The upcoming clash between the Buffalo Bills and the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC divisional playoffs is set to be a thrilling encounter featuring two MVP frontrunners.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen and Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson led their respective squads to convincing wins in the wild-card round, setting up a much-anticipated duel.
The Bills manhandled the Denver Broncos, 31-7, on Sunday, with Allen completing 20 of 26 passes for 272 yards and two touchdowns. He also had eight carries for 46 yards.
The Bills vaunted offense will clash with the seemingly unstoppable running game of the Ravens, who beat the Pittsburgh Steelers, 28-14, on Saturday. Buffalo coach Sean McDermott made it clear that it won’t be a cakewalk.
Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott (left) quarterback Josh Allen (right).
Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
“This is what everyone’s been waiting for, right?” said McDermott in a report from Josh Wawrow of The Associated Press. “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.”
The Ravens defeated the Bills, 35-10, in Week 4, with Jackson throwing for two touchdowns and running back Derrick Henry rushing for 199 yards.
McDermott and the Bills are looking to end their three-game losing streak in the AFC divisional playoffs. The last time they won was in January 2021 after beating, incidentally, the Ravens, 17-3.
For the 28-year-old Allen, it’s imperative to stick to Buffalo’s system, citing the team’s decisive showing against the Broncos.
“At the end of the day, we just wanted to come out and play our best football, and I feel like we did that today,” said the two-time All-Pro member in the same report.
