AFC Divisional Playoff Preview: Baltimore Ravens vs Buffalo Bills

Bills QB Josh Allen will need to be the difference maker for his team this week; otherwise their season will be over. Photo Courtesy: All-Pro Reels

By DaVince “Dino” Wright

QB1 vs QB1
The league MVP is playing in this game and everyone will be watching. I believe that the winning quarterback will be the odds-on favorite to get the trophy this season. The Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has passed for 4172 passing yards with 41 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. He also has 915 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns averaging 6.6 yards a carry. The Bills signal caller Josh Allen has 3731 passing yards with 28 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. He also has 531 rushing yards with 12 touchdowns averaging 5.2 yards a carry. This will be the best game of the weekend! What will separate the winner from the loser will be how well each quarterback stays in front of the chains and scores in the red zone.

Injury Report
Both teams have players listed as questionable or on the IR. The Ravens have 1 player listed as questionable and 4 on the IR while the Bills have 2 players listed as questionable and 3 on the IR. Ravens: WR Zay Flowers listed as questionable while: WR Deonte Hardy, CB Jalyn Armour-Davis, CB Arthur Maulet and CB Christian Matthew is listed on the IR. Bills: RB Ray Davis and OT Alec Anderson listed as questionable. Linebacker Braylon Spector, OT Travis Clayton and QB Shane Buechele is listed on the IR.

Game Info
Baltimore Ravens vs Buffalo Bills
Sunday – January 19 – 5:30 p.m.
TV: CBS/Paramount+
Highmark Stadium – Orchard Park, NY

Baltimore Ravens (12-5, 6-3 Away)
The Ravens have quarterback Lamar Jackson under center, but the x-factor will be running back Derrick Henry. He has 1921 rushing yards with 16 touchdowns on 325 carries averaging 5.9 yards every time he touches the ball. The Bills defense gives up an average of 61 yards a game in the 4th quarter to opposing teams. Give Derrick Henry the ball and watch him wear down the defense. Players to watch: WR Isiah Likely, TE Mark Andrews, WR Nelson Agholor and PK Justin Tucker.

Buffalo Bills (13-4, 8-0 Home)
The Buffalo Bills offense will need to move the ball and stay ahead of the chains. They have a dangerous team looking to move on to the next round of the playoffs at home against the Ravens. The key will be the defensive line and linebackers trying to stop the Ravens running game. The defense will be the x-factor for a win at home this week. Players to watch: THE WHOLE DEFENSE! RB James Cook, WR Khalil Shakir, TE Dalton Kincaid and TE Dawson Knox.

Prediction
ESPN has the Bills with a 50.3% chance of winning this game at home. Here’s the sad part about this game: there has to be a winner and a loser. One of these quarterbacks will win the NFL’s MVP trophy. Once again, the league and its higher up love the Bills Josh Allen but the Ravens Lamar Jackson has the better numbers across the board. I’m taking the Ravens by 7! The Ravens running game will decide the victor of this game.

Final Score
Ravens – 30
Bills – 23