Bills’ Sean McDermott, Josh Allen give early preview of Ravens matchup
The Bills beat the Broncos 31-7 on Sunday at home in Orchard Park and advanced back to the divisional round of the NFL playoffs for a rematch with the Baltimore Ravens.
Buffalo lost a head-to-head matchup in Baltimore 35-10 in NFL Week 4 this season, which was the third-worst margin of loss in quarterback Josh Allen’s career.
Both outcomes he’ll look to change this time around when it will matter most.
Allen was asked about the Bills game next week against the Ravens during an on-field postgame interview with CBS sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson
“They got after us earlier this year so we have a lot of film to watch,” he said. “It’s a great team who has a great quarterback with Lamar doing what he is able to do. He is one of the most dynamic, if not the most dynamic quarterback in the league, he is so fun to watch, but I’ll be watching their defense this week. That is our focus.”
While a victory during the regular season would have bolstered Buffalo’s chances for the No. 1 AFC playoff seed and a first-round bye, the division-round matchup will ultimately determine the two teams’ postseason fates.
Buffalo is the 2 seed and Baltimore is the 3 seed, meaning the Bills will host the Ravens in Orchard Park with a chance to “defend their dirt”. The team has been a perfect 9-0 in their 2024 campaign including the first round Wild Card win.
There are plenty of storylines leading into the contest as well.
Allen and Jackson’s teams meet with a matchup of the two clubs with the most points per game in the NFL after the Detroit Lions (who Buffalo beat in NFL Week 15) and the Bills (30.9) and Ravens (30.5) averaged 30 points per game during the regular season
Both quarterbacks were selected in the first round of the 2018 draft, with Allen going 7th overall to Buffalo and Jackson going 32nd overall in the final pick of the first round to Baltimore.
Both clubs traded up to select their respective signal caller.
Both Allen and Jackson are this season’s front-runners for MVP. Jackson’s won the award twice. Notably over Allen last season as he had fewer turnovers and his team had a better record, despite Allen having better overall quarterback stats.
The Ravens added RB Derrick Henry in free agency which bolstered their offense, meanwhile, the Bills re-booted their roster and payroll, with media analysts writing them off to a rebuilding season with many predicting the Dolphins or Jets would win the division.
Instead, Allen’s turned in an MVP-caliber performance and the Bills have had one of their best seasons with him under center and Sean McDermott as head coach, winning the AFC East for the fifth straight year and locking in the 2 seed and home field advantage through at least the first two rounds.
Henry and Bills RB James Cook each had a league-high 16 rushing TDs during the regular season, with Henry being selected to the Pro Bowl along with eight other Ravens (the most selections in the NFL.) Buffalo only had two, Allen and offensive lineman Dion Dawkins, with Cook a clear snub.
The Ravens also had five All-Pro first-team selections with the Bills having none.
“This is what everyone’s been waiting for, right?” coach Sean McDermott said in his postgame press conference after Sunday’s win. “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.”
Jackson and Allen’s teams have played each other only once in the playoffs with both players under center in the 202 divisional round when Buffalo beat Baltimore 17-3. Buffalo opens as a slight favorite this time around as well.
With a win against the Broncos and the Ravens up next, the Bills are embracing the moment.
“I’ma enjoy the win first, but I love playing good on good football,” left tackle Dion Dawkins said. “We have a lot of competitors on our team, and when juggernauts come into town or when we go to their spot, the intensity is up. And I love it. I love when the intensity is high, but we’ll see ’em in a week. They’re a good team and we look forward to it.”
Buffalo has lost in the division round each of the last two seasons and is looking to get over that hump to return to the AFC Championship game for the first time since 2022 for a chance to advance to the Super Bowl.