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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

The Ravens opened the playoffs by running over the Steelers, 28-14. After falling behind early, the Bills had their way with the Broncos, 31-7. Who will have the advantage when these powerhouses meet Sunday in Buffalo with a berth in the AFC championship game on the line? Ravens passing game vs. Buffalo pass defense Lamar Jackson needed just 18 efficient pass attempts to lead the Ravens to a 35-10 win over the Bills in September. Baltimore jumped ahead on Derrick Henry’s 87-yard touchdown run and never looked back, controlling the flow without exposing Jackson, who took just one sack and two hits, to risk. Coordinator Todd Monken would love to play the same way Sunday on a cold night in Buffalo, while the Bills will likely attempt to keep Jackson in the pocket and dare him to beat them downfield. The possible absence of Jackson’s top wide receiver, Zay Flowers, could embolden Buffalo coordinator Bobby Babich to gear his defense toward taking away Henry. But Flowers played a small role — one catch on two targets for 10 yards — in the Ravens’ previous win over the Bills. Third-down back Justice Hill was actually Jackson’s most prolific and productive target in that game. Which is to say there’s no guessing which pass catcher might take center stage in Monken’s ever-adaptable attack. Jackson is comfortable looking downfield for wide receiver Rashod Bateman (16.8 yards per catch, nine touchdowns) or tight ends Isaiah Likely (three catches for 53 yards in the wild-card-round win over Pittsburgh) and Mark Andrews (11 touchdowns). Only five teams blitzed less frequently than the Bills in the regular season. They rely on defensive tackle Ed Oliver and edges Von Miller and Gregory Rousseau (team-high eight sacks, 24 quarterback hits) to create pressure without help from extra bodies. That approach did not work in the first matchup as Jackson’s pass protectors, led by tackles Ronnie Stanley and Roger Rosengarten, played at an elite level. Babich likes to keep five defensive backs on the field for the majority of snaps. He did not have one of his key chess pieces, nickel back Taron Johnson, the last time he faced the Ravens. It will be interesting to see if the Bills remain comfortable sticking with their smallish personnel against Henry’s power and the Ravens’ multiple tight ends. Buffalo has one of the league’s top cornerbacks in Christian Benford (10 passes defended, two forced fumbles), but his impact could be reduced against a Baltimore offense that doesn’t depend on throwing outside the numbers to its wide receivers. The Ravens led the league in yards per attempt and touchdown percentage in the red zone and ranked third in third-down efficiency, so forcing Jackson to be a pocket passer isn’t the winning strategy it was four years ago when the Bills eliminated Baltimore in the divisional round. EDGE: Ravens Buffalo passing game vs. Ravens pass defense Josh Allen completed just 16 of 29 passes for 180 yards against the Ravens in September, and Jackson’s top rival for NFL Most Valuable Player honors will have to do better than that for his team to turn the tables. The Bills don’t have an elite pass catcher, but Allen spreads his throws democratically to as many as eight targets, led by wide receiver Khalil Shakir and tight end Dalton Kincaid. The Bills added wide receiver Amari Cooper since last they played the Ravens. Offensive coordinator Joe Brady likes to stack four playmakers on one side with a fifth isolated on the other side. That muddies the picture for the defense, gives Allen plenty of clean reads and creates the potential for one-on-one shots against the Ravens’ most vulnerable cornerback, Brandon Stephens. The Bills targeted Stephens seven times, more than any other Baltimore defensive back, in September, and he gave up just two catches, per Pro Football Focus. With Marlon Humphrey guarding the slot and Kyle Hamilton coming up from the back end, the Ravens have good answers. Their defensive communications have only improved since they beat the Bills. Marcus Williams still played every snap at safety in that game; Ar’Darius Washington has since replaced him and given coordinator Zach Orr’s defense more playmaking punch. But Allen excels at throwing into tight windows, and he’s just as good as Jackson at buying time until he can find a big play. He made an incredible throw on the run for a 52-yard hookup with Shakir in the last meeting with Baltimore, so the Ravens know they’ll have to stay disciplined whenever he scrambles. Allen extends plays and attempts difficult throws without turning the ball over (league-low eight giveaways) or taking many sacks. His offensive line, led by tackles Dion Dawkins and Spencer Brown, has protected him well. Buffalo’s loss to the Ravens was an exception as outside linebackers Odafe Oweh and Kyle Van Noy combined for eight pressures and three sacks. Oweh and Van Noy, along with defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike, will need to make their presence felt in the rematch. EDGE: Bills Ravens running game vs. Bills run defense Can the Bills find a way to account for both Henry and Jackson? They couldn’t in September, when the Ravens buried them with 271 rushing yards, 118 more than any other opponent this season. It would be easy to write that off as an anomaly, but the Ravens have done anomalous things to many talented defenses — see 299 yards on 50 carries last weekend against Pittsburgh. Jackson the runner has remained in the holster for much of this season, but he carried 15 times against Pittsburgh, keeping the ball on a string of option reads early in the game when the Ravens needed third-down conversions to keep moving. If he’s that engaged as a threat at the same time Monken is calling a grab bag of zone reads, counters and sweeps for Henry, what exactly is a defense supposed to do? The Ravens have averaged an absurd 247.5 rushing yards over their last four games and have been the league’s most efficient ground force all season. The Bills did not have three key run defenders, linebackers Matt Milano and Terrel Bernard and Johnson at the nickel, in September. They will be better equipped to present some resistance this time around, as reflected by their No. 8 DVOA ranking against the run. Miller and Rousseau are very good on the edges. Buffalo did an excellent job fitting gaps and tackled soundly in holding Denver to 79 rushing yards last weekend. But this is not a big, punishing defense, and it’s fair to wonder if the Ravens present an impossible matchup for the Bills. EDGE: Ravens Ravens running back Derrick Henry rushed for 186 yards in last weekend’s wild-card round against the Steelers. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Bills running game vs. Ravens run defense The Ravens took away Buffalo’s balance in September by building a 21-3 lead in the first half. Running back James Cook became a nonfactor with nine carries for 39 yards, and Allen never busted loose. But this is a formidable ground attack that pounded Denver’s very good defense for 210 yards on 44 carries. Though Cook isn’t Henry, he averaged 4.9 yards per carry and scored 16 touchdowns in the regular season. Third-down back Ty Johnson is a dangerous run-catch threat. The 6-foot-5, 237-pound Allen is a devastating power runner in short-yardage and goal-line situations. He’s the reason the Bills ranked seventh in third-down efficiency and second, right behind the Ravens, in touchdown percentage in the red zone. The Ravens allowed the fewest yards per game and per carry in the league and held the Steelers to 29 yards on 11 carries in the wild-card round, so this will be strength against strength. Again, discipline against Allen will be key. Defensive tackle Travis Jones stood out in the previous win over Buffalo. Oweh and Van Noy set tough edges. Linebacker Roquan Smith and safeties Hamilton and Washington pack plenty of punch as playmakers. The Ravens’ offense will also be important to this equation, because if they’re playing with a lead, Cook might again fade from the Bills’ game plan. EDGE: Even Ravens special teams vs. Bills special teams Justin Tucker missed twice on a blustery night in Buffalo when the Bills eliminated the Ravens four years ago. Given that and given his string of misses through the first two-thirds of this season, there will be plenty of anxiety if Tucker lines up for a clutch field goal Sunday. He has not missed since the Ravens’ bye week, however, frequently splitting the uprights as he did so routinely through most of his career. Meanwhile, the Ravens continue to use waiver wire pickup Steven Sims as their punt returner despite several shaky catches. The Bills have struggled on special teams as well. Kicker Tyler Bass has missed five field goals, four of those between 24 and 29 yards, and five extra points. Brandon Codrington has been a bright spot, averaging 11.6 yards per punt return, but he’s dealing with a hamstring injury. EDGE: Ravens 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 | Bills sign former Ravens quarterback to prepare for Lamar Jackson Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Kyle Van Noy mocks Steelers for taking ball first in wild-card game Ravens intangibles vs. Bills intangibles It’s the similarities that make the Ravens and Bills such compelling opponents. John Harbaugh and Sean McDermott are two of the winningest coaches in recent NFL history almost two decades after they worked together on Andy Reid’s Philadelphia Eagles staff. Neither has gotten over the hump presented by Reid’s Kansas City Chiefs, though Harbaugh won a Super Bowl 12 years ago with a very different team. Jackson and Allen are the jewels of a memorable 2018 quarterback class, piling up victories, creating indelible highlights and chasing an elusive Super Bowl appearance. They front balance powerhouses that appear to be peaking as they compete for another chance to knock off the Chiefs. The Bills have not lost at home this season. The harsher the cold, the happier they’ll be. But the Ravens will travel north with no fear, knowing they thumped Buffalo in September and beat far more playoff-bound opponents than the Bills. Jackson and his teammates will continue to be asked about past playoff clunkers, including their 17-3 loss in Buffalo at the end of the 2020 season, but in overpowering the Steelers, they did not look like a team haunted by those failures. Henry gives them a weapon seemingly immune to postseason pressure or foul weather. EDGE: Even Prediction 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 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 Jackson and Henry, they seem to present an impossible problem for Buffalo’s modest-sized defenders. They’ll batter their way to another AFC championship game. Ravens 31, Bills 24 Have a news tip? Contact Childs Walker at daviwalker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6893 and x.com/ChildsWalker. View the full article

The Pittsburgh Steelers won the coin toss in last week’s AFC wild-card round against the Ravens, and they elected to take the football first. The decision came as a surprise to those watching, including Baltimore linebacker Kyle Van Noy. “The first thing I thought when it happened was, ‘desperate,’” said the 33-year-old defender on “McCoy and Van Noy,” the Yahoo! Sports podcast Van Noy hosts with former NFL defensive tackle Gerald McCoy. “I was like, ‘Oh, we won.’” Van Noy expected Pittsburgh to put its stout defense on the field first, but coach Mike Tomlin and the Steelers elected to trot out their middling offense. Van Noy took the decision personally. “This is disrespectful,” he said. “Taking the ball first? We were all kind of pissed off about that.” The decision didn’t work out for Pittsburgh, which had a six-play, 19-yard opening drive end with a punt. The drive wrapped up when Russell Wilson couldn’t escape Van Noy’s grasp on a third-and-6, only gaining 2 yards and forcing a fourth-down punt. Van Noy finished the game with one tackle and a quarterback pressure. Baltimore drove 95 yards for a touchdown on its first offensive drive, taking an early 7-0 lead and engaging the home crowd. The Ravens never trailed in the 28-14 win, scoring touchdowns on three of their four drives in the first half. As for Van Noy and the Ravens’ defense, they pitched a first-half shutout and held on in the final 30 minutes to secure the win. Baltimore only yielded 280 total yards, sacking Wilson four times and holding the Steelers to 29 rushing yards. Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry had no such issues for Baltimore, as the Ravens ran for 299 yards in the playoff victory. Van Noy made sure to share his perspective on Pittsburgh’s rough defensive outing during the podcast episode. “We stood on business,” Van Noy said. “It was belt to [butt.] Their defense getting almost 300 yards rushing on them, I’d be pretty embarrassed if that happened to me, especially with all the good players they had.” On one drive, Baltimore ran the ball on all 13 plays en route to a touchdown. “That was just bully ball at its finest,” Van Noy said. The victory was the latest in a string of strong performances for the Ravens, who are 5-0 after their bye week with an average margin of victory of 21.2 points. Baltimore’s defense has turned a corner after a shaky start to the season, which included allowing an average of 30.3 points per game in Weeks 5-8. The Ravens haven’t allowed 30 points in a game since Cincinnati scored 34 on Nov. 7. 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 | 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? Sunday’s divisional round game against the Buffalo Bills, who racked up 471 yards in the wild-card round, will be a tougher test for Baltimore’s improving defense. Josh Allen is an MVP candidate at quarterback, and Buffalo’s rushing attack averaged 131.2 yards per game during the regular season. Running back James Cook eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards and scored 16 rushing touchdowns in the regular season, as Buffalo joined Detroit and Baltimore as the only three teams to average at least 30 points per game in the regular season. “Josh Allen is a great player and they’re well built around him,” coach John Harbaugh said Monday. “They did a good job of building the offense around him.” If the Bills win the coin toss and elect to receive Sunday, it’s unlikely Van Noy will feel the same level of disrespect he held Saturday against the struggling Steelers. Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Bennett Conlin at bconlin@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/BennettConlin. View the full article

At this point of the NFL calendar, we’ve separated the wheat from the chaff. The divisional round includes star quarterbacks young and old, headlined by Most Valuable Player candidates Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen facing off in Buffalo with a trip to the AFC championship game on the line. In the NFC, Jayden Daniels has shown how quickly and significantly a great rookie quarterback can alter a franchise’s trajectory. But how do all of these stars stack up? Here are our quarterback rankings entering the second round of the postseason: 1. Lamar Jackson, Ravens Basic stats: 66.7% completion, 4,172 pass yards, 41 pass TD, 4 INT, 915 rush yds, 4 rush TD, 10 fumbles, 23 sacks Completion percentage over expectation: 4.6% (5th) Success rate: 52.4% (4th) QBR: 77.2 (2nd) Expected points added per play: 0.296 (2nd) PFF grade: 94.8 (1st) It might seem silly to put a player with a 3-4 postseason record over a three-time Super Bowl champion aiming for an unprecedented third straight title, but these rankings reflect the present day. And right now, nobody is playing the position better than Jackson. The two-time MVP is coming off a career year, becoming the first player in NFL history to throw for 4,000 yards and rush for 900 in a single season and the first to throw 40 or more touchdown passes and four or fewer interceptions. A third MVP Award might be on the way, putting him in rare company alongside Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Brett Favre, Johnny Unitas and Jim Brown. The only thing left for Jackson to do is win a ring. He got off to a good start Saturday, completing 16 of 21 passes for 175 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 81 yards on 15 carries in a 28-14 win over the rival Pittsburgh Steelers. He might need to be even better to lift Baltimore to its first Super Bowl title since the 2012 season. 2. Josh Allen, Bills Basic stats: 63.6% comp., 3,731 pass yds, 28 pass TD, 6 INT, 531 rush yds, 12 rush TD, 5 fumbles, 14 sacks CPOE: 0.8% (20th) Success rate: 52.2% (6th) QBR: 77.5 (1st) EPA/play: 0.321 (1st) PFF grade: 92.5 (3rd) Like Jackson, Allen is an elite offense by himself because of his overwhelming athleticism. His ability to scramble and extend plays without taking sacks is rivaled only by Jackson, and his 12 rushing touchdowns speak to how hard his 6-foot-5, 237-pound frame is to stop near the goal line. He has a pretty good arm, too, throwing with impressive power and touch to unlock nearly every area of the field. He’s always been a big play waiting to happen, but he’s cut down on the turnovers and negative plays to keep Buffalo’s offense moving at an incredibly efficient pace. Allen is also looking to make his first Super Bowl appearance. His only trip past the divisional round came in January 2021, when he beat Jackson and the Ravens in Orchard Park, New York, before losing to the Chiefs in the AFC title game. If he gets past Baltimore, he’ll likely need to take down this next quarterback in the postseason for the first time. 3. Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs Basic stats: 67.5% comp., 3,928 pass yds, 26 pass TD, 11 INT, 307 rush yds, 2 rush TD, 2 fumbles, 36 sacks CPOE: 2.6% (16th) Success rate: 50.9% (9th) QBR: 67.7 (8th) EPA/play: 0.165 (10th) PFF grade: 85.8 (7th) Mahomes has become the new gold standard because of his postseason dominance, going 15-3 with three Super Bowl MVP Awards. But at least in terms of quarterback play, he’s perhaps been surpassed by the raw talent of Jackson and Allen. That’s not to suggest Mahomes is having a bad season. The numbers are far below the two-time MVP’s lofty standards, but he’s mastered a formula that has the Chiefs riding a league-record 16-game winning streak in one-score games. His ability to consistently keep the chains moving and make plays outside the pocket — despite having subpar receiving talent around him — has reached a legendary level. It seems that no matter the players around him, Kansas City will always be in contention. 4. Jayden Daniels, Commanders Basic stats: 69% comp., 3,568 pass yds, 25 pass TD, 9 INT, 891 rush yds, 6 rush TD, 5 fumbles, 47 sacks CPOE: 3.5% (10th) Success rate: 49.4% (13th) QBR: 70.5 (4th) EPA/play: 0.202 (6th) PFF grade: 90.1 (5th) A rookie ranking this high? That’s how good Daniels has been this season, and the legend only grew after leading Washington to its first playoff victory in 19 years. Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels led his team to a 12-win regular season as a rookie. (Chris O’Meara/AP) Do all of the following quarterbacks on this list have more impressive resumes? No doubt. But Daniels has that unexplainable “it” factor that has lifted the Commanders from the basement of the league into a legitimate contender. His poise, particularly in gotta-have-it moments, has infused his team with so much confidence. Washington converted 20 of 23 fourth-down opportunities during the regular season, by far the highest rate in the league, and then went 3-for-5 in the wild-card round win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Daniels will face the biggest test of his young career when he takes on the top-seeded Lions in the divisional round. Based on what he’s shown so far, it would be foolish to count him out. 5. Jared Goff, Lions Basic stats: 72.4% comp., 4,629 pass yds, 37 pass TD, 12 INT, 56 rush yds, 0 rush TD, 6 fumbles, 31 sacks CPOE: 5.7% (3rd) Success rate: 54.1% (1st) QBR: 68.5 (6th) EPA/play: 0.292 (3rd) PFF grade: 81.8 (12th) From being shipped out of Los Angeles to leading a revival in Detroit, Goff has been on a fascinating journey. But will it have a storybook ending? This season has been the 30-year-old’s best, showing impressive command of coordinator Ben Johnson’s offense and a newfound confidence to rip throws over the middle of the field. Sure, he has perhaps the league’s best offensive line protecting him, a dynamic combination at running back and a two-time All-Pro at wide receiver, but he’s been much better than the game manager he was labeled as early in his Rams career. If he can lead the once-lowly Lions to the Super Bowl, they’ll build a statue for him outside Ford Field. 6. Matthew Stafford, Rams Basic stats: 65.8% comp., 3,762 pass yds, 20 pass TD, 8 INT, 41 rush yds, 0 rush TD, 6 fumbles, 28 sacks CPOE: -0.7% (28th) Success rate: 50.5% (11th) QBR: 64.9 (12th) EPA/play: 0.118 (16th) PFF grade: 76.0 (20th) Stafford’s production has dropped off since his incredible debut season in Los Angeles that ended with a Super Bowl title, but he’s still got plenty of juice left in that right arm. The 36-year-old is a renowned trick-shot artist, throwing sidearm and no-look passes that few other players can complete let alone try. But his feel for the game is just as impressive, using subtle movements and arm angles to unlock passing lanes. When receivers Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp are healthy, Stafford has taken his game to a level that few others can match, making him a dangerous opponent. If he gets hot at the right time, the Rams could very well represent the NFC in the Super Bowl again. 7. Jalen Hurts, Eagles Basic stats: 68.7% comp., 2,903 pass yds, 18 pass TD, 5 INT, 630 rush yds, 14 rush TD, 9 fumbles, 38 sacks CPOE: 7.5% (1st) Success rate: 50.2% (12th) QBR: 65.5 (10th) EPA/play: 0.161 (12th) PFF grade: 76.3 (19th) Perhaps Hurts is a victim of his own success. An MVP-worthy season and trip to the Super Bowl in 2022 created a high bar to clear for a quarterback who might not be better than the 10th to 15th best in the league in any given season. And that’s fine, because the Eagles don’t necessarily need him to be Superman. What Hurts provides with his legs, particularly on the tush push or “Brotherly Shove,” makes him a valuable playmaker in the running game. That’s been amplified by the presence of Saquon Barkley, allowing Hurts to be an efficient, low-volume passer. While there have been awkward moments with wide receiver A.J. Brown — who is reading passages from his favorite book on the sideline for inspiration — Hurts has been a reliable performer and could silence plenty of critics with a strong postseason finish. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | ‘Hard Knocks’ episode 7 recap: Ravens treat Steelers as first step toward Super Bowl Baltimore Ravens | Lamar Jackson vs. Josh Allen: Who has edge in Ravens-Bills playoff blockbuster? Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens vs. Bills. Lamar vs. Allen. There’s plenty at stake. | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Texans waive WR Diontae Johnson, reportedly because of same issues he had with Ravens Baltimore Ravens | READER POLL: Who will win the divisional round playoff game between Ravens and Bills? 8. C.J. Stroud, Texans Basic stats: 63.2% comp., 3,727 pass yds, 20 pass TD, 12 INT, 233 rush yds, 0 rush TD, 6 fumbles, 52 sacks CPOE: -1.7% (31st) Success rate: 42.4% (30th) QBR: 50.1 (24th) EPA/play: -0.007 (27th) PFF grade: 77.8 (T-16th) Stroud hasn’t taken the second-year leap many expected after his outstanding rookie debut, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t a good quarterback. When you look at his surroundings, including a slew of wide receiver injuries, questionable play-calling and an offensive line that has struggled to keep him upright all season, it’s understandable why he’s experienced a sophomore slump. But Saturday’s wild-card win over the Chargers served as a reminder of why he could become a superstar sooner than later. His scramble and 34-yard completion after a botched snap on third-and-16 from the shadow of his own goal kept the drive alive and led to a touchdown that sparked a 23-0 avalanche. Houston’s defense is playing championship-caliber football under coach DeMeco Ryans, and if Stroud reaches his full potential against the Chiefs, there could be a huge upset in Kansas City. 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

The Ravens are back on HBO’s “Hard Knocks” for the first time since the venerable series’ 2001 premiere season, this time sharing each hour with their AFC North neighbors. The seventh episode of this in-season look at the division debuted Tuesday night, going deep on the Ravens’ and Steelers’ preparations for their final showdown in the AFC’s wild-card round. From now until the end of the season, we’ll recap each episode, highlighting striking moments, memorable characters and tasty Ravens-related nuggets. Key Ravens scene With snow ringing their frozen practice field, the Ravens embraced practicing in the bitter cold, knowing they were simulating the conditions they would face on Saturday night at M&T Bank Stadium. “You can hear how hard the ground is,” coach John Harbaugh said as he watched Derrick Henry carry the ball. “It’s like elk on the Montana tundra.” Later, ESPN eminence Chris Berman visited practice and chatted with Harbaugh about quarterback Lamar Jackson’s winter preparedness. “I mean, you’ve got to get used to it,” Harbaugh said, noting that Jackson wanted to practice outside to get a feel for the temperatures and wind he’d have to manage against Pittsburgh. “That was Lamar, man,” he said. “Nobody wanted to go inside. None of the leaders.” On a lighter note, ‘Hard Knocks’ captured Harbaugh, a Midwesterner to his core, sharing a brief lesson on driving in the snow — foreign practice to many of his players who grew up in warm climates. Other Ravens tidbits The Ravens’ focus on reaching the Super Bowl was a persistent theme. Unlike the Steelers, they spoke of the wild-card round as step one of four. “You want to win the Super Bowl or you want to go home?” Henry asked his teammates at the beginning of the episode. As the final seconds ticked down on their victory, Jackson said: “One down, three to go. I’m hungry.” After Henry received a game ball for his 186-yard rushing performance, he brought the theme full circle. “Three more, man,” he said, moving quickly past the celebration of the moment. “Three more. Believe.” Ravens running back Derrick Henry rushed for 186 yards and two touchdowns against the Steelers in the AFC wild-card round. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Anxiety spiked among Baltimore football fans when the Ravens drew Pittsburgh in the first round. How could it not given the Steelers’ string of odd, ugly wins in the recent history of the rivalry? None of that tension seemed to creep into the team’s facility. “Why wouldn’t it be?” Harbaugh said when asked about facing his eternal rival to start the postseason. “Who else would it be?” He even quoted Hall of Fame Steelers coach Chuck Noll’s wisdom that champions are champions because “they do the ordinary things better than anybody else.” Both sides seemed to know the Ravens’ running game would take center stage. “Every yard matters in a rock fight,” offensive coordinator Todd Monken said, not yet knowing that his offense would pile up an incredible 299 on the ground. When it was time to play, the Ravens seemed like they couldn’t wait. Jackson bopped on his toes pregame, shouting, “We been waiting the whole year for this [crap], boy.” Cameras later captured the franchise quarterback rising gingerly after he took a knee in the back from a Pittsburgh defender. Sore as he was, Jackson shrugged off the hit, telling tight end Isaiah Likely, “Yeah, I’m straight.” If anything, his energy seemed to grow while Steelers’ defenders such as Cam Heyward huffed and puffed exhaustedly, begging for a turnover to get them off the field. When Jackson made his signature play of the game, flirting with an empty possession as he danced away from pressure and the first-half clock neared zero, Harbaugh said to himself: “Lamar, throw it away.” As soon as the words, left his lips, Jackson popped loose and flipped the ball to Justice Hill for a touchdown. “Unbelievable, unbelievable, unbelievable,” Harbaugh said. You can’t coach genius. Jackson remained on fire in the second half. After the Steelers drove 98 yards to cut the lead to 21-7, he rallied his teammates on the sideline: “Let’s go punch in! Let’s respond!” They did. Best non-Ravens scene Steelers coach Mike Tomlin did everything he could to flip his team’s mojo coming off a four-game losing streak to end the regular season. “We work every week of our lives for weeks such as this,” he said. He treated them to a highlight reel of all the clutch plays they’ve made against the Ravens over the years. “Sometimes, we push so much information at them, we don’t show ’em enough images of themselves,” Tomlin explained. Then, he bused them to Acrisure Stadium to practice in a different setting. “It would be so sick if we were playing here this weekend,” tight end Pat Freiermuth said. That wasn’t to be, of course, and Tomlin knew what his team was up against in Jackson and Henry. “Let’s cut to the chase,” he said. “These two guys are different.” He reiterated several times that he didn’t want current Steelers bearing the weight of his postseason losing streak, which goes back to 2016. “Many of these guys involved do not tote those bags,” Tomlin said. “I tote those bags.” Instead, he urged his players to think of themselves and the Ravens as two trains that would not occupy the same track. Nothing Tomlin said could reverse his team’s course, but he went down digging for every move in his bag. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | NFL quarterback rankings: Who’s No. 1 entering divisional round? The choice is clear. Baltimore Ravens | Lamar Jackson vs. Josh Allen: Who has edge in Ravens-Bills playoff blockbuster? Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens vs. Bills. Lamar vs. Allen. There’s plenty at stake. | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Texans waive WR Diontae Johnson, reportedly because of same issues he had with Ravens Baltimore Ravens | READER POLL: Who will win the divisional round playoff game between Ravens and Bills? Episode MVP Harbaugh and Tomlin were the voices of their organizations in what amounted to a two-team episode. They’ve coached against one another far more than any other pair in the modern NFL. “Man, we tied together for life,” Tomlin said to Harbaugh before the game. “It’s an honor, man,” Harbaugh replied. In a “Hard Knocks” centered on the last divisional matchup of the season, the coaches were co-MVPs. Have a news tip? Contact Childs Walker at daviwalker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6893 and x.com/ChildsWalker. View the full article

They are generational talents, one certainly to be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the other most likely to be as well. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and his Bills counterpart, Josh Allen, were both drafted in 2018, the former selected 25 picks after the latter was chosen by Buffalo with the seventh overall pick. They also made their NFL debuts against each other that year, both coming off the bench amid a 47-3 season-opening blowout by Baltimore. Now they meet again — the stakes, of course, much higher. The third-seeded Ravens will play the No. 2 seed Bills on Sunday night in the divisional round of the playoffs in Orchard Park, New York, where a trip to the AFC championship game will be on the line. The winner will face either the top-seeded Kansas City Chiefs or host the No. 4 seed Houston Texans. It marks just the fifth time the two stars will have faced off as starters. Here’s a closer look at each quarterback, how they’ve fared this season and against each other: Previous matchups The past does provide some insight to the present. The Ravens are 3-1 against the Bills in the regular season with Jackson and Allen starting, which included a 35-10 blowout in Week 4 of this season when Derrick Henry ran over Buffalo with 199 yards and two touchdowns and Jackson was an efficient 13 of 18 passing for 156 yards and two touchdowns to go with 54 yards rushing and another score. With a mix of coverages and an adept pass rush, the Ravens also harassed Allen into one of his worst games of the season as he completed just 16 of 29 passes for 180 yards while keeping him without a touchdown, forcing a fumble and sacking him three times. But Buffalo is unbeaten against Baltimore when it counts most, having stifled Jackson and the Ravens’ offense in a 17-3 divisional round win, also in upstate New York, during the 2020 COVID season. In that postseason showdown, Jackson was held to just 14 of 24 passing for 162 yards along with 34 yards rushing on nine carries before being knocked out of the game with a concussion near the end of the third quarter. A few minutes before smacking his head on the turf, he threw an interception that Bills cornerback Taron Johnson returned 101 yards for a touchdown to seal a 17-3 victory. Allen, meanwhile, threw for 206 yards and one touchdown on 23 of 37 passing. Their other contests were tantalizing at times, too. In their first head-to-head matchup as starters in December 2019, Jackson, who went on to win his first NFL Most Valuable Player Award that season, threw three touchdown passes in a 24-17 victory in Orchard Park as Baltimore won its ninth straight en route to a 14-2 record. Three years later, Allen got him back, rallying Buffalo from a 20-3 second-quarter deficit with a touchdown pass and an 11-yard touchdown run to go with three Tyler Bass field goals, including one at the buzzer, in a 23-20 win in Baltimore. A lot has of course changed since then. Jackson has won two NFL MVP Awards. Both are in the running for it this year after authoring historic campaigns. Allen directed a Bills offense that became the first to score at least 30 touchdowns through the air and at least 30 on the ground. Jackson, meanwhile, was the man behind the first offense to rack up at least 4,000 yards passing and at least 3,000 yards rushing in the same season. After Buffalo’s wild-card round win over the Broncos, Allen called Jackson “one of the most dynamic, if not the most dynamic, quarterback in the league” and added that he’s “so fun to watch.” This one should be, too. Lamar Jackson and the Ravens bested the Bills in Week 4, a 35-10 Baltimore win. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) Inside the numbers Jackson threw for more yards (4,172 to 3,731), a higher completion percentage (66.7% to 63.6%) and more touchdowns (41 to 28) along with fewer interceptions (four to six) than Allen during the regular season. He also rushed for more yards (915 to 531), though Allen had more rushing scores (12 to four). Both have also been equally sublime. They were the only two quarterbacks to finish with a positive mark in expected points added under pressure, according to Tru Media. Jackson is also coming off a wild-card win in which he posted a career-playoff best 132 passer rating against what was a tough Steelers defense, while Allen was even better against a solid Broncos secondary that he tuned up to a 135.4 rating. What they’re saying “This is what everyone’s been waiting for, right?” Bills coach Sean McDermott said. “So it’ll be a nice week and everyone will be looking forward to it, and they’re a great football team. I mean they handled us pretty good the first go around and they’re certainly playing well.” Ravens coach John Harbaugh, who has said in the past how much respect he has for McDermott, was likewise effusive. “I think offensively, they’re very coordinated in terms of blocking schemes and timing of routes and pass protections and how it’s all put together,” he said Monday. “The quarterback obviously is playing at a high level. Josh Allen is a great player. They’re well built around him — they did a good job of building the offense around him, and they have a lot of complementary pieces. All of their wide receivers and tight ends and backs — and the backs also serve as receivers — but they’re all very talented and skilled catchers. They all understand the passing game really well.” Bills quarterback Josh Allen has led his team to an undefeated home record this season. (Jeffrey T. Barnes/AP) Others have weighed in with their thoughts as well. “Lamar was really good again this past weekend,” former NFL quarterback and current ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky said on the network earlier this week. “I thought some of the touch throws that he had; one for a touchdown, another for Isaiah Likely was great. Josh Allen was absolutely spectacular yesterday against a very good defense. “Both of them have been sensational.” Rex Ryan, who coached Buffalo in 2015 and 2016 before being fired and was Baltimore’s defensive line coach from 1999 to 2004 and defensive coordinator from 2005 to 2008, also weighed in during the segment with thoughts on how or if the outcome will be any different from the last time the two teams met when Henry ran for nearly 200 yards. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | NFL quarterback rankings: Who’s No. 1 entering divisional round? The choice is clear. Baltimore Ravens | ‘Hard Knocks’ episode 7 recap: Ravens treat Steelers as first step toward Super Bowl Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens vs. Bills. Lamar vs. Allen. There’s plenty at stake. | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Texans waive WR Diontae Johnson, reportedly because of same issues he had with Ravens Baltimore Ravens | READER POLL: Who will win the divisional round playoff game between Ravens and Bills? “It’s not gonna be different unless Buffalo makes it different,” he bellowed. “You gotta change what you do defensively. You gotta get out of playing all those little [defensive backs] all over the place, regardless of what their personnel grouping is. … You will get destroyed.” There’s also the question of which quarterback is under more pressure, with neither having been to a Super Bowl and having to go through the other to get there. “Lamar Jackson, you could argue, needs the postseason success more because of the weight of overwhelming accomplishment during the regular season,” Mike Golic Jr. said on his eponymous podcast. “But this is where Josh Allen has made his reputation with a few banner postseason performances but doesn’t have all the regular-season hardware Lamar has.” 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

The Ravens’ AFC divisional round playoff game against the Bills on Sunday night could be history in the making. Barring the Texans upsetting the top-seeded Chiefs on Saturday, either Buffalo or Baltimore will get a chance to defeat Kansas City, which is seeking to become the first to win three straight Super Bowl titles. It would set another dramatic stage. Chiefs coach Andy Reid against one of his two of his former assistants, Buffalo’s Sean McDermott or Baltimore’s John Harbaugh. It might feature another quarterback duel, with Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes taking on either the Ravens’ Lamar Jackson or the Bills’ Josh Allen — the top two candidates for the NFL Most Valuable Player Award. OK, excuse me for getting a little bit ahead of myself here. But the ramifications might be enormous. “You kind of feel grateful to be a part of it,” Harbaugh said. “It’s a privilege to be a part of a game like this. These divisional games are really hard to win because you’re playing the best teams. The four best teams in the AFC, the four best teams in the NFC are still alive. To get to the Super Bowl — if you want to take a step out — you have to win two games now. Whoever gets to the Super Bowl has to win two games against the best in their conference. “That’s tough, really tough. So, to be a part of that just in that sense is really amazing, and then you get a chance to play a team like the Bills who have been perennially in that group. They are just a super talented, well-coached type of a team.” The Jackson versus Allen matchup adds spice, but not because of their MVP candidacies. Fans from both cities have unfairly criticized the other candidate for various reasons, but it’s great to watch two of the best at their positions compete head to head. There are only four game-changing quarterbacks in the NFL (with slight apologies to Washington’s Jayden Daniels), and they all play in the AFC, and two are in the same division — Jackson and Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow. And, of course, there is Mahomes, the best ever as far as accuracy, elusiveness and improvisation. The coaching matchup adds even more intrigue. McDermott has posted an 86-45 record since arriving in Buffalo but lost in the 2020 AFC championship game to Kansas City. The Bills can’t seem to get over the hump, losing in the divisional round to the Chiefs in 2021 and 2023 and to the Bengals in 2022. The Bills have made it to the postseason six of the past seven years but haven’t played in a Super Bowl since Jim Kelly led Buffalo to four straight in the early 1990s. The Ravens, meanwhile, haven’t played in the big game in a while but at least hoisted a Lombardi Trophy in February 2013. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson leaps into end zone for touchdown in third quarter against the Bills on Sept. 29. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) Like McDermott, Harbaugh, one of the longest-tenured coaches in the NFL who has a 172-104 record, has led his team to the postseason six of the past seven years. Last year was the most disappointing because the Ravens had the best team in the league but laid an egg in a 17-10 loss to the Chiefs in the AFC championship game at M&T Bank Stadium. You see the common denominator here. It’s Kansas City. These two coaches squaring off Sunday night also have something else in common. Both were assistants under Reid when he was the coach in Philadelphia from 1999 through 2012. McDermott worked as a scout and later as an assistant for Reid before he was fired as the team’s defensive coordinator in 2010. Harbaugh was Reid’s special teams assistant until the Ravens hired him as coach before the 2008 season. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Texans waive WR Diontae Johnson, reportedly because of same issues he had with Ravens Baltimore Ravens | READER POLL: Who will win the divisional round playoff game between Ravens and Bills? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens coach John Harbaugh addresses WR Zay Flowers’ availability for Bills game Baltimore Ravens | Former Ravens star Ed Reed accepts high school offensive coordinator job Baltimore Ravens | Ravens roundtable: What will be the difference in playoff battle vs. Bills? Harbaugh has a 2-5 record against his former mentor while McDermott is 4-1 versus Reid in the regular season but 0-3 in the playoffs. Both speak very highly of their former boss but they still want the opportunity to beat him. One will likely get that chance after Sunday night. Both have high-powered offenses. The Ravens are ranked No. 1 in total offense (424.9 yards a game) and the Bills are at 10th (359.1). Both are extremely efficient inside the red zone with the Ravens scoring a touchdown 74.3% of the time — best in the NFL — and Buffalo at 68.1% (third best). The last time the teams played the Ravens defeated the Bills, 35-10, in Week 4 on Sept. 29 in Baltimore as running back Derrick Henry rushed for 199 yards on 24 carries. That’s the biggest question of the matchup: How will the Bills contain the Ravens’ rushing attack? It might come down to tough guys and star players. The Ravens had nine players named to the Pro Bowl while the Bills had only two. Another factor is that Buffalo is undefeated at home this season and the cold weather and loud crowd might become factors. Regardless, one team has to win and face either the Chiefs or Texans, and Kansas City has a history of beating both the Ravens and Bills when it matters most. A big game is now bigger. Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. 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

Diontae Johnson told local reporters in December the issues that plagued his short stint in Baltimore would be left in the past and his new chapter in Houston would be a fresh start. That didn’t last long. Johnson, 28, was reportedly placed on waivers ahead of Houston’s AFC divisional round matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs, effectively ending his journeyman season having suited up for four teams in the past calendar year. The Ravens acquired Johnson from the Panthers at the trade deadline in October. He was brought in with the expectation that he’d add depth to a strong group of pass catchers and operate as an insurance policy should one go down. When one did — Rashod Bateman exited with a knee injury against the Eagles on Dec. 1 — Johnson refused to enter the game. His tumultuous time in Baltimore spiraled from there. He was suspended for a week because of conduct detrimental to the team, the Ravens said. He had been visibly upset in the locker room after at least two games. Then, after his suspension, he was excused from team activities before a paramount Week 16 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers. And he was gone a week later, having played a total of 39 offensive snaps with one catch for 6 yards in four games. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens vs. Bills. Lamar vs. Allen. There’s plenty at stake. | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | READER POLL: Who will win the divisional round playoff game between Ravens and Bills? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens coach John Harbaugh addresses WR Zay Flowers’ availability for Bills game Baltimore Ravens | Former Ravens star Ed Reed accepts high school offensive coordinator job Baltimore Ravens | Ravens roundtable: What will be the difference in playoff battle vs. Bills? The issues that plagued Johnson’s time in Baltimore did not usher in a fresh start in Houston. Texans reporter Aaron Wilson shared on X that Johnson was visibly upset after catching his only target for 12 yards in 16 snaps during an AFC wild-card round win over the Los Angeles Chargers on Saturday. Teammates “were trying to calm him down,” according to Wilson, addressing Johnson’s displeasure in his role, an issue that marred his time as a Raven. Johnson’s first game with the Texans was on Christmas Day against the Ravens. He did not play but was seen sharing pleasantries with his former teammates. Houston cutting him loose means there’s no chance of a reunion later this month in the AFC championship round, should Baltimore get past Buffalo and Houston upset Kansas City. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. View the full article

The Ravens are back in the divisional round for the second straight year, only this time they’re headed on the road. Baltimore will take on the Buffalo Bills in Orchard Park, New York, on Sunday evening for a chance to play for the AFC title. We want to hear from you. After you vote on who you think will win the playoff game, tell us what you think by clicking the comments button and we might publish your take in The Baltimore Sun. The Baltimore Sun reader poll is an unscientific survey in which website users volunteer their opinions on the subject of the poll. To read the results of previous reader polls, click here. View the full article

The status of Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers for Sunday night’s divisional round playoff game against the Buffalo Bills is in “we’ll-see mode,” coach John Harbaugh said Monday afternoon. “He’s working hard to get back,” Harbaugh said. “We’ll see toward the end of the week if he’s practicing. “He could play without practicing if he feels healthy enough.” Flowers suffered a sprained right knee early in the second quarter of Baltimore’s win over the Cleveland Browns two weeks ago in the regular-season finale. He did not practice last week and did not play in the Baltimore’s wild-card win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday night at M&T Bank Stadium. Given the significance of the injury, which often takes 3-4 weeks to return from, it also seems likely that he could miss Sunday’s game at Highmark Stadium. That might be a blow to a Ravens offense that led the NFL in yards per game and was third in scoring during the regular season. Flowers topped the team in receptions (74) and yards (1,059) and is the organization’s first Pro Bowl selection at the position. His 116 targets were also 44 more than the next closest player, fellow receiver Rashod Bateman, and 47 more than tight end Mark Andrews. But if Flowers doesn’t play, it perhaps won’t be crippling. Against the Steelers, Baltimore leaned on its league-best ground attack, running 50 times compared to just 21 pass attempts by Lamar Jackson. Running back Derrick Henry led the way with 186 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries. The Ravens also utilized a similar strategy against the Bills in their 35-10 blowout win at M&T Bank Stadium in September. With Buffalo deploying a heavy dose of nickel and dime packages in that game and throughout the season, Baltimore ran for 271 yards, led by Henry’s 199 and three scores. Flowers had just one catch in that contest for 10 yards. How the Ravens played against Pittsburgh also perhaps paints a picture of what the offense could look like on Sunday. In that game, Baltimore used 11 personnel (one running back, one tight end and three receivers) on just 11.1% of its plays, per Tru Media, and leaned heavily on tight ends Mark Andrews, Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar along with fullback Patrick Ricard. Comparatively, no other team from the wild-card round was below 50% in 11 personnel. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Former Ravens star Ed Reed accepts high school offensive coordinator job Baltimore Ravens | Ravens roundtable: What will be the difference in playoff battle vs. Bills? Baltimore Ravens | 5 things to know about the Buffalo Bills, the Ravens’ divisional round opponent Baltimore Ravens | Ravens to face Bills in AFC divisional round matchup between MVP candidates Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens’ glaring weakness is still a major problem | COMMENTARY Instead, the Ravens lined up mostly in 12 (one running back, two tight ends and two receivers) and 21 personnel (two running backs, one tight end and two receivers) along with using a sixth offensive lineman. That meant an uptick in play on offense for wide receiver Tylan Wallace, who out-snapped Bateman 39-36, with fellow receivers Nelson Agholor and Steven Sims playing 20 and 13 snaps, respectively, and practice squad call-up Anthony Miller and rookie Devontez Walker chipping in nine and two, respectively. As for Jackson’s status after taking a knee to the back during the second quarter against the Steelers, resulting in him using heat wraps throughout the game, Harbaugh said his practice should not be affected this week. “It doesn’t look that way, from what I’ve been told,” he said. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

Former Ravens legend Ed Reed has a new job on the other side of the ball from where he built a Hall of Fame career: offensive coordinator at Chamblee High School near Atlanta. Chamblee will be Reed’s latest coaching chapter – a program he’s quite familiar with. Reed was on the sideline for its 2023 Class 5A first round playoff game vs. Coffee High School. And his son, Edward Reed III, is a wide receiver and defensive back. He’ll be a senior in the fall. Former Raven Jamal Lewis’ son, Jazz, will be a sophomore wideout next year, too. This isn’t Reed’s first foray into coaching. The older Reed has dabbled with coaching since he officially retired from the NFL in 2015, signing a one-day contract with Baltimore to retire with the team where he spent 11 seasons, was selected to five All-Pro teams and won a Super Bowl. In 2016, Reed was an assistant defensive backs coach for the Buffalo Bills. He then went back to his alma mater, University of Miami, in 2020-21, to serve as Manny Diaz’s chief of staff. He remained with the Hurricanes as a senior adviser as recently as 2022. Reed was named Bethune-Cookman’s football coach in late 2022, a hiring that never reached the field. His contract wasn’t ratified in the aftermath of a viral, profanity-laced social media post. Reed reportedly told his players he was not leaving on his own accord, fighting through tears during a 15-minute goodbye. Reed was also reportedly a finalist last month for the head coaching job at Alabama A&M, an Historically Black College and University. Colorado coach Deion Sanders seems to have popularized the trend of colleges hiring former NFL stars to lead their football programs. Michael Vick recently took the lead job at Norfolk State and DeSean Jackson is headed to Delaware State. Sanders’ college coaching career has proven to be an early success, as he’s 40-18 as the head coach of Jackson State and Colorado. Even Reed’s defensive counterpart, Ray Lewis, after having spent years disrupting offenses together in Baltimore, had his name mentioned in the rumor mill to coach at Florida Atlantic University and Florida International University. Those report were quickly refuted. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. View the full article

The Ravens will face the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on Sunday night in divisional round of the playoffs, setting up a showdown between NFL Most Valuable Player candidates Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen with a trip to the AFC championship game at stake. Third-seeded Baltimore crushed the Pittsburgh Steelers, 28-14, in its wild-card game Saturday night at M&T Bank Stadium to advance, while No. 2 seed Buffalo easily dispatched of the Denver Broncos, 31-7, a day later in Orchard Park, New York. That set up a rematch from earlier this season, when the Ravens blew out the Bills, 35-10, on Sept. 29 in Baltimore. It’s also just the second time the teams will meet in the postseason, with Buffalo winning, 17-3, in January 2021, also in the divisional round, at Highmark Stadium. Baltimore Sun reporters Brian Wacker, Childs Walker and Sam Cohn answer questions about the Ravens’ biggest concern, how they can slow down Allen, Baltimore’s vaunted running game and what will decide the outcome. What should be the Ravens’ biggest concern against the Bills? Wacker: Turnovers, penalties and giving up long passes. At this stage and with two teams fairly evenly matched, the margins are thin. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has been not only explosive and efficient this season, he has taken care of the ball well with just one interception since Nov. 25 and only four all year. But Buffalo’s 32 takeaways are third-most in the league. Self-inflicted wounds have also hurt in the Ravens, who finished with the second-most penalties in the NFL this season, in tight games. Lastly, though the Ravens dominated the Steelers, Pittsburgh did expose cornerback Brandon Stephens — albeit too little, too late — and a secondary that gave up some worrisome long passes. Walker: Josh Allen the runner. The Bills don’t leverage Allen’s legs to create as many explosive running plays as the Ravens do with Lamar Jackson, but no quarterback is better in short yardage or in the red zone. It will be vitally important to force the Bills into third-and-long; otherwise, they will string together grinding drives. They’re nearly as good as the Ravens in the red zone because Allen, like Jackson, can win with his arms or his legs and is a genius at extending plays. After the Ravens dispatched the Steelers, Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin said his defense simply could not account for Jackson’s ability to turn daunting down-and-distance scenarios into winning plays. The Ravens didn’t let Allen do that when they beat the Bills early in the season, but he’ll demand their full attention on every single snap in the rematch. Cohn: Based on the most recent sample, a convincing wild-card round win over the Steelers, it’s the secondary. They’ve seen significant improvement in limiting explosive plays since Week 11, then looked vulnerable, particularly in the third quarter Saturday night. Brandon Stephens, Nate Wiggins, Tre’Davious White and Ar’Darius Washington all got all beat at one point or another. “They found the weakness in the coverage, and we didn’t play it quite perfectly,” coach John Harbaugh said. “We have to chase perfection and play those things a little better.” Pittsburgh’s passing game wasn’t enough to sway the game. Buffalo’s could be. Ravens outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy, right, sacks Bills quarterback Josh Allen during Baltimore’s 35-10 win in Week 4. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) The Bills were second in the NFL in scoring this season, averaging 30.9 points per game. How can the Ravens slow down their offense? Wacker: Keeping Buffalo’s offense off the field by running the ball and controlling the time of possession is the first place to start. A mix of coverages, particularly with their dime defense, and postsnap adjustments to cloud the picture for Allen will also help, as it did the last time these teams met. But Baltimore will also have to keep Allen contained because, like Jackson, he’s at his best when he’s on the move. Giving up a big play through the air or on the ground when he’s scrambling could prove back-breaking. Walker: The Ravens’ offense is their greatest weapon against Allen. Put simply, if Jackson and Derrick Henry hammer away and build an early lead, Buffalo will get away from the run-pass balance that makes it special. The Ravens beat the Bills with this formula in October, and they’re playing better now than they did then. That performance was a rare bright spot for Zach Orr’s defense in a difficult first 10 weeks. The Ravens never let running back James Cook get untracked and kept Allen from breaking containment. Outside linebackers Odafe Oweh and Kyle Van Noy played great. Allen connected on one downfield throw at the end of a scramble, and that was it for explosive plays. The Ravens can’t count on holding Buffalo to 10 points this time around, but they don’t have to invent a blueprint for containing the AFC’s top scoring team, because they already did it. Cohn: Perhaps it’s the obvious answer, but it starts with MVP candidate Josh Allen and his backfield counterpart James Cook. When the Ravens beat up on Buffalo in Week 4, they held Cook — who’s tied with Henry with a league-high 16 rushing touchdowns — to 39 yards on nine touches, tied for his second-fewest this season. Similarly, Josh Allen’s 55.2% completion rate in that loss marks his second-lowest. Both teams have evolved since then, but slow down Cook and contain Allen in the pocket and the Ravens should warrant a Marlon Humphrey victory Instagram Live on the plane ride home. That, and if Baltimore’s offense can repeat its four drives of more than six minutes to keep the Bills off the field entirely. Baltimore had 299 yards rushing in its win over the Steelers on Saturday and 271 in its blowout of the Bills in Week 4. Can the Ravens have that kind of success again? Wacker: It’s hard to imagine the Ravens will gash the Bills on the ground to that degree again, but they’re certainly capable of putting up big numbers with Jackson and Henry in the backfield, particularly against a defense that played more nickel and dime defense than anyone this season. With that in mind, the Bills have also unsurprisingly surrendered several big runs, including an 87-yard touchdown to Henry that set the tone in their most recent meeting. Walker: You can’t assume a team will run for nearly 300 yards, but the Ravens absolutely can control this rematch with their ground attack, which is more explosive than Buffalo’s or anyone else’s. The Ravens have faced talented defenses during their current five-game winning streak, and none figured out how to account for both Jackson and Henry. Two Hall of Fame talents is one too many, and offensive coordinator Todd Monken is creative about giving opponents different looks with his superstars. He also counterpunches with unexpected ball carriers. Who foresaw Steven Sims taking a handoff 15 yards to spur a scoring drive in the wild-card round? The one worry for the Ravens would be Buffalo jumping to an early lead. If that happens, Baltimore cannot panic and go away from its bread and butter. Cohn: That kind of production isn’t exactly commonplace. Baltimore went over 270 yards twice this season, then again in the wild-card round. However, the Jackson and Henry read option makes anything possible. It is an unstoppable wrinkle in Todd Monken’s offense. How many times have you been watching the Ravens and found your eyes follow Henry when Jackson still has the ball, or vice versa? Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | 5 things to know about the Buffalo Bills, the Ravens’ divisional round opponent Baltimore Ravens | Ravens to face Bills in AFC divisional round matchup between MVP candidates Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens’ glaring weakness is still a major problem | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ defense pummels Pittsburgh early and finishes strong in AFC wild-card win Baltimore Ravens | 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ 28-14 playoff win over the Steelers What will ultimately decide the winner? Wacker: On a simplistic level, the team that doesn’t turn the ball over and finishes off drives with touchdowns. In the latter’s regard, both teams are well-equipped, with the Ravens ranking first in red zone scoring and the Bills second. For the Ravens to advance to their second straight AFC title game, they’ll not only need to avoid turnovers, but they’ll have to run the ball well, control the clock and wear down the Bills. Walker: Which team starts quicker. These are evenly matched foes with balanced offenses led by generational playmakers who don’t make many mistakes. But the Ravens showed how difficult they could be for the Bills when they built a three-score lead before halftime in October. The Ravens could again be without No. 1 wide receiver Zay Flowers, who would be one of their top weapons in a come-from-behind scenario. They’ll be much better off if they can dictate flow with their running game, as they did in the first matchup and in their wild-card win over the Steelers. On the flip side, Buffalo would love to discomfit the Ravens, who haven’t played from behind since their loss to the Eagles, with an early touchdown drive. Cohn: What a treat for all of us if this game came down to the quarterbacks. Jackson and Allen are neck and neck atop the MVP discourse — even if the former leads the latter by most metrics. That narrative will dominate the week leading up to kickoff and likely the majority of the broadcast. It might get nauseating to hear. But it would be a joy to see Jackson and Allen both play their best football in a January shootout for a ticket to the AFC championship. Have a news tip? Contact sports editor C.J. Doon at cdoon@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/CJDoon. AFC divisional round Ravens at Bills Sunday, 6:30 p.m. TV: CBS Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM Line: Bills by 1 1/2 View the full article

The Ravens are back in the divisional round, only this time they’re coming off a win. Last year, Baltimore earned a first-round bye after finishing the regular season a league-best 14-3 and claiming the top seed in the AFC. This season, the Ravens rallied from an 0-2 start to go 12-5, jump the Steelers and win the AFC North title. They eliminated Pittsburgh with a 28-14 victory in the wild-card round Saturday night at M&T Bank Stadium. But the No. 3 seed Ravens had to wait a day to learn who they’d be playing in the next round. The No. 2 Buffalo Bills answered that question Sunday afternoon, beating the No. 7 Denver Broncos, 31-7, to set up a divisional round matchup at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York. The No. 4 Houston Texans will play the host and top-seeded Kansas City Chiefs in the other divisional game. Ravens vs. Bills is a rematch from nearly four months ago, as well as Part II of an enticing playoff matchup between NFL Most Valuable Player candidates Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen. But there’s more to this game than just the quarterbacks. Here’s what you need to know: The Ravens crushed Buffalo in Week 4 … After losses to the Chiefs and Raiders and a near-total collapse against the Cowboys, the Ravens entered “Sunday Night Football” at a tipping point. A 1-3 start would be tough to swallow for a team with playoff aspirations, let alone Super Bowl dreams. The Bills, meanwhile, entered 3-0 and coming off dominant wins over the Dolphins and Jaguars. But the betting line still slightly favored Baltimore, and it was easy to see why. Derrick Henry ran for an 87-yard touchdown on the Ravens’ first play from scrimmage, setting the tone for a dominant 35-10 victory. Following his breakout 151-yard, two-touchdown performance against Dallas, Henry finished with 199 yards on 24 carries against Buffalo to cement his status as the superstar difference-maker that was promised. Not to be outdone, the Ravens’ defense sacked Allen three times, forced a fumble and held him to 16-for-29 passing for 180 yards and no touchdowns in one of his worst performances of the season. Running back James Cook couldn’t get anything going either, rushing for just 39 yards on nine carries. “They came out with urgency and whooped our butt,” said Allen, who was replaced by backup Mitch Trubisky in the fourth quarter with the game out of hand. “Not everything was bad in this game. I don’t want us to come away from this thinking we’re the worst. Lot to learn from. I’m glad this happened early in the season so we can correct things.” … but Buffalo has been dominant ever since Well, not exactly. The Bills lost, 23-20, to the Texans the following week thanks in large part to another dreadful performance from Allen (9-for-30 for 131 yards). But after that, they found their groove, winning seven straight and 10 of their next 11 before a meaningless Week 18 defeat to the Patriots while resting their starters. That included victories over the then-undefeated Chiefs and NFC-best Detroit Lions, the current betting favorites to win the Super Bowl. While the Ravens have been the runaway leaders in Defense-adjusted Value Over Average (DVOA) for most of the season — boasting one of the best offenses in the history of Aaron Schatz’s efficiency metric — the Bills are not far behind at No. 4 overall. In fact, Baltimore and Buffalo finished with identical point differentials of plus-157. Allen has largely been the engine of that dominance, despite missing his top two receivers from last season in Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis. Buffalo’s ability to finish dives has been particularly outstanding, ranking second behind only the Ravens in red-zone touchdown rate at 71.6%. The Bills are also just the 11th team to have at least 27 rushing touchdowns and 27 passing touchdowns in a season. Speaking of … Allen is Jackson’s biggest competition for MVP Let’s lay out the basics. Jackson: 66.7% completion rate, 4,172 passing yards, 41 touchdown passes, 4 interceptions, 119.6 passer rating, 77.3 QBR, 915 rushing yards, 4 rushing TDs, 23 sacks, 10 fumbles Allen: 63.6% completion rate, 3,731 passing yards, 28 TD passes, 6 INTs, 101.4 passer rating, 77.3 QBR, 531 rushing yards, 12 rushing TDs, 14 sacks, 5 fumbles By the stats, Jackson has it. But Allen led his team to a slightly better record (13-4) and seemingly did more with less considering that he was Buffalo’s only All-Pro selection while Baltimore finished with six. (The Ravens also had a league-high nine Pro Bowl selections against just two for the Bills.) Jackson was voted first-team All-Pro by the same group of voters who decide the MVP Award, but there is some belief that they will be reluctant to give it to Jackson for a second straight season. Debates will continue long before and after kickoff this weekend. For the quarterbacks, winning the Lombardi Trophy will be the only award that matters. Ravens running back Derrick Henry, left, and quarterback Lamar Jackson ran the ball effectively against the Bills in Week 4. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) The Bills’ defense is vulnerable Buffalo has been solid on defense for most of the season, ranking seventh in DVOA and 11th in points allowed per game (21.6). But there have been some major hiccups along the way, including a two-week stretch in which it allowed a combined 90 points against the Los Angeles Rams and Lions. (The Bills scored 86 points themselves to manage a 1-1 split.) One of the biggest problems has been stopping the run. Henry took advantage of that weakness in Week 4, and he was not alone. The Dolphins’ De’Von Achane (96 yards), Jets’ Breece Hall (113), Colts’ Jonathan Taylor (114), 49ers’ Jordan Mason and Christian McCaffrey (combined 131) and Rams’ Kyren Williams (87) have also been able to find plenty of running room. And whether it has been injuries, miscommunication or a lack of aggression, the Bills have struggled to get off the field on third down. Buffalo is allowing opposing offenses to convert 43.8% of their third-down opportunities, tied for the third-worst rate in the league this season. Of the teams that finished 10th or worse in that category, only the Bills and Chiefs made the playoffs. It’s going to be asking a lot for Buffalo to prevent Jackson and Henry from moving the chains. It’s a rematch of a COVID playoff game Way back in January 2021 — eons ago in NFL standards — the Ravens and Bills met in the AFC divisional round. Baltimore was coming off Jackson’s first playoff win, a 20-13 triumph over Henry and the Titans, while Allen got his postseason victory over Philip Rivers and the Colts. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens to face Bills in AFC divisional round matchup between MVP candidates Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens’ glaring weakness is still a major problem | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ defense pummels Pittsburgh early and finishes strong in AFC wild-card win Baltimore Ravens | 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ 28-14 playoff win over the Steelers Baltimore Ravens | The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Position-by-position grades for 28-14 playoff win over Steelers It was not anything close to resembling the usual raucous atmosphere in Buffalo, as attendance was limited to just below 7,000 because of COVID-19 restrictions in Western New York. That did not take away from the intensity, however, as the game entered halftime tied at 3 in a defensive slugfest. Buffalo opened the third quarter with an 11-play, 66-yard march that finished with Allen’s touchdown pass to Stefon Diggs, giving Buffalo a 10-3 lead. The Ravens answered with a methodical 15-play, 66-yard drive that took nearly nine minutes off the clock, only for Jackson to throw an interception that Taron Johnson returned 101 yards for a touchdown. The 14-point swing proved insurmountable, and Jackson exited the game on the next drive when he suffered a concussion after falling backward on a desperation pass that was ruled intentional grounding. The Ravens lost, 17-3. “To get to the [AFC] championship game, you have to play two really great games, and things have to bounce your way,” coach John Harbaugh said. “That didn’t happen for us today.” The Bills advanced to their first AFC championship game since 1994, but they were denied by Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs — and not for the last time. 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 quarterback Lamar Jackson has already beaten out his Bills counterpart Josh Allen for All-Pro honors and is the favorite to do the same for the NFL Most Valuable Player Award. Now, they’ll meet on the field with much higher stakes. On Sunday, Allen led second-seeded Buffalo to a 31-7 victory over the No. 7 seed Denver Broncos, setting up a blockbuster showdown between the star quarterbacks in a divisional round playoff game next weekend in Orchard Park, New York, with a trip to the AFC championship game on the line. The time and date has yet to be announced. It will also be a rematch from earlier this season, when the Ravens blew out the Bills, 35-10, on Sept. 29 in Baltimore. The third-seeded Ravens advanced by ousting their archnemesis, the Pittsburgh Steelers, 28-14, on Saturday night at M&T Bank Stadium. Baltimore ran for 299 yards, led by Derrick Henry’s 186 yards and two touchdowns, and Jackson threw for 175 yards and two scores while adding 81 yards on the ground. “They got after us earlier this year, so we’ve got a lot film to watch,” Allen said of the Ravens in his postgame interview Sunday with Tracy Wolfson on CBS. “It’s a great team obviously with Lamar, what he’s able to do. He’s one of the most dynamic if not the most dynamic quarterbacks in the league. He’s so fun to watch, but I’ll be watching their defense this week. That’s our focus.” Though Buffalo and Baltimore have met a dozen times, with the Ravens winning on seven occasions, their latest matchup will mark just the second time the teams have faced each other in the playoffs. Their last postseason meeting, also in the divisional round in Orchard Park in 2021, was one to forget for Ravens fans. Jackson, who was the NFL MVP a season earlier, was sacked three teams and knocked out of the game with a concussion on the final play of the third quarter and did not return. He was held to 14 of 24 passing for 162 yards and 34 rushing yards on nine carries as the Ravens averaged just 4.7 yards per play. He also threw a back-breaking interception, which cornerback Taron Johnson returned 101 yards for a touchdown with 41 seconds remaining in the third quarter to help seal a 17-3 victory. Allen, meanwhile, was 23 for 37 for 206 yards with a touchdown pass to Stefon Diggs early in the third quarter that broke a halftime tie at 3. That game was a stark contrast to the most recent meeting in Week 4 of this season. Henry scored on an 87-yard run on Baltimore’s first play from scrimmage on his way to 199 yards, Jackson threw two touchdown passes and ran for a score and Allen was held to 180 yards and no touchdowns on 16 of 29 passing while being sacked three times. The Ravens scored on each of their first three possessions, led 21-10 at the half and held the Bills to 4.1 yards per play while averaging a whopping 7.9. But that was early in the season and Buffalo was banged up. Five starters were missing on defense, including Johnson and inside linebacker Matt Milano. After that loss, the Bills won seven of their next eight games, including a 30-21 victory at home over the two-time defending Super Bowl champion and top-seeded Kansas City Chiefs, who will host the No. 4 Houston Texans in the other AFC divisional round matchup. Buffalo got hot down the stretch and finished the regular season 13-4 — one game better than the Ravens — before improving to 15-3 all-time at home in the playoffs. Allen has also put up numbers worthy of MVP consideration, passing for 3,731 yards and 28 touchdowns against just six interceptions while also rushing for 531 yards and 12 scores. He finished 20 of 26 for 272 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 46 yards on eight carries Sunday against the Broncos. Jackson’s season was even better, though. He threw for 4,172 yards and 41 touchdowns with just four interceptions and led all quarterbacks with 915 rushing yards while adding four scores on the ground. In Saturday’s demolition of Pittsburgh, he went 16-for-21 for 175 yards and two touchdowns and added 81 rushing yards on 15 carries. The 28-year-old led the league in passer rating (119.6) and yards per attempt (8.6) while also becoming the first player in league history to pass for at least 4,000 yards and run for at least 900 in the same season. Of the 12 meetings between the Ravens and Bills, just four have taken place in Orchard Park (2007, 2013, 2019 and 2021). Baltimore’s lone victory in that span came during Jackson’s first MVP season in 2019, when he threw for 145 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another 40 yards in a 24-17 victory. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | 5 things to know about the Buffalo Bills, the Ravens’ divisional round opponent Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens’ glaring weakness is still a major problem | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ defense pummels Pittsburgh early and finishes strong in AFC wild-card win Baltimore Ravens | 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ 28-14 playoff win over the Steelers Baltimore Ravens | The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Position-by-position grades for 28-14 playoff win over Steelers Buffalo is also unbeaten at home this season, while Baltimore last won a road playoff game in January 2021 against the Tennessee Titans in the wild-card round. So far, Allen has outperformed Jackson in the postseason as well. Th Ravens are just 3-4 in playoff games with Jackson at the helm, and he has thrown 11 touchdown passes to go with nine interceptions. The Bills, meanwhile, are 6-5 with Allen, who has thrown 29 touchdown passes with just six interceptions in that span. Allen also eclipsed Jackson on Sunday for the most rushing yards by a quarterback in postseason history. However, Baltimore has also boasted the NFL’s best defense since Week 11, while Buffalo’s defense has given up several big runs this season. Still, this one figures to come down to the quarterbacks. And while one of them will be named NFL MVP, how each fares in this game is what will ultimately matter. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. UP NEXT AFC divisional round Ravens at Bills TBA TV: TBA Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM Line: Bills by 1 1/2 View the full article