Two of the NFL’s most exciting quarterbacks—and top MVP contenders—will face off in the playoffs when the Buffalo Bills host the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, a potential three-time MVP, will go head-to-head with the Bills’ Josh Allen in a divisional round matchup, with a spot in the AFC Championship game on the line.
Both quarterbacks are prime examples of the modern NFL trend, where signal-callers are expected not only to throw with precision but also to be dangerous runners. Allen rushed for 15 touchdowns in 2023, tying the single-season record for most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback with Jalen Hurts of the Philadelphia Eagles. Jackson, on the other hand, holds the NFL record for most career rushing yards by a quarterback with 6,173.
“It’s a battle of two heavyweights,” said Buffalo defensive end Von Miller. “This is why the NFL is the greatest league in the world—matchups like this, with quarterbacks like this, going head to head.”
The two quarterbacks met earlier in the season in Week 4, when the Ravens won 35-10. Allen believes the Bills have moved on from that loss.
“We learned a lot from those moments,” Allen said. “It wasn’t our best effort. We didn’t play our best football, but they’ve got a really good team. They’re playing for a reason.”
Baltimore started the season with two losses but has only dropped three games since, finishing the regular season with a four-game winning streak. The Ravens opened the playoffs with a dominant 28-14 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the wild-card round.
“Their defense has been superb the last 10 weeks,” Allen said. “Their offense is fantastic as well. They’ve got a lot of studs, led by Lamar. It’s a tough team to play, no matter what.”
Both quarterbacks were drafted in 2018, and Jackson has high regard for Allen’s ability to make plays under pressure.
“His ability to make things happen when plays break down, his strong arm, and his ability to make any throw on the field are his biggest strengths,” Jackson said.
For neutral fans, the dynamic play of both quarterbacks ensures an exciting game. Ravens head coach John Harbaugh says they represent the “new normal” of athletic, mobile quarterbacks.
“It seems like most guys now are kind of like that,” Harbaugh said. “It used to be breaking the mold, but now it seems like that’s the mold.”
Allen and the Bills have lost in this playoff round the last three seasons, although they defeated the Ravens in the divisional round in 2020. Baltimore reached the AFC Championship game in 2023 but lost to the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Chiefs, aiming for a third consecutive Super Bowl win, will host the Houston Texans on Saturday. After a somewhat quieter start to the season, the Chiefs began to resemble their dominant selves toward the end of the year. As the AFC’s top seed, Kansas City had a bye last week.
The Texans impressed with a dominant 32-12 win over the Los Angeles Chargers last week, as their defense performed well and second-year quarterback C.J. Stroud led the charge.
“That defense is extremely real, they have a great quarterback and a great coach,” said Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. “They get after the quarterback, have a strong secondary, and their linebackers fly around. It’ll be a great challenge for us, and we’ll need to play our best football.”
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