OWINGS MILLS, Md. – In John Harbaugh’s perfect world, John Facenda – the legendary NFL Films narrator – would voice the pregame teaser Sunday evening before his Baltimore Ravens face the Buffalo Bills in the AFC divisional round.
The matchup between two MVP favorites and the two teams who have a chance to vanquish the Kansas City Chiefs on the road next week with a trip to New Orleans and Super Bowl 59 on the line is worthy of Facenda’s pipes.
Buffalo’s Josh Allen and the Ravens’ Lamar Jackson, who earned the first-team All-Pro nod over Allen, are inextricably linked because they were both drafted in the same first round in 2018 – Allen 10th overall, Jackson with the final selection, No. 32.
“Battle of two heavyweights, this is what you want. This is why the NFL is the greatest league in the world,” Bills edge rusher Von Miller, the MVP of Super Bowl 50 with the Denver Broncos, said this week, “because you got matchups like this and you got quarterbacks like this going against each other.”
Of course, two quarterbacks going against one another like heavyweight champions in the boxing ring is somewhat frivolous; they’re never on the field at the same time.
“In the history of football, I’ve never played against another quarterback,” Allen said. “I’ve played against their defense.”
Allen nonetheless “absolutely” relishes the chance to play against the game’s best, such as a two-time MVP in Jackson.
“That’s why you play this game,” Allen said, “to be in moments like these.”
Earlier in their career, Jackson said, he would see Allen at league events like the Pro Bowl or during Super Bowl week. But Jackson mainly keeps to himself.
“Don’t get me wrong, there’s no problem or nothing like that, but we’re competing with each other,” Jackson said. “I’m trying to beat you. I’m not trying to be your friend.”
After their playing careers are over, he and Allen will laugh about their battles on the field. Jackson owns a 3-1 regular-season record against the Bills, including a 35-10 demolition from Week 4 of this season. Allen said the Bills have improved a lot since then, notably on offense.
Overall, Allen had the most important win, a 17-3 victory in the AFC divisional round during the 2020 postseason.
“Right now, it’s serious,” Jackson said. “I’m not laughing with you.”
Jackson said he wasn’t pleased one of his career lowlights began making the rounds on social media ahead of the matchup. In that playoff loss, Bills cornerback Taron Johnson returned a Jackson interception 101 yards for a touchdown to bury Baltimore.
The Bills are hoping to avoid a fourth-straight defeat in the divisional round. Jackson and Baltimore are seeking an AFC championship game rematch against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs.
Buffalo signed quarterback Anthony Brown – a former Raven who started one game in the 2022 season after Jackson suffered a season-ending knee injury – to the practice squad to simulate Jackson’s movements in preparations. Even Bills head coach Sean McDermott knows “there’s only one Lamar Jackson at the end of the day.”
“You do the best you can to try and simulate it,” McDermott said. “Good luck.”
Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton said Allen is “one-of-one” given the combination of his arm talent, mobility and size.
“He manages that offense really well, and guys play really well around him,” Hamilton said. “He spreads the ball around.”
Both defenses have to be prepared for the opposing quarterback to extend plays and break the pocket, with the threat of a big play looming.
Marlon Humphrey, the Ravens cornerback named first-team All-Pro this season, said the defensive players had been discussing which quarterbacks they hate playing the most – essentially which one can compare to Jackson in the sense of keeping a play going.
“The play is really never over,” Humphrey said. “And then, when he runs, he is a big dude. He can juke you, but he can run you over and keep running very easily, so just a super tough quarterback to go against.”
The Bills return that respect to Jackson.
“Man, he’s an elite player, huge fan of Lamar for a bunch of these years now,” Miller said. “We got the battle of the MVPs this weekend. It’ll be good. They got a really good team. A lot of respect for that coaching staff and that front office over there.”
McDermott understands the desire to compare the two quarterbacks because of their uniqueness and talent. The similarities, however, end there.
“They’re the best,” McDermott said, “the top-shelf in the NFL.”
Harbaugh called Allen the “ultimate” competitor and remembered a sideline dust-up between him and former Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs during Allen’s rookie season. Allen and Harbaugh laughed about it at The Masters the next April, the coach said.
Harbaugh said he was grateful to be part of a game of this magnitude.
“It’s a privilege to be a part of a game like this,” the Super Bowl 47-winning head coach said. “This is a big game.
“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. Just a super talented, well-coached type of a team. On that stage, in their place. It’s going to be cold. It’s going to be blustery, all that.”
All that – and then some.
