staff picks for NFL divisional round: Commanders vs. Lions, Texans vs. Chiefs and more Baltimore Ravens | Ravens and Bills have evolved dramatically since Week 4 meeting Baltimore Ravens | Former Maryland RB Ty Johnson looks to extend Bills’ playoff run vs. Ravens Baltimore Ravens | How Ravens’ defense rallied around Zach Orr and became ‘resilient group’ Baltimore Ravens | Ravens OC Todd Monken: System is ‘unfortunate’ for balancing coach interviews Tim Schwartz, editor Ravens 34, Bills 28: This felt inevitable, right? It’s the two teams with star quarterbacks that haven’t reached the mountaintop, and only one will get their chance at, most likely, taking down the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs. We saw in Week 4 what the Ravens are capable of, and while the Bills are a much different team now, so is Baltimore. Lamar Jackson is playing the best football of his career. His counterpart, Josh Allen, is, too. But the Ravens are the league’s most dominant rushing team and there is only one Derrick Henry. He’s the X factor to me. If Buffalo finds a way to slow him, it will emerge victorious. But if Henry gets going again — he had 199 yards against these Bills in late September — it’s hard to see Baltimore losing Sunday night. Bennett Conlin, editor Ravens 31, Bills 27: It’s Josh Allen vs. Lamar Jackson, but Baltimore’s path to a victory goes through the running game. Buffalo couldn’t stop Henry in the first meeting, allowing him to rush for 199 yards. If Buffalo can corral Henry, the Bills can find enough offensive success to win. The Bills should pick on Baltimore’s secondary with wide receivers Amari Cooper and Keon Coleman, as the Ravens’ defensive backfield gave up an alarming number of chunk plays in the final 30 minutes of the wild-card round against Pittsburgh. If Buffalo can’t at least contain Henry, it’s hard to see the Bills (or any team, for that matter) beating Baltimore. And containing Henry has proven nearly impossible over the past few weeks. Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Tim Schwartz at timschwartz@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/timschwartz13. View the full article

Baltimore Sun staff writers pick every game of the NFL season. Here’s who they have winning in the divisional round of the playoffs: Houston Texans at Kansas City Chiefs (Saturday, 4:30 p.m.) Brian Wacker (3-3 last week; 184-80 overall): The Texans’ win over the Chargers last week suddenly seems to have a lot of people thinking they’ll be able to hang with the Chiefs at home. They won’t, not when Kansas City is coming off an extra week to prepare and is playing its best football when it matters most. Houston won’t be able to slow the Chiefs’ dynamic offense and Kansas City’s front along with its secondary will frustrate C.J. Stroud and running back Joe Mixon. Chiefs 31, Texans 14 Childs Walker (3-3 last week; 184-80 overall): The Texans rose from the dead in the wild-card round with their best defensive performance of the season. That doesn’t mean they’ll be able to do it again on the road against the defending Super Bowl champions. The Chiefs simply don’t lose games like this. Chiefs 24, Texans 14 Mike Preston (3-3 last week; 183-81 overall): The Texans beat the Chargers in a wild-card game. Ho-hum. Big deal. If they can upset the Chiefs, then they might be on to something, but that’s not going to happen. The Chiefs have a major advantage playing at home, and they also have a quarterback named Patrick Mahomes. Chiefs 28, Texans 13 C.J. Doon (5-1 last week; 173-105 overall): When these teams last met Dec. 21, the Texans had a chance to tie the game late in the fourth quarter. The Chiefs should win, but it’s not going to be easy, especially against a Houston defense that is coming off an incredible performance against the Chargers. DeMeco Ryans will make them earn it. Chiefs 20, Texans 17 Tim Schwartz (4-2 last week; 198-82 overall): This has been a weird year in Kansas City. The Chiefs didn’t look dominant for much of this season but still won nearly every week. They simply don’t lose close games. Patrick Mahomes and his supporting cast took a step back this season but under the bright lights of the postseason, they do enough to win. Houston is being overlooked, but I don’t see it pulling off the upset. Chiefs 24, Texans 20 Bennett Conlin (4-2 last week; 184-94 overall): It’s nearly impossible to go against the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes in the postseason. He’s 15-3 in the NFL playoffs, having won seven consecutive games and two consecutive Super Bowls. It’s far from a guarantee that Kansas City wins a third straight championship, but the Chiefs won’t stumble at home against a Texans team that’s 1-3 against teams playing in the divisional round. Chiefs 28, Texans 14 Washington Commanders at Detroit Lions (Saturday, 8 p.m.) Wacker: This is another game in which the underdog’s defense will have trouble stopping the offense. The Lions led the NFL in scoring during the regular season and that’s not changing in this game. Jayden Daniels was terrific and poised last week but he won’t be able to keep up, even against a banged up Detroit defense. Walker: Jayden Daniels will put up points against a Detroit defense that’s still banged up. But it’s difficult to envision Washington’s lackluster defense doing anything to limit the Lions’ high-scoring, ultra-balanced attack. Detroit’s home-field advantage feels real against an opponent that’s probably still a year or two away. Lions 34, Commanders 24 Preston: Jayden Daniels will be included in next season’s list of top playmaking quarterbacks, but the Commanders need to add more talent around him, like the Ravens have done with Lamar Jackson. Detroit still has some issues on an injury-plagued defense, but the week off will help. Washington will score points, but the Lions will score many more. Lions 35, Commanders 18 Doon: At the risk of buying a little too much into the Jayden Daniels hype (I have him ranked as the fourth-best QB remaining in the playoffs), I’m going out on a limb and picking a big upset here. The Lions have felt like the storybook team all season, but they’re banged up and have allowed a ton of points down the stretch. The Commanders can score with the best of them, and they’ll be just as aggressive as Detroit coach Dan Campbell on fourth down. Commanders 38, Lions 35 Schwartz: Why not? These Commanders have found a way to win their past six games, almost all of which came down to the final moments. The Lions’ run defense is stout, but Jayden Daniels is not a traditional runner, and their pass defense allowed the fifth-most passing yards in the NFL this year. If Washington can avoid the big play from a Jahmyr Gibbs or Amon-Ra St. Brown, I like its chances. Commanders 34, Lions 31 Conlin: The Detroit Lions love to blitz (second-highest blitz rate in the NFL at 34.2%) and play man coverage. Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels excels against both, posting an 81.9 PFF season-long grade against the blitz and a 90.4 grade in the wild-card round when facing pressure. This is a great matchup for the Commanders’ offense, which should use no-huddle to wear down Detroit’s wounded defense. But can the Commanders slow down Jared Goff and Detroit’s offense, which led the NFL with 33.2 points scored per game in the regular season? I expect each coach to be highly aggressive on fourth down, which makes a Commanders upset feel quite possible. Lions 41, Commanders 35 Los Angeles Rams at Philadelphia Eagles (Sunday, 3 p.m.) Wacker: The Rams could be the darlings of the playoffs. Their domination of the Vikings in the wild-card round was impressive, but Minnesota got exposed again in the postseason. Rams quarterback Matt Stanford is tough and capable but the Eagles have a nasty defense, the best offensive line in the game and will bully their way to a win in this one. Eagles 23, Rams 13 Walker: The Rams are everyone’s favorite upset special coming off their dismantling of the Vikings. The Eagles inspired little enthusiasm with their conservative game plan against a Packers team that did nothing to push them. But the Rams aren’t built to stand up to Philadelphia’s bullying on both sides of the ball, especially not on a wintry East Coast afternoon. Enjoy them or not, the Eagles just might ugly their way to the Super Bowl. Eagles 23, Rams 16 Preston: The Eagles are old school. They win games at the line of scrimmage. They maul opponents on both sides of the ball, and if a team can win with its front four, that allows it to do a lot of things defensively. Offensively, the Eagles are one dimensional, but what a dimension with halfback Saquon Barkley. The Eagles’ offense is similar to the one used by the Ravens in 2000. Philadelphia doesn’t have a strong passing game, but it is effective in combination with Barkley, just like the Ravens were with Jamal Lewis. Eagles 21, Rams 17 Doon: The Rams were no match for Saquon Barkley in the regular season, allowing the star running back to pile up 255 rushing yards and two touchdowns in a 37-20 Eagles victory. Even with Jalen Hurts struggling of late, Philadelphia can lean on Barkley and its outstanding offensive line to overpower Los Angeles at the line of scrimmage. The Eagles’ ascending defense should also be able to pressure Matthew Stafford and contain the Rams’ passing game. Eagles 27, Rams 20 Schwartz: Philadelphia intercepted Packers quarterback Jordan Love three times in the wild-card game and didn’t need to do much offensively to advance. It will need to play much better to beat these Rams, who are peaking right now with a rejuvenated Matthew Stafford. Saquon Barkley isn’t slowing down and could thrive even more in the freezing temperatures. I think the Eagles’ secondary does enough to slow Stafford and Puka Nacua. Eagles 28, Rams 20 Conlin: The Eagles and Rams met on Nov. 24, and Los Angeles had no answer for Barkley, who rushed for 255 yards and two touchdowns. If the Rams don’t shore up their run defense Sunday, it’ll be a long afternoon. Matthew Stafford has led Los Angeles to six wins in its last seven games, as he and coach Sean McVay are hot at the right time. Philadelphia has too much firepower in this game, though, and Barkley will make the difference. Eagles 27, Rams 21 Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Tim Schwartz at timschwartz@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/timschwartz13. View the full article

It’s not often the statistical model used to determine ESPN’s matchup predictor spits out a perfect coin flip. On Monday morning, the best odds it could offer for the Ravens and Bills, two titans of the NFL playing in Sunday’s AFC divisional round, was 50-50. It hasn’t tipped more than half a percentage point since. As pundits and fans alike spout predictions trying to make sense of such an evenly matched contest, it’s natural to lean on their Week 4 matchup in Baltimore, a 35-10 Ravens rout on national television. There’s one issue with that: These teams have both evolved dramatically since September. “We look at [that game] from kind of a scientific type of football perspective,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said, “in terms of what did they see? What are they going to try to stop? What are they going to play against us? Where are the matchups now that weren’t there then, or that are different or the same?” That early in the season, the Ravens were climbing out of a 1-2 hole shouldering all sorts of questions about what their offensive identity might be. They needed to find their “mojo,” Lamar Jackson said. And Buffalo, which scored 112 points in its first three games and is 9-0 in Orchard Park this season, took their first right hook to the chin at M&T Bank Stadium. “Learned a lot from those moments,” Bills quarterback Josh Allen said this week. “Going back and watching it obviously wasn’t our best effort. Felt like we didn’t play our best football.” Derrick Henry, who bullied Buffalo for 199 yards on 24 carries, added: “We played a great game against them tonight. We were the better team tonight. But I’m sure they’ll fix things in the next coming weeks.” Buffalo’s defense finished the regular season with a league-high plus-24 turnover margin. Cornerback Taron Johnson has turned two takeaways into touchdowns. The Bills are also the 26th-worst team at getting off the field on third down, according to football statistician Ben Baldwin, which bottomed out between Weeks 14 and 17, giving up a staggering 9.9 yards per attempt on third downs. To make matters worse, Buffalo has seen a gradual decline in EPA per play allowed since their September soiree with the Ravens. Baltimore experienced the inverse effect. Muting the Bills was an outlier in an otherwise rocky start to the season. Cornerback Marlon Humphrey said it feels like now they have a different identity on the heels of personnel changes and vibe shifts despite playing “decently well” that night. Their defensive resuscitation since Week 11 has been well documented, skying up power rankings from the worst pass defense in the league to hanging with the best. The Ravens have steadily boasted one of the NFL’s best rushing defenses, which could be a determinant Sunday night. To which safety Kyle Hamilton pointed out Buffalo’s evolving reliance on the run game. Against the Ravens, lead back James Cook only touched the ball nine times for 39 yards — tied for his second-fewest single-game carries and fifth-lowest output of a 1,000-yard season. That’s because the Bills fell behind early and were forced to play catch up through the air. Rushing behind one of the best offensive lines in the league became a staple of their offense. “They are really committed to the run,” Hamilton said. “It is definitely a respectable run game. They’ve hurt people — they hurt the Broncos last week with it. I think it is big for us as a defense to knock the run out first before we get to anything else.” Both offenses have ascended similar trajectory thanks to MVP-caliber quarterback play. The Ravens finished the season with, not only the best offensive DVOA in the league, but the NFL’s fourth-best offensive DVOA since 1978, right behind the 16-0 New England Patriots. Lamar Jackson played the best all-around season of his career piloting a franchise-record 7,224 total yards — the third most by a team in NFL single-season history. Meanwhile, Buffalo’s 30.9 points per game trailed only Detroit. They laid an egg in Baltimore, then scored at least 20 points in every game until Week 18, when they rested starters. Allen’s 12 rushing scores are the second most of any quarterback and Cook’s 18 are tied with Henry for second most in the NFL. “It’s the battle of two heavyweights,” defensive end Von Miller told local reporters. Added Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken: “Ultimately, for both teams, it’s gonna come down to what they do well, irrespective of what that game was 14 weeks ago.” In comparing a Sunday night in September with this weekend’s AFC divisional round, there are a few notable additions and subtractions. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Former Maryland RB Ty Johnson looks to extend Bills’ playoff run vs. Ravens Baltimore Ravens | How Ravens’ defense rallied around Zach Orr and became ‘resilient group’ Baltimore Ravens | Ravens OC Todd Monken: System is ‘unfortunate’ for balancing coach interviews Baltimore Ravens | Ravens WR Zay Flowers again only player absent from Thursday’s practice Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Bills are in trouble against Ravens RB Derrick Henry | COMMENTARY Baltimore had a healthy Zay Flowers that day. Although the second-year receiver and first-time Pro Bowl selection only caught one pass for 10 yards, he has been an integral part of a profitable Ravens passing attack. He finished the regular season with 1,059 yards on 74 catches. Flowers’ availability Sunday is still up in the air as he recovers from a knee injury suffered in Week 18. Meanwhile, Buffalo played Week 4 without a pair of All-Pro defenders because of injuries. Linebacker Matt Milano and Johnson, who famously settled a January 2021 playoff meeting with a 101-yard pick-six that still haunts Jackson, are both healthy for Sunday. As is linebacker Terrel Bernard, another addition to shore up the middle of the field. The Bills also added wideout Amari Cooper at the trade deadline, and he has 22 catches for 305 yards and two scores in nine games. The Week 4 matchup can be a data point for what is possible to come this weekend. It won’t be a valuable predictor for this coin flip game. “Both teams are better across the board,” Harbaugh said. “Both teams have kind of defined their personalities a little bit more over the course of the season. It’s kind of what you’d expect at this point.” Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. View the full article

In less than 18 months, Cumberland native and University of Maryland graduate Ty Johnson has ingratiated himself into the community surrounding the Buffalo Bills. He has a home there and recently added a second dog to his family. But if there’s one minor detail Johnson can’t stomach, it’s residents’ devotion to blue cheese and ranch dipping sauces for their famous wings. “I hate blue cheese and ranch, but it’s a thing here,” he said with a chuckle. Asked what he dips his proteins in, Johnson replied, “They already have sauce on them. So you don’t need anything else.” Wing etiquette aside, Johnson has probably already won over many Bills fans. The 5-foot-10, 210-pound running back contributed to Buffalo’s run to the AFC East title and could be a key cog in Sunday’s game against the Ravens at 6:30 p.m. in the AFC divisional round. Johnson has emerged as the team’s primary back on third downs and obvious passing downs, catching 18 passes for 284 yards and three touchdowns and carrying the ball 41 times for 213 yards and one score. He slid to grab a pass from quarterback Josh Allen for a 24-yard touchdown on fourth down in the third quarter of the Bills’ 31-7 trouncing of the Denver Broncos in the AFC wild-card round Sunday. “I’ve been saying it all year long. Ty Johnson’s the best third-down back in football,” Allen said after the game. “He just makes plays, and Josh has a lot of trust in him as you saw,” coach Sean McDermott said. Johnson’s journey from Western Maryland to Western New York is one of highs, lows and a persistent mother. He grew up rooting for the now-Washington Commanders because his mom Tracy Johnson is a fan. “I was a big Clinton Portis guy,” he said. In June 2014, Johnson, a soon-to-be senior at Fort Hill High, caught the attention of Terps coach Randy Edsall when he clocked a time of 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash at a camp in College Park. During lunch, an assistant coach beckoned Johnson and took him to Edsall’s office where he received an official offer. “I didn’t know what to expect,” he said of being summoned by Edsall. “A whole bunch of guys I was sitting at a table with, they were like, ‘Oh, he’s about to get offered.’ I was like, ‘Maybe?’” Tracy Johnson was thrilled by Maryland’s proposition. “It was a dream come true,” she said. But six games into Johnson’s freshman year in 2015, Edsall was fired. DJ Durkin was hired as the next coach, and Johnson considered walking away from football. “It was one of those things where I was like, ‘Damn, I don’t know if I can keep going,’” he said. “It felt like I was beat up just from camp, the physicality, all that. But then my mom said, ‘You better keep your ass there.’ And I did.” Tracy Johnson was naturally worried about her son, but implored him to stick with it. “He called me one day and said, ‘I can’t do this,’” she said. “I said, ‘Yes, you can. You’re stronger than you think. You have it in you. You don’t want to give up this dream. You’re almost there. Don’t walk away from this.’” Former Terps running back Ty Johnson, shown in the team’s 2017 spring game, considered walking away from the program before encouragement from his mother. (Staff file) As a sophomore in 2016, Johnson set a school single-season record by averaging 9.1 yards per carry. In four years, he amassed 4,196 all-purpose yards to rank third in program history. Those numbers helped Johnson get selected by the Detroit Lions in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL draft. After a rookie campaign during which he carried the ball 63 times for 273 yards and caught 24 passes for 109 yards in 16 games, he was waived by the team on Oct. 1, 2020. The very next day, Johnson was claimed by the New York Jets and spent three years there. His best season was 2021, when he ran 61 times for 238 yards and two touchdowns and caught 34 passes for 372 yards and two scores. But shortly after signing a second contract on March 28, 2023, Johnson tore his pectoral muscle during an offseason workout. While rehabbing, Johnson was waived by the Jets. That decision took a toll on Johnson, according to his mother. “It was a pretty dark time as far as depression and fear of the future and where he was going to go and what was going to happen,” Tracy Johnson said. “It was an ugly time.” Four months later, Johnson was signed by the Bills and worked his way to complement starter James Cook and fourth-round rookie Ray Davis in the running back room. Reflecting on the Jets decision, Johnson said he is thankful. “It didn’t happen to me, it happened for me,” he said. “It was just one of those things where I was put in a spot where I had to hone in on my mental health and work on my strength. Just put in the time and effort and got myself prepped to go wherever was next, and that just happened to be the Bills.” Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens and Bills have evolved dramatically since Week 4 meeting Baltimore Ravens | How Ravens’ defense rallied around Zach Orr and became ‘resilient group’ Baltimore Ravens | Ravens OC Todd Monken: System is ‘unfortunate’ for balancing coach interviews Baltimore Ravens | Ravens WR Zay Flowers again only player absent from Thursday’s practice Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Bills are in trouble against Ravens RB Derrick Henry | COMMENTARY Johnson’s emergence this season has coincided with his development as a blocker and pass-catching threat from the backfield. It is a far cry from his second-to-last start for the Jets against the New Orleans Saints on Dec. 12, 2021, when he dropped three passes in the first quarter. “I just had a really bad game in 2021, but other than that, it’s been up ever since then,” he said. “So I’m really just working on it.” In one of the bedrooms of the home in Cumberland that Johnson bought for his mother in 2020, he keeps a white board with only two written messages. One reads, “Miss you Cassius Clay,” a reference to one of his dogs who died last year. The other reads, “Get that Ring and rest all you want AFTER.” “That’s one of the boards where I have my affirmations,” he said. “This year, doing a full OTAs, doing a full camp, doing a full preseason, going through an actual year of playing and everything, it’s tiring, and it’s a long year. But I want to keep going and stay present and get a ring, and then I can rest all I want.” Have a news tip? Contact Edward Lee at eklee@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/EdwardLeeSun. View the full article

It was, in Zach Orr’s words, the most awkward landing he’d endured on a football field. Christmas night. Houston. A fourth-down stop near the goal line. Ar’Darius Washington. The collision. “I didn’t even know it honestly happened until after the game and my mom, she showed me,” the Ravens’ first-year defensive coordinator said of the celebration that went viral. “She was like, ‘Boy you crazy. Look what’s going on.’ I was like, ‘I was just so amped up.’ … I fell pretty hard so I was a little worried at first [for a] couple days like, ‘I hope I didn’t hurt anything too serious,’ but I’m good, though.” The same couldn’t quite be said about his level of comfort early in the season. In his first five weeks at the helm of a defensive unit that a year ago became the first in history to lead the league in sacks, takeaways and points allowed, four of the Ravens’ opponents scored 27, 26, 25 and 38 points, with that quartet averaging 366.8 yards per game. Baltimore was 3-2, its defense — particularly the secondary — was a sieve, former defensive coordinator Dean Pees was hired in a senior advisory role and the heat on Orr across the airwaves, on social media platforms and message boards was being cranked up. “I mean, it was tough,” Orr, 32, said. “My family, they see stuff and everything, so I’m not going sit here and act like I’m naive, or I don’t hear that stuff. My family the ones that really affected by it, but I tell them all the time, it’s nothing new. “Adversity’s always going to hit. … So, you’ve just got to block out the noise, whether it’s good, or whether it’s bad, and stay focused at the task at hand.” That task now will perhaps be his toughest, or at least most significant, to date. The Buffalo Bills, who the Ravens will face Sunday night in an AFC divisional-round tilt in Orchard Park, New York, have won 11 of their past 13 games — including victories over the top seeds from each conference, the Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions — and were second in the NFL in points per game (30.9) during the regular season. But the Ravens’ defense has also been ascendant. After fielding one of the worst defenses through the first 10 games of the season, allowing the most passing yards per game in the NFL while ranking 27th in total yards and 26th in scoring, the turnaround over the past two-plus months has been dramatic. Over their final eight games of the regular season, the Ravens rose to first in the league in each category. Their play carried through to last weekend’s wild-card win over the Steelers, too. Against Pittsburgh, Baltimore surrendered just 59 yards and two first downs in the first half before rolling to a 28-14 victory. The reasons for the difference have been well-documented but bear some repeating. After a rocky start to the season, Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr helped build one of the league’s top units. (Sam Cohn/Staff) Orr simplified his scheme and substitution packages. There were lineup and roster changes, most notably the insertion of Washington for struggling veteran Marcus Williams, the deployment of All-Pro Kyle Hamilton at deep safety to communicate and cover up the back end and the benching of inside linebacker Trenton Simpson for a rotation of veterans Malik Harrison and Chris Board. There was a change in how meetings were conducted, and others, including outside linebackers Odafe Oweh and Kyle Van Noy, All-Pro inside linebacker Roquan Smith, Pro Bowl cornerback Marlon Humphrey and rookie first-round draft pick Nate Wiggins, delivered strong seasons. “We’re a resilient group,” Smith said. “Been through it, hear this, hear that. But we always stuck together regardless of who’s with us and who’s not. [Orr] always reminded us of that.” Orr was the second-youngest defensive coordinator in the NFL when coach John Harbaugh quickly tabbed him within days last February as the successor to whiz-kid Mike Macdonald, now the coach of the Seattle Seahawks. A former linebacker for Baltimore whose playing career was cut short by a congenital neck and spine condition, Orr was viewed as energetic and detailed with a sharp football mind. Still, he was a surprise choice to some, at least outside the building. The critics also grew louder, particularly after Bengals All-Pro receiver Ja’Marr Chase ran unabated through Baltimore’s porous secondary in a pair of shootouts: First for 193 yards and two touchdowns on 10 catches in an early October game in Cincinnati, then a preposterous 264 yards and three scores on 11 catches in a Thursday night thriller a month later. Humphrey acknowledged that there were some “tough conversations” with teammates, but the takeaway was crystal clear: Players who weren’t performing weren’t going to play, and the aforementioned changes were made. How the group made improvements off the field changed as well. “Meetings are a lot more interactive,” veteran defensive end Brent Urban said. “Players are asking questions, coaches have been prodding players to participate more. It’s a lot more communicating going on and I think it’s translated to the field. “A lot of our issues were communication-wise. If you foster that environment in the meeting room, I think it’ll play itself out on the field.” It helped, too, that Orr, unlike his highly successful and respected predecessor, was a former player. That resonated. “When people are questioning you, you have a choice to stand up or cower and fold,” Oweh said. “We were obviously aware of what was going on outside and we were waiting to see how he would react because we’re impressionable players. We watched him and he stood 10 toes and he said we’re gonna get it right, we’re gonna be more disciplined and we’re gonna be more structured and he stood on that. “You know he’s not [lying to] you. He’s done it. When you have a coach who didn’t play telling you to do something you might be a little uneasy. … Someone like Z.O., he’s played it. He can call your bluff if you’re not trying to do it the right way. That’s something a lot of players know in the back of their head and do the job better.” As much as Orr shook things up, the one thing that didn’t change was the man himself. That didn’t go unnoticed by the players he was leading. “I’ve been around other coaches where things aren’t going as they planned and they’ll act different,” Urban said. “I think the message stayed the same. He found new ways of doing things for guys to better understand the defense. “It’s helped a ton.” Added Smith: “He’s a great leader, a fiery guy, gonna bring the juice day in and day out, gonna remain the same person. He gonna get on everyone, including the sit or start guys on the defense, just coach everyone the same, so you just respect that as a guy.” In other words, the confidence in Orr never wavered even as the defense wobbled. “You stick to your principles of what you’re trying to do,” Harbaugh said. “You try to solve the problems. “So you just try to do the best you can week to week [and] day to day and try to improve. And, you have a growth mindset towards all of these things and stick to your guns and not panic, don’t overreact [and] don’t bite — like what you were saying, [there’s] a lot of talk that was coming from the outside — don’t really bite on that; stay confident, believe in one another and try to do the best you can. And that’s what everybody does.” Yet some of the same problems from early in the year have continued to percolate, even if only occasionally. In the Steelers game, Pittsburgh receiver Van Jefferson, now on his third team in five years, inexplicably raced by maligned cornerback Brandon Stephens for an easy 30-yard touchdown on a pass from Russell Wilson. George Pickens burned trade deadline addition Tre’Davious White for a 36-yard score. Now comes NFL Most Valuable Player candidate Josh Allen, who threw for 3,731 yards and 28 touchdowns while rushing for 12 more scores in the regular season. In Baltimore’s 35-10 blowout of Buffalo in Week 4 this season, the Ravens trampled over the Bills with 274 rushing yards and hounded Allen, who threw for just 180 yards, was sacked three times and lost a key fumble. But that might as well have been a different season. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens and Bills have evolved dramatically since Week 4 meeting Baltimore Ravens | Former Maryland RB Ty Johnson looks to extend Bills’ playoff run vs. Ravens Baltimore Ravens | Ravens OC Todd Monken: System is ‘unfortunate’ for balancing coach interviews Baltimore Ravens | Ravens WR Zay Flowers again only player absent from Thursday’s practice Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Bills are in trouble against Ravens RB Derrick Henry | COMMENTARY Buffalo finished second in the league defense-adjusted value over average (DVOA) — right behind Baltimore — and in addition boasts an offense that includes a strong running game led by James Cook, who was ninth in the league in yards per game (131.2), 11th in yards per carry (4.5) and tied for first in rushing touchdowns (16). Their offensive line is also the best in the AFC and one of the top units in the entire league, having surrendered the fourth-fewest pressures, per Pro Football Focus, with Allen getting sacked just 14 times. Against a strong Denver Broncos defense in last weekend’s wild-card round, Allen had his way, completing 20 of 26 passes for 272 yards and two touchdowns, while Cook added 120 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries as the Bills outgained the Broncos 471 to 224 in total yards in a 31-7 blowout. What does Orr expect Sunday? “People call me biased; I feel like we have the most physical team in the league, that’s offense and defense,” he said. “You got no choice but to be physical and be ready, so our guys welcome that challenge. We love it. I love it. They bring out X personnel, hey, basically saying they trying to come bloody your nose.” Now all that’s left to see is whether the Ravens, along with their defensive coordinator, can handle the punch. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken is a busy man, especially this time of year. Now in his second season in Baltimore, the 58-year-old assistant is the play caller for one of the league’s top offenses spearheaded by NFL Most Valuable Player Award candidate Lamar Jackson and star running back Derrick Henry. His next challenge? Helping lead the Ravens to the AFC championship game for a second straight season with a win over the Bills on Sunday night. Game planning for an opponent as talented and physical as Buffalo is challenging enough, but Monken also has his own career to worry about. Because of Baltimore’s success over the past two seasons, particularly on offense, he’s become a sought-after coaching candidate. Monken was expected to interview with the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday and the Chicago Bears on Friday for their open positions, according to ESPN. Last season, Monken interviewed with the Atlanta Falcons, Los Angeles Chargers and Carolina Panthers. Unfortunately for him and the Ravens, the coaching carousel spins quickly this time of year, forcing Monken to balance his responsibilities with the team that currently employs him with the prospect of taking over another franchise after the postseason. The New England Patriots, who ended their season on Jan. 5, hired Mike Vrabel a week after firing first-year coach Jerod Mayo. Along with the Jaguars and Bears, the Dallas Cowboys, New York Jets, New Orleans Saints and Las Vegas Raiders are in their own processes of selecting a new coach. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens WR Zay Flowers again only player absent from Thursday’s practice Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Bills are in trouble against Ravens RB Derrick Henry | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Lamar Jackson on rival QBs: ‘Not trying to be your friend’ Baltimore Ravens | READERS RESPOND: Here’s who fans are picking to win Ravens-Bills playoff game Baltimore Ravens | Ravens RB Derrick Henry’s summer on Dallas hillside forged unforgettable season It’s an awkward position that Monken acknowledges is less than ideal, especially for fans who might be upset about seeing a coach from their favorite team considering their next job while the playoffs are still underway. He took heavy criticism after last season’s 17-10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC title game largely because the top-seeded Ravens gave their running backs just six total carries, a disappointing performance that he later said “starts with me.” “The way the system is set up is unfortunate,” he said after Thursday’s practice in Owings Mills. “But I’m excited to play the Bills. That’s where my mind’s at.” Could that system be changed, perhaps mandating that interviews for assistant coaches participating in the postseason take place after the Super Bowl? Monken was skeptical. “I don’t think there’s any easy way, or they’d already be doing it,” he said. “It is what it is. It’s like trying to figure out things … They’ve been trying to figure it out. There’s no easy way. There’s no easy solution, so it is what it is.” Monken said that he did any work he needed to do to prepare for coaching interviews during the offseason so as not to take away from his duties with the Ravens. Baltimore opened the postseason with a dominant performance in a 28-14 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, piling up 308 total yards, including 164 on the ground, in the first half to take a 21-0 lead. “All of my focus last week was on the Steelers, and all of my focus this week is on the Bills,” he said. “I love the job I have. I really do. I’ve got a great job here.” Have a news tip? Contact sports editor C.J. Doon at cdoon@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/CJDoon. View the full article

Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers missed a fifth straight practice Thursday, casting further doubt on his ability to make it back from a knee injury to face the Buffalo Bills in Sunday’s AFC divisional round matchup. Flowers has not practiced since he hurt his knee in the Ravens’ Jan. 4 regular-season finale. Coach John Harbaugh has said there’s a chance he could play in Buffalo without having practiced all week, but the Ravens are also preparing for what quarterback Lamar Jackson called the “huge challenge” of playing without their leading pass catcher. They did not have Flowers for their 28-14 wild-card-round win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in which they amassed 464 yards of offense, 299 of those on the ground. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens OC Todd Monken: System is ‘unfortunate’ for balancing coach interviews Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Bills are in trouble against Ravens RB Derrick Henry | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Lamar Jackson on rival QBs: ‘Not trying to be your friend’ Baltimore Ravens | READERS RESPOND: Here’s who fans are picking to win Ravens-Bills playoff game Baltimore Ravens | Ravens RB Derrick Henry’s summer on Dallas hillside forged unforgettable season Jackson has expressed supreme confidence in Rashod Bateman, his top wide receiver target with Flowers out of the lineup. “He’s just lighting things up, making my job a lot easier, getting open even more,” the Ravens quarterback said. “And we have a lot of guys on our offense — tight ends, a lot more receivers, running backs — so it’s hard to keep an eye on one guy.” Offensive coordinator Todd Monken still hopes Flowers will play in Buffalo. If he does not, Monken said the answer is less changing the playbook than identifying other players who can pick up pieces of Flowers’ duties. “How are we going to move our pieces around to give us the best chance to score?” he said. “That’s what we’re paid to do, irrespective of who takes the field. Hopefully, Zay will be able to go. But if not, we’ve got a lot of really good players. We’re fortunate.” Returner Deonte Harty, still working to come back from a knee injury, was the only other player to appear on the Ravens’ Thursday injury report. The Bills, meanwhile, listed sixth offensive lineman Alec Anderson (calf) and reserve running back Ray Henry (concussion) as limited practice participants. Have a news tip? Contact Childs Walker at daviwalker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6893 and x.com/ChildsWalker. View the full article

There will be several outside factors that work in the favor of Buffalo when the Bills play the Ravens on Sunday night in Highmark Stadium. The weather forecast calls for a low of 8 degrees and a 30% chance of snow. Buffalo is also undefeated at home in 2024 and an early lead would keep a raucous crowd of nearly 72,000 in the game. But the No. 2 Bills haven’t proven they can stop the run consistently, and that will probably translate into a loss. It comes down to a simple philosophy: If a team can run and stop the run in January, that usually guarantees victory. The Bills are in trouble. After interviewing two NFL defensive assistants who both requested anonymity, they find it difficult for Buffalo to stop the Ravens’ No. 1 rushing game (averaging 187.6 yards per game) with a defense that has stayed in a lot of “nickel” looks with five defensive backs. Even the Ravens are planning to see a lot of that with 5-foot-11 and 192-pound Taron Johson as the nickel back. He seems to be the focal point. “They play that nickel pretty much against everything, except when they put the really big people out there, and those guys play so well together,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “They are experienced players, and Johnson, he’s a DB, but he plays like a linebacker in there. He gets in the box, and he plays the SAM [strongside] or the WILL [weakside linebacker] backer, based on your formations, just like a linebacker would, and he’s 190 pounds, or he shows up, and he’s out there in the apex.’ “Boom, he’s in the B-gap before you blink an eye when playing the run. He does a great job, and those are great players.” But it’s hard to stay in that defense against the Ravens. They have a 6-foot-3 and 300-pound fullback in Patrick Ricard and a 6-foot-2, 247 pound running back in Derrick Henry, who has rushed for 1,921 yards this season. They can go with two tight ends using Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely in combination or install an extra offensive tackle like 6-foot-5 and 339-pound Josh Jones to block off the edge. That’s a lot of beef. Plus, Andrews against Johnson? Take the Ravens. “As the season has gone on, there are more personnel tendencies of when tight ends or fullbacks are on the field, and what the run percentages are for Henry as opposed to other things they do,” said one assistant, “but the Ravens have done a good job of mixing it up and getting Lamar Jackson the right weapons.” The Ravens’ offense, like most in the NFL, is centered around the run game. When the Ravens last played the Bills on Sept. 29, the Ravens won, 35-10, as Henry rushed for 199 yards on 24 carries. He set the tone with an 87-yard touchdown run on the first play from scrimmage. The Bills were without five defensive starters in that game, including Johnson and weakside linebacker Matt Milano. Johnson is fifth on the team in tackles with 42. Milano (16 tackles) missed most of the season with a torn bicep, and was activated on Nov. 30. Buffalo, though, is known more for speed than girth. Greg Rousseau, a starting defensive end, weighs 266 pounds and A.J. Epenesa is 260. Milano weighs 223. Starting defensive tackle DaQuan Jones weighs 320, but fellow tackle Ed Oliver is 287. Bills linebacker Matt Milano, right, played 34 defensive snaps in the team’s AFC wild-card round. Milano missed the Bills’ Week 4 game with the Ravens because of an injury. (Adrian Kraus/AP) New York Jets running back Breece Hall ran for 113 yards against Buffalo this season, while Indianapolis’s Jonathan Taylor had 114 and Miami’s De’Von Achane had 96. Maybe the Bills go big and change their tendencies up with an eight-man front. That’s great because the Ravens are likely to be without starting slot receiver Zay Flowers, who can beat any safety deep over the middle. But will a team take a chance with significant changes against the Ravens after defeating finesse teams like Kansas City and Miami? Regardless, no team will be as dumb as Pittsburgh in the Steelers’ 28-14 loss to the Ravens last week in an AFC wild-card game. Every opposing team’s No. 1 priority is always to take the ball out of quarterback Lamar Jackson’s hands. The nightmare situation is to have Jackson one-on-one with a safety or a cornerback running the ball off the edge or outside the perimeter. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens OC Todd Monken: System is ‘unfortunate’ for balancing coach interviews Baltimore Ravens | Ravens WR Zay Flowers again only player absent from Thursday’s practice Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Lamar Jackson on rival QBs: ‘Not trying to be your friend’ Baltimore Ravens | READERS RESPOND: Here’s who fans are picking to win Ravens-Bills playoff game Baltimore Ravens | Ravens RB Derrick Henry’s summer on Dallas hillside forged unforgettable season The second-best scenario is to make him stay and throw in the pocket. The Ravens will game plan for Buffalo in a similar way because of Bills quarterback Josh Allen. The Bills are ranked No. 10 in total overall defense with the No. 9 rushing and passing offenses. The Ravens are ranked No. 3 in third-down efficiency at 48.2% and Buffalo is No. 7 at 44.1%. Both quarterbacks are exceptional at running the ball and extending plays. The Ravens are No. 31 in pass defense while the Bills are 24th. It all comes down to time of possession, and the team that controls the clock will probably win the game. The Ravens appear to be in better shape than the Bills. Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. View the full article

Lamar Jackson didn’t enter the NFL to make friends. While the Ravens’ franchise quarterback stopped short of saying he views his quarterback peers as rivals during a Wednesday news conference, Jackson made it clear he’s not close pals with Bills quarterback Josh Allen or other signal callers across the league. Instead, he’s singularly focused on one thing: an elusive Super Bowl title. “Offseason, I don’t really chill with people, especially not other quarterbacks,” Jackson said with a smile. Reporters laughed, as Jackson’s expression turned stoic. “Don’t get me wrong, there’s no problem or nothing like that, but it’s like we competing against each other,” Jackson said. “I’m not trying to be your friend.” Jackson’s Ravens will face Allen’s Bills for the second time this season on Sunday in the AFC divisional round. Baltimore beat Buffalo, 35-10, in Week 4. Jackson, with the help of 199 rushing yards from Derrick Henry, played efficiently and easily directed his team to a victory inside M&T Bank Stadium. He completed 13 of 18 passes for 156 yards and two touchdowns to go with 54 rushing yards and another score. Allen, meanwhile, was just 16 of 29 for 180 yards with no touchdowns. Allen is 1-0 against Jackson in the postseason, however, clipping the Ravens in the 2021 divisional round. Jackson threw a costly interception that was returned for a touchdown in the 17-3 defeat. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens OC Todd Monken: System is ‘unfortunate’ for balancing coach interviews Baltimore Ravens | Ravens WR Zay Flowers again only player absent from Thursday’s practice Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Bills are in trouble against Ravens RB Derrick Henry | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | READERS RESPOND: Here’s who fans are picking to win Ravens-Bills playoff game Baltimore Ravens | Ravens RB Derrick Henry’s summer on Dallas hillside forged unforgettable season Fairly or not, fans and media members often evaluate quarterback careers by Super Bowl titles. Both Allen and Jackson are viewed as the top two Most Valuable Player candidates this season, but each player wants to cement their legacy by winning their first Super Bowl title. It’ll take a win over the other this weekend to keep that dream alive. Neither player has reached the Super Bowl in their career, despite being largely considered as two of the five best quarterbacks in the NFL. It’s instead Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes who has stolen the spotlight among quarterbacks under 30, winning three Super Bowls, including each of the past two. The NFL playoffs have been the lone blemish in Jackson’s otherwise spotless career, as he’s just 3-4 as a starter in the postseason. He said that one day he’ll look back on the comparisons with Allen, who was also selected in the first round of 2018 NFL draft, but not in the near future. First, he has high-stakes playoff games to win. “When we’re older, we’ll probably laugh about it, but right now, it’s serious,” Jackson said. “I ain’t laughing with you.” Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Bennett Conlin at bconlin@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/BennettConlin. View the full article

We asked readers who will win the AFC divisional round playoff game between the Ravens and Bills on Sunday night. Here are the results from our online poll: Ravens — 81% (673 votes) Bills — 19% (158 votes) Here’s what some fans have told us about the team (answers have been edited for clarity and grammar): The Ravens should win because they are the better team. Look at the games over the past weekend. In each case, the better team going into the game won. OK, you might ask, “What about the Houston-Chargers game?” Both teams are mediocre so one of them must prevail. Buffalo was not all that impressive against Denver. Most of their points were scored long after the game was already over. — Scott Williams I don’t think Buffalo can handle our running attack. Stick with that and burn clock. A few key short passes to Justice Hill in the open are important to the scheme I believe if we can get the running game going early, we will move on the AFC championship game. In my opinion, we now have the perfect team for the winter playoff run. Ravens 31, Bills 27 — Bart Stinchcomb Ravens should win. Feels like the offense has better weapons and their defense has been No. 1 since Week 11. It’s gonna be close though. — Roy Furrow on Facebook It should be a good game. Both teams deserve to be in this moment. Ravens have a bigger prize in their sights. It would be so awesome to see Lamar and Henry in New Orleans. — Richard Stengel Jr. on Facebook I’m on pins and needles and won’t forecast a decision on this one. Hope the Ravens prevail and if they play their game of misdirection, fakes with hard nose running and play-action passing, they should run up the score. Coaches, please don’t get cute and stay with what got you there! — Wayne Frazier Sr. on Facebook Ravens by 14. Bills play in a soft division and will wilt under our physicality. — Tom Burns on Facebook Edgar Allan Poe’s birthday. Jan 19. I ask every Ravens player to read aloud to themselves “The Raven” before the game, hear the genius of the rhythm of that poem, feel its contemplative essence and use that patient energy to calmly and eerily win just by being yourselves. — Thomas Graves on Facebook Ravens will do better on the road. Less hype. They often choke in big games at home (see Kansas City game last year). Two away wins and they are in New Orleans where we know they can win. Good karma there. Just keep the power on this time. — Paul Tiburzi on Facebook The Ravens’ front four can hold back the defense. They should win, but who knows? Toss up! I liked both teams all year but Ravens is my first choice. — Brenda Callahan on Facebook We already whupped these boys once. Twice will be nice they will be saying after Sunday night. Josh Allen can’t win in the big games. — Gus Smith on Facebook The Baltimore Sun reader poll is an unscientific survey in which website users volunteer their opinions on the subject of the poll. To see results from previous sports polls, go to baltimoresun.com/sportspoll View the full article

AJ Billings was up in a corner suite at M&T Bank Stadium, just starting to settle in beside Derrick Henry’s girlfriend, Adrianna Rivas, and the rest of the Ravens running back’s family. His butt hadn’t touched the seat yet when he turned to Rivas, saying, “Oh my [expletive] God. Did that really just happen?” It was a warm welcome for Henry’s longtime trainer visiting Baltimore for the first time, in town to catch Ravens vs. Bills on “Sunday Night Football.” One effortless cut back on an inside zone run sent Henry blistering into open field on the Ravens’ first play from scrimmage. He took it 87 yards untouched to the end zone. The suite couldn’t believe it. It sent the purple crowd into a frenzy. It’s fair to assume folks at home were shocked too, watching the biggest running back in the NFL clock 21.29 mph. Billings was stirred by the moment. He wasn’t surprised. For one, Henry told Billings the night before about a few scripted plays to open the game and how if fullback Pat Ricard could cleanly execute the trap block to fling the door open there, Henry promised he could take it to the house. And two, it was a movement he and Billings thought about on a hillside in July. Billings was a college athlete himself, playing defensive back at East Texas A&M. After getting his graduate degree at Texas A&M, he started working at independent gyms in the Dallas area while connecting with prominent sports agencies and athletes. He joined former NBA player Melvin Sanders in 2017 at his vaunted downtown training center, eventually climbing to vice president of performance. Billings was taking a cycling class in Dallas when he met Rivas. That’s how he first met Henry and their families bonded. Their daughters play soccer together. There’s plenty of non-football talk between Henry and Billings before the work starts and well after they’ve packed up for the day. But what’s he like in between all that, when the real work gets done? “Real quiet,” Billings said with a laugh. The past eight years, Billings has had a front-row seat to the making of a Hall of Famer. Something felt different about this past summer, as Henry signed with a Super Bowl contender to play alongside two-time NFL Most Valuable Player Lamar Jackson. He told Billings, “this was going to be one of those years that’s not going to be forgotten.” There’s a cable-stayed bridge over the Trinity River in inner city Dallas. Behind it is a grass hill about 70 yards steep. That’s Henry and Billings’ favorite place to train together. For them, Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge feels like they’re in the trenches. It’s just Henry and Billings under the sweltering Texas sun — sometimes as hot as 110 or 115 degrees — packing no more than a couple cones, a football and a speaker. But Billings had never seen Henry dance until his Week 18 jig after a touchdown against Cleveland. Henry brings a quietly intense demeanor. He reaches into the depths of his subconscious to keep pushing in a way few can. At least no one Billings has encountered. Derrick Henry’s longtime trainer, AJ Billings, has had a front-row seat to the making of a Hall of Famer. (Denzel Brown @getknarly/Courtesy) Billings works with over 100 athletes, many of whom are at the top of their profession. He’s well read, always seeking new ways to motivate his clientele. He explained during a recent phone call that in high-pressure situations, your subconscious is forced to make a decision between logic and ego and emotions. “Ninety-nine or 100% of the time,” he said, “your body will choose emotions.” Not Henry. He pushes past logic to stress the limits of his body. Where that comes from, Billings can only speculate. Henry’s grandmother has been an all-important emotional motivation, particularly since she died in 2016, two days after his NFL debut. He wrote about her impact in 2018 for The Players’ Tribune. Billings also ventured to say Henry being one of just two Heisman Trophy winners drafted outside the first round over the past two decades gave him an edge. Watching teams pass over the now 31-year-old this offseason only poured kerosene on that fire. “He can bench the world. He can squat the world. He can lift the world. He can do all of those things,” Billings said. “From there, the mentality that he has is different than anybody that I’ve worked with.” That all manifests in few words and chunk yardage. They were six weeks out from training camp and Henry was showing Billings on an iPad the type of run formations he expected to see under offensive coordinator Todd Monken. Henry’s ability to hit a second gear 30 yards upfield is a direct credit to the duo being intentional drilling one jump cut and burst runs on a hill three-fourths of a football field. That’s where Billings’ mind flies to watching Henry take one 87 yards against Buffalo, or 51 vs. Cincinnati in October, 81 at Tampa Bay two weeks later and 44 vs. Pittsburgh last week with a resemblance to Lightning McQueen, according to his quarterback. “The work gon’ always show,” they’ll say to one another. Henry can make a perfectionist look apathetic. If Billings calls for 10 runs up that hill, Henry might do 20 because the 10 have to be exceptional. “He doesn’t like to do any bad reps,” Billings said. Henry might get to the top of the hill drenched in sweat, his hands pressing into his knees, and his trainer will say, “That was 10 reps right there, D.” “Those last two,” Henry muffles back, “those don’t count. That wasn’t up to par.” The speed maybe didn’t meet his standard. Or the tempo slipped by a millisecond. Ravens running backs coach Willie Taggart knows that side of Henry too. “I’ll get a text or a picture of a frame from a game, saying, ‘Coach, I should have hit this hole,’ or ‘We should do this,’” he said. On Sundays, Henry comes off the sideline and jogs directly to Taggart seeking feedback. Days after a Week 13 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, Taggart said, “It can be the smallest thing, and he just hates it so much. I got a text last night. It just said, ‘Coach, I’m still ticked about this game.’” Ravens coach John Harbaugh, left, celebrates a playoff win over the Steelers with running back Derrick Henry. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) When Taggart met Henry in the offseason, his first impression was, “Damn, Elon Musk must’ve built him. He got a Cybertruck system in him.” Taggart’s second impression was that Henry, who’s been in the NFL for nine years, still practices like a rookie. Henry hasn’t missed a practice all year. He fit seamlessly into the running back room, which Taggart credits sixth-year pro Justice Hill for. And just like Billings, when Taggart offers a moment to rest, Henry respectfully declines. Billings has hosted group workouts in Dallas. He remembers younger athletes having left wondering if Henry hates them because of how intense he got. “He’s a big teddy bear,” Billings said, but “on the field he might hurt you.” Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | READERS RESPOND: Here’s who fans are picking to win Ravens-Bills playoff game Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Bills playoff betting guide: Picks, predictions and odds Baltimore Ravens | Ravens-Bills playoff game will be offensive line battle as much as QB showcase Baltimore Ravens | Ravens and QB Lamar Jackson emphasize turnover margin in Bills preparation Baltimore Ravens | Ravens claim disgruntled WR Diontae Johnson with eye on adding draft pick All of those grueling hours have built to this point: 1,921 regular-season yards in his rearview mirror. Another 186 and two touchdowns to help send the Steelers packing in the AFC wild-card round. Days out from a trip to Buffalo for a heavyweight AFC divisional game. Two wins from a Super Bowl appearance. January football is when Henry does his most damage, having accumulated 715 yards behind 118 carries in five late-winter games. That’s 6.06 yards per touch when he can see his own breath, 1.21 yards more than his career average. On the most recent episode of “Hard Knocks,” coach John Harbaugh likened Henry stomping over the gelid winter grass to an “elk on the Montana tundra.” On that same episode of “Hard Knocks,” he asked his teammates, “You want to win the Super Bowl or you want to go home?” Taggart said Henry hasn’t been shy in the running back room about verbalizing his expectations. Cornerback Marlon Humphrey sensed his “locked-in-ness went to another level” as the calendar flipped over. The Ravens now sit three wins away from stamping this year, as Henry told Billings in the summer Texas heat, one that won’t be forgotten. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. View the full article

Three of this weekend’s four NFL divisional round playoff games feature betting spreads of six points or more. One game, however, is expected to be a nailbiter. That game involves perhaps the NFL’s two top performing quarterbacks and a pair of AFC contenders in the Ravens and Bills. Lamar Jackson and Baltimore visit Josh Allen and Buffalo on Sunday at 6:30 p.m., and sportsbooks have the spread favoring the Ravens by about one point. If betting odds are any indication, Sunday’s game could be an all-time battle between two of the NFL’s best signal-callers. The quarterbacks don’t get much better, and the stakes don’t get much higher. “It’s win or go home,” Jackson said Wednesday at his weekly news conference. What are the odds? Spread: Ravens by 1 ½ (FanDuel) Total: 51 ½ points Moneyline: Ravens -118, Bills +100 Buffalo opened as a favorite at many sportsbooks, but the Ravens have since become the betting favorite. Baltimore has only been an underdog once this season, which came in its season-opening loss to Kansas City. The Ravens went 10-6-1 against the spread during the regular season, while the Bills went 10-7. Each team also covered in their wild-card round victories. The Ravens and Bills have a heavy tendency to skew toward the over, with 13 of Baltimore’s 17 regular-season games going over the projected point total. Eleven of Buffalo’s 17 games went over the total as well. Buffalo ranked second in the NFL in scoring during the regular season, with Baltimore ranking third. Detroit, the NFL’s top scoring offense, was the only other team to average more than 30 points per game. Bettors using wager-tracking site Pikkit don’t seem to care about those stats, as 58.9% of bets on the total tracked using the platform are on the under. Points, points and more points? In Week 4, the Ravens demolished the Bills by a final score of 35-10. Derrick Henry came one rushing yard shy of 200, and Baltimore’s defense had one of its best games of the season. While the Bills sputtered in Week 4, their offense has been exceptional over the late stretch of the season. Buffalo averaged 37.8 points per game in Weeks 12-17 and scored 31 in its first postseason game. Allen sat out Week 18, when the Bills scored just 16 points. The Bills scored 42 points against the Rams, 48 against the Lions and 31 against Denver. Even against playoff teams with respectable defenses, Buffalo’s offense has proven nearly impossible to stop. “I feel like we’ve grown quite a bit since that game,” Allen said of the Week 4 loss in Baltimore. “Obviously, [we] learned a lot from those moments.” Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | READERS RESPOND: Here’s who fans are picking to win Ravens-Bills playoff game Baltimore Ravens | Ravens RB Derrick Henry’s summer on Dallas hillside forged unforgettable season Baltimore Ravens | Ravens-Bills playoff game will be offensive line battle as much as QB showcase Baltimore Ravens | Ravens and QB Lamar Jackson emphasize turnover margin in Bills preparation Baltimore Ravens | Ravens claim disgruntled WR Diontae Johnson with eye on adding draft pick Regardless of the defensive improvement from Baltimore in the final half of the season, it’s hard to see the Bills offense being shut down like it was Week 4. Buffalo averages 33.9 points per game at home, and the Bills are undefeated at home. As for Baltimore, it’s scored at least 28 points in all five games since its late-season bye week. Lamar Jackson hasn’t thrown an interception during the stretch, playing perhaps the best football of his career. Henry eclipsed 100 rushing yards in each of the past four games, and wide receiver Rashod Bateman stepped up against the Steelers (two catches on two targets for 24 yards and a touchdown) in Zay Flowers’ wild-card round absence. Tight ends Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely combined for 80 yards on five receptions against Pittsburgh, giving Jackson a seemingly endless array of pass-catching options if the running game isn’t working. “They’ve got a lot of studs over there,” Allen said. With two of the best quarterbacks in the league squaring off Sunday, this game could be a shootout. Buffalo has played its fair share of high-scoring playoff thrillers with Allen at quarterback, including a 42-36 overtime loss to Kansas City in January 2022. This game might not push 80 total points like that legendary bout between great quarterbacks, but the frigid temperatures won’t stop these two high-powered offenses. Baltimore scored 35 in the first meeting, and Buffalo hasn’t shown a consistent ability to stop the run this season, posting the sixth-worst rushing defense grade on Pro Football Focus this year. Also, the Ravens’ recent defensive surge hasn’t come against an offense like Buffalo’s or a quarterback as highly esteemed as Allen. Both teams will score in bunches Sunday. Best bet: Over 51 1/2 points Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Bennett Conlin at bconlin@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/BennettConlin. View the full article

The excitement in Jeff Saturday’s voice is palpable through the phone. Like everyone else, he is salivating over the showdown between Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and the Bills’ Josh Allen — both of whom are NFL Most Valuable Player candidates — in Sunday’s divisional round playoff game in Orchard Park, New York. But for a former center who was a two-time All-Pro, six-time Pro Bowl selection and spent 14 seasons in the NFL — including 13 with the Indianapolis Colts and Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning — what intrigues him most is the battle that will be waged among the offensive lines. “The Bills’ offensive line is one of most undervalued assets in football,” Saturday, now an analyst for ESPN, told The Baltimore Sun this week. “They have a very, very good O-line.” Indeed. Buffalo was second in the NFL in points per game (30.9), ninth in yards (365.3) and became the first team in NFL history to score at least 30 touchdowns through the air and 30 on the ground, led by running back James Cook’s 1,009 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns and, of course, Allen’s 3,731 passing yards and 28 touchdowns to go with 12 rushing scores. A big reason: its bullies up front. The Bills ranked fourth in fewest pressures allowed (134) on their 581 passing plays during the regular season, according to Pro Football Focus, and surrendered the fewest sacks (four) in the league. They also ranked fourth in PFF’s pass blocking efficiency rating (88.1). The anchor of the group, which was ranked fifth overall by PFF behind only the Detroit Lions, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Denver Broncos and Philadelphia Eagles — all playoff teams — has been Pro Bowl left tackle Dion Dawkins, who allowed pressure on just 4.3% of passing plays this season. Perhaps surprisingly given their early season struggles, the Ravens aren’t far behind. The eight sacks they allowed were the second-fewest to only Buffalo. The 145 pressures allowed on 539 passing plays tied for ninth-best. And their efficiency of 85.8 tied for 13th. Pro Bowl selection Tyler Linderbaum’s 82.5 PFF run-blocking grade ranked fourth among all centers. Coach John Harbaugh settling on and sticking with three new starters — left guard Patrick Mekari, right guard Daniel Faalele and rookie right tackle Roger Rosengarten — has paid dividends, too. Baltimore was third in scoring (30.3), first in yards (427.1), and became the first team in league history to throw for at least 4,000 yards and rush for at least 3,000 in the same season. A big reason: its bullies up front. “Playing leverage well,” Saturday said when asked what has stood out most to him about Baltimore’s offensive line. “When I look at offensive line play, I look at hat placement, fit and leverage. They’ve worked on all those things as the season has progressed.” It helps to have Jackson and Derrick Henry in the same backfield, of course. Ravens offensive lineman Patrick Mekari, shown in August, has been reliable in over 1,000 snaps played this season. (Kim Hairston/Staff) “Part of my concern — and I said this after last year’s AFC championship game — was they got away from their identity,” Saturday said, noting the six carries for running backs in that 17-10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs last January. “I felt like they did that [in a loss earlier this season] against the Raiders. “When you have the opportunity for a running game to give you as many explosive plays as the passing game, you’re lowering risk and increasing reward. You’re bludgeoning teams. Now that 5-yard gain is a 50-yard gain. Offensive coordinator Todd Monken has stuck to who they should be as opposed to getting caught up in what may look best. When you stay true to who you are, that’s what separates good from great.” As Mekari told The Sun, “it took work” to get there up front. Time, too. For the first three weeks of the season, first-year player Andrew Vorhees, who missed last season because of a knee injury, started at left guard. But after suffering an ankle injury, Mekari slid inside from his right tackle position, despite having previously played just 10 snaps at left guard. Rosengarten took over full-time at right tackle. And Faalele, a mass of humanity at 6-foot-8 and 380 pounds, needed to learn a new position at right guard after spending his first two seasons at tackle. “It takes time to coordinate with each other, understand how we’re going to go about it together,” Mekari said. “I wish it was great from the first game, but some of that stuff takes time.” There were growing pains and emotional ones, too. In late August, longtime offensive line coach Joe D’Alessandris died unexpectedly. Former Houston Texans offensive line coach George Warhop, whom Harbaugh had known for years and took over when D’Alessandris first fell ill, stayed on. On the field, there were some glaring struggles. The most notable came in Week 1 against the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs when defensive tackle Chris Jones roasted Rosengarten on the second-round draft pick’s first snap and strip-sacked Jackson on the first play of the second quarter. Faalele, meanwhile, looked out of place for a man of his size, was slow afoot and struggled early in the year to pick up stunts, twists and blitzes. Rosengarten was at times inconsistent or simply overpowered. Linderbaum and rejuvenated veteran left tackle Ronnie Stanley were the only bright spots. Ravens left tackle Ronnie Stanley, shown practicing before the AFC wild-card round, has been a consistent bright spot along the offensive line. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Over time, though, the group began to not only jell but improve, perhaps no one more so than Faalele. “What’s really impressive is to watch him change direction in short area and get his hands on guys,” Warhop said. “That’s still a work in progress — his hands — but the way he moves laterally, and the things he can do in pass [protection] I think is pretty impressive.” He’s made even bigger strides in run blocking, and there’s no better evidence than the two men he most often clears a path for. Henry was second in the NFL in rushing yards (1,921) and tied for first in rushing touchdowns (16). Jackson led all quarterbacks in rushing (915). “It’s not just Daniel — all of them,” Warhop continued. “He’s a big man, [and] sometimes it’s hard to uncoil your hips when guys are right on top of you. It’s a matter of also adjusting where you are at the line of scrimmage. We tend to crowd the ball sometimes, which negates our power at the point of attack in the run game. Really, if you want to get technical about it, all your power is generated on your second or third step. If you’re crowding the ball, and you don’t get your second step in the dirt, you’re not generating enough power, so that’s part of his issue is getting his feet in the dirt to go forward.” Which is the same direction Baltimore’s men in the trenches have moved for several reasons that go beyond power, agility and the technical skills of blocking. There are weekly dinners among the offensive linemen. Stanley has often tutored younger players with extra on-field work after practice. Chess became an obsession with much of the group. Linderbaum and Mekari, neighbors in the locker room and benchmates during games, have become close. Friendship has mattered “a lot,” Mekari told The Sun. “Our relationship off the field matters because you get to know the person and trust the person more than just what you see on the field.” They’ve also remained intact, which is no small feat considering Stanley’s and Mekari’s injury history and the inherent brutality of an offensive lineman’s job. “Sometimes it’s the luck of it,” Mekari said of the unit remaining healthy. “I think we’re all doing extra stuff to stay that way.” Better training methods, more ice baths and good fortune have all played a role — and the offense benefitted as a result. “The offensive line is just like every position, but there’s a lot of individual stories in there,” Harbaugh said. “Five individual starters, and then there’s others, too, in the depth part of it. If you get into that room, you kind of see that each guy has his own story, but probably, as a whole, it’s probably just steady improvement. They’ve been through a lot. “You look back at the ‘Joe D’ situation and the fact that it was three new guys [starting] and all of that kind of stuff. Some of the doubts and all that kind of stuff, but they dealt with them.” And thrived. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | READERS RESPOND: Here’s who fans are picking to win Ravens-Bills playoff game Baltimore Ravens | Ravens RB Derrick Henry’s summer on Dallas hillside forged unforgettable season Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Bills playoff betting guide: Picks, predictions and odds Baltimore Ravens | Ravens and QB Lamar Jackson emphasize turnover margin in Bills preparation Baltimore Ravens | Ravens claim disgruntled WR Diontae Johnson with eye on adding draft pick In the 28-14 wild-card win over the Pittsburgh Steelers at M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore gashed what was the 10th-best run defense in terms of yards allowed. After surrendering 109.8 yards per game on the ground in the regular season, the Steelers allowed 299, including Henry’s 186 and two touchdowns on 26 carries. Over his past four games, Henry has averaged 158.3 yards per game and 6.5 yards per carry. Earlier this season against the Bills, he rushed for 199 yards and a touchdown on just 24 carries in a 35-10 rout. Which is exactly why Saturday says he can’t wait for Sunday to see how the offensive lines will perform for their star players. “This triple option threat with Lamar is dang near indefensible,” he said. “He presents so many problems when he’s willing to run the ball. They’ve found a sweet spot with the offense. “I thought, man, this, you can’t script this any better.” Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. AFC divisional round Ravens at Bills Sunday, 6:30 p.m. TV: CBS Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM Line: Ravens by 1 1/2 View the full article

Over the past two months, Lamar Jackson has thrown just one interception, a fact the Ravens quarterback didn’t particularly relish being pointed out Wednesday afternoon as he threw his hands up in playful disgust over perhaps not wanting to speak the next one into existence. For good reason. The Buffalo Bills, who Baltimore will play in a divisional round playoff game Sunday night in Orchard Park, New York, led the NFL in turnover differential by a wide margin during the regular season at plus-24. Their 32 takeaways were also the second-most, one behind only the Minnesota Vikings and Pittsburgh Steelers. While Jackson’s four interceptions are the second-fewest of his career, his five fumbles lost are a career-high by one, though even that has been cleaned up with just one over the final 10 games of the regular season. In seven career playoff games, however, his numbers have been worse, with six interceptions and three lost fumbles. “It’s a point of emphasis always and it’s a point of emphasis right now big-time because for our offense this defense takes the ball away a lot,” coach John Harbaugh said. “Protecting the football is job one. That was in our meeting today. It’s pretty much in our meeting every week, but it was definitely in our meeting today. It might’ve been the No. 1 point.” It has been on the field, too. With just under two minutes remaining in the first half of the wild-card game against the Steelers, Jackson reminded teammates as he took the field to make sure to hold on to the ball because Pittsburgh would be coming for it. Nine plays later, the diligence paid off with Jackson scrambling away from pressure and eventually connecting with Justice Hill on a spirit-breaking 5-yard touchdown pass with just two seconds remaining to extend the lead to 21-0 in an eventual 28-14 win. The last interception the All-Pro quarterback threw? It came in the fourth quarter of the Ravens’ 34-17 win over the Steelers in Baltimore on Dec. 21 when there was a miscommunication with receiver Rashod Bateman and the ball landed softly in the waiting hands of safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. You have to go back to Week 11 and an 18-16 loss to the Steelers in Pittsburgh for the most recent one before that. Those regular-season turnovers against the Steelers are why the Ravens were hyper-focused on not committing the same mistakes last week when they played them for a third time, said Bateman, who noted Pittsburgh’s aggressive style of play. Buffalo, he said, hasn’t been as “flashy” when racking up turnovers. Bills defensive tackle Jordan Phillips celebrates with fans after making an interception against the Jets in late December. Buffalo leads the NFL in turnover margin. (Gene J. Puskar/AP) To that point, seven players are tied for the team lead in interceptions with two. Defensive end Greg Rousseau and defensive tackle Ed Oliver lead the way with three forced fumbles apiece, while nine others have at least one. As for Jackson’s lone fumble lost in the past 11 games, including the playoffs, that came on the opening series against the lowly New York Giants and an eventual 35-14 Baltimore blowout. But he also had one the last time he saw the Bills, coughing it up on a second-quarter run when the Ravens were already up 21-3 and on their way to a 35-10 rout. “Watching film, a lot of our games came down to us with turnovers,” Jackson said Wednesday. “Coach over-emphasizing that on us, making sure [we have] ball security. “That plays a part, me not just fumbling but keeping the ball out of the defenders’ hands as well, put the ball where only my receiver can catch the ball and make moves.” Even then, it hasn’t always worked out — the other three interceptions Jackson threw this season ricocheted off the hands of his intended targets. That, of course, wasn’t the case the last time Baltimore faced Buffalo in the playoffs. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | READERS RESPOND: Here’s who fans are picking to win Ravens-Bills playoff game Baltimore Ravens | Ravens RB Derrick Henry’s summer on Dallas hillside forged unforgettable season Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Bills playoff betting guide: Picks, predictions and odds Baltimore Ravens | Ravens-Bills playoff game will be offensive line battle as much as QB showcase Baltimore Ravens | Ravens claim disgruntled WR Diontae Johnson with eye on adding draft pick In the divisional round in 2021, also in Orchard Park, the Ravens were trailing 10-3 and facing third-and-goal from the Bills’ 9-yard line in the final minute of the third quarter when Jackson tried to force a pass to tight end Mark Andrews amid a crowded end zone. Buffalo cornerback Taron Johnson snatched the ball and raced 101 yards for a crushing touchdown, and the Bills won, 17-3. “One thing I’ve found [is] that the margin for error in these games is tighter because you’re playing really good teams,” Harbaugh said. “Every possession is really going to make the difference, and you want to make the most of every play [and] every possession.” Jackson still remembers that play from four years ago, of course. “Hell yes,” he said. “I just saw it. I just saw a little clip they always like to post, they like to throw that out there that little interception return. “Yes, that’s all I’m going to say about that though.” Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

Diontae Johnson is a Raven again. No, that’s not a typo. The 28-year-old wide receiver, who was released by both the Ravens and Houston Texans in a matter of weeks after being frustrated by a lack of involvement in the offense on both teams, was claimed off waivers Wednesday by Baltimore in what is considered a procedural reunion. Johnson is not eligible to join the Ravens until Monday, Feb. 10, one business day after the Super Bowl — whether Baltimore plays for the Lombardi Trophy or not. But he qualifies as an unrestricted free agent this offseason, and if he signs with another team, he’ll likely yield a compensatory pick for Ravens in the 2026 NFL draft. It’s unlikely that Johnson, who is ineligible to play this postseason, physically returns to Owings Mills. The move — as bizarre as it is — could benefit the Ravens in the offseason. But any return on investment hinges on another team giving a contract to a player who suited up for four teams in one calendar year and was released by the latter two. Baltimore suspended the one-time Pro Bowl selection for “conduct detrimental to the team” in December after he refused to enter an eventual 24-19 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles at M&T Bank Stadium, and he was later excused from team activities before being released. Johnson, a 2019 third-round draft pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers, caught one pass during his two-month stint in Baltimore after the Ravens acquired him before the trade deadline from the Carolina Panthers in a swap of late-round draft picks. He caught three more in a pair of games with the Texans, including one in Saturday’s wild-card win over the Los Angeles Chargers, but was reportedly upset in the locker room after the game. “With Diontae, unfortunately it didn’t work out and we’re on to the Chiefs,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said Tuesday. Johnson will not be filling Baltimore’s potential wide receiver void should Zay Flowers (knee) be unavailable for Sunday night’s AFC divisional round game against the Buffalo Bills. But if another team scoops Johnson up after the season, maybe the Ravens get something out of the deal. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. View the full article

Buffalo is known as one of the NFL’s great winter outposts, and forecasts for Sunday evening say it will live up to its reputation when the Bills host the Ravens in an AFC divisional round playoff game. The National Weather Service projects a high of 20 degrees Sunday with a low of 8 degrees Sunday night and a 30% chance of snow showers. If the kickoff temperature is around 17 degrees as Buffalo forecasters have predicted, it would not be the coldest game in Ravens history, but it would be in the conversation. “Hopefully, we have some heaters on the sideline,” quarterback Lamar Jackson said Wednesday. “We’re trying to win, so it really don’t matter. I can’t go into a game and be like, ‘It’s too cold; I can’t make things happen.’ Coach and them would probably send me home. So I’ve got to lock in in the cold.” Jackson said he won’t wear gloves, no matter what the thermostat reads: “I tried it at practice; I was horrible.” The Ravens did not practice outside Wednesday because the fields at their training complex in Owings Mills were frozen solid, but they did keep the doors to their indoor field open. “We’ve got it as cold as we can in here,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “It’ll be colder in here tomorrow when they get the water all shut off so the pipes don’t freeze. I’d love to be outside, but we just can’t. We’ve had a lot of work in the cold, a lot of work in the wind. The elements are part of it. The other thing is going to be the footing on their field. It’s a turf field, and it’ll be hard and kind of frozen. So we’ll try and think about all that. But really what we’re thinking about is just executing our plays at the highest level we possibly can.” The Ravens’ most famous performance in frigid conditions came in their “Mile High Miracle” victory over the Denver Broncos on Jan. 12, 2013. The kickoff temperature that afternoon was 13 degrees, with a wind chill of 2 degrees. The conditions did not stop Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco from throwing for 331 yards and three touchdown passes, including his 70-yard heave to Jacoby Jones that sent the game to overtime. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens claim disgruntled WR Diontae Johnson with eye on adding draft pick Baltimore Ravens | Ravens WR Zay Flowers only player missing from Wednesday’s practice Baltimore Ravens | Bills sign former Ravens quarterback to prepare for Lamar Jackson Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Bills scouting report for divisional round of playoffs: Who has the edge? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Kyle Van Noy mocks Steelers for taking ball first in wild-card game The coldest home game in team history was Christmas Eve 2022 when Tyler Huntley filled in for an injured Jackson as the Ravens beat the Atlanta Falcons to clinch a playoff spot. Kickoff temperature was 17 degrees with a wind chill of 2. Cornerback Marlon Humphrey warmed up without a shirt for that victory. He joked that he might do the same in Buffalo if his mother isn’t too stern with him. “I’ve always wanted to play in like three feet of snow, to where all they can do is run the ball,” Humphrey said. “It will not be that snowy. I know [the Bills are] are very used to the cold, but it gets cold enough in Baltimore. I don’t think it will be much different.” The kickoff temperature for last weekend’s home playoff victory over the Steelers was 32 degrees with a wind chill of 23. The Ravens, led by Derrick Henry, ran 50 times for 299 yards, a possible blueprint for how they’ll want to play in arctic Buffalo. “I feel like that’s just playoff football,” Jackson said. “Playing up north, you’ve got to be able to run the football. Especially in the cold, the wind. The cold really don’t play that part; it’s the wind, really. Sometimes, you’ve got to run that ball. It’ll play a huge part.” Have a news tip? Contact Childs Walker at daviwalker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6893 and x.com/ChildsWalker. View the full article

Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers missed practice again Wednesday as he continued rehabilitating a knee injury that could keep him out of Sunday’s AFC divisional round playoff game against the Buffalo Bills. The team’s top pass catcher, who also did not practice last week after he hurt his knee in the Ravens’ regular-season finale, was the only player missing from the indoor session. Returner Deonte Harty, still working his way back from a knee injury, was listed as a full participant on the team’s first injury report of the week. Coach John Harbaugh has said Flowers could play against the Bills even if he does not practice all week. “That’s in ‘we’ll see mode,'” Harbaugh said Monday. “He is working hard to get back, and we’ll see toward the end of the week if he’s practicing. And he can play without practicing, for sure, if he feels healthy enough and if it’s safe for him.” Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens claim disgruntled WR Diontae Johnson with eye on adding draft pick Baltimore Ravens | Arctic cold awaits the Ravens in Buffalo as they prepare for AFC divisional round Baltimore Ravens | Bills sign former Ravens quarterback to prepare for Lamar Jackson Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Bills scouting report for divisional round of playoffs: Who has the edge? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Kyle Van Noy mocks Steelers for taking ball first in wild-card game The Ravens rolled up 464 yards of offense, 299 of those on the ground, without their No. 1 wide receiver in their wild-card-round win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Wide receiver Rashod Bateman and tight end Isaiah Likely would be the leading candidates to play bigger roles in the team’s passing game if Flowers cannot go in Buffalo. Wide receivers Tylan Wallace, Nelson Agholor and Anthony Miller also caught passes against Pittsburgh. Quarterback Lamar Jackson said it’s a “huge challenge” for the Ravens to operate without Flowers “but we’ve got guys who are locked in and ready to step up to the plate for us.” For the Bills, sixth offensive lineman Alec Anderson (calf) and reserve running back Ray Davis (concussion) were listed as limited participants Wednesday. Have a news tip? Contact Childs Walker at daviwalker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6893 and x.com/ChildsWalker. View the full article

When asked about how the Bills can prepare for Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson in practice, coach Sean McDermott could only chuckle. “There’s only one Lamar Jackson,” the eighth-year coach and former defensive coordinator said. “You do the best you can to try and simulate it. Good luck.” McDermott initially laughed off the idea that safety Micah Hyde, a star dual-threat quarterback at Fostoria High School in Ohio, could serve as the scout team signal-caller. But the real answer came Wednesday, when the Bills signed former Ravens quarterback Anthony Brown to their practice squad ahead of Sunday night’s AFC divisional round matchup in Orchard Park, New York. Brown was a dual-threat star in college, passing for 7,891 yards and 61 touchdowns and rushing for 1,121 yards and 15 scores in five combined seasons at Boston College and Oregon. He signed with the Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2022 to back up Jackson and Tyler Huntley and ended up making a surprise start at the end of the season. After Jackson injured his knee in early December and Huntley was ruled out with wrist and shoulder injuries, Brown was elevated to play a Week 18 game against the Cincinnati Bengals. With Baltimore resting some key starters ahead of a playoff game the following weekend, Brown completed 19 of 44 passes for 286 yards with two interceptions and a fumble in a 27-16 loss. In bringing back the 6-foot-1, 223-pound Brown, who spent a week with the Bills during training camp in August, McDermott has someone who can at least give the defense the threat of both the run and the pass in practice. Using a better athlete who can’t pass as well wouldn’t have quite the same effect. “If you just put a mobile person back there when you’re planning on working on the scrambles or the quarterback run game, the defensive players know, ‘Oh, this is one of those plays,’ if you just have to sub out one of our normal quarterbacks for a mobile player like that,” he said. “And so in order to hide that, what Anthony brings to the table is both. He can throw it, he can run it, so there’s a little bit more of a true, honest look down in and down out whether he’s handing it off, dropping back or doing the things, conceptually at least, that Lamar does.” While starter Josh Allen — who ranks first in postseason history in quarterback rushing yards, just ahead of Jackson — and backup Mitchell Trubisky — who has rushed for 1,174 yards in his eight-year career — could also attempt to mimic Jackson, they are too valuable in their current roles to risk injury in a padded practice. Therefore, Brown gets the nod. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens claim disgruntled WR Diontae Johnson with eye on adding draft pick Baltimore Ravens | Arctic cold awaits the Ravens in Buffalo as they prepare for AFC divisional round Baltimore Ravens | Ravens WR Zay Flowers only player missing from Wednesday’s practice Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Bills scouting report for divisional round of playoffs: Who has the edge? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Kyle Van Noy mocks Steelers for taking ball first in wild-card game But as McDermott said, there’s only so much Buffalo can do to replicate what Jackson does on the field. The two-time Most Valuable Player became the first NFL player to pass for 4,000 yards and rush for 900 in a single season and surpassed Michael Vick for the most rushing yards by a quarterback in league history. In Saturday’s 28-14 wild-card win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, Jackson passed for 175 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 81 yards in a dominant offensive performance. McDermott knows he has his hands full trying to stop the league’s most efficient offense. “They move people off the line of scrimmage. They outscheme people — I think coach [Todd] Monken is one of the best out there — and what they do in their offense and in the run game in particular,” McDermott said of Baltimore’s attack. “And then you’ve got to be able to tackle Derrick Henry. So, they do a really good job.” “They present a lot of different challenges with their passing game, but also with Lamar and the combination of Lamar and Derrick. We have a tremendous amount of respect for both of those players. They’re hard to stop; [Henry] was a good acquisition on their part. Just that two-dimensional type of weaponry is tough on people.” Have a news tip? Contact sports editor C.J. Doon at cdoon@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/CJDoon. View the full article