Sean McDermott explains picking Josh Allen over Lamar Jackson

Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott discusses picking QB Josh Allen over Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson at 2018 NFL draft.

Bills quarterback Josh Allen has made strides in his second season. Still, he’s no Lamar Jackson, the Ravens quarterback Buffalo will be facing this week when Baltimore comes to town.

But the Bills had a look at adding the current front-runner for the 2019 MVP Award. Jackson was on the board when the Bills traded up to the No. 7 overall pick at the 2018 NFL draft where they took Allen. Jackson eventually went with the final pick in the first round to the Ravens.

Ahead of trying to slow down Jackson, Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott discussed his decision to go with Allen over Jackson. Referencing his renowned “culture,” the coach said Allen just fit that, it didn’t have anything to do with arm talent.

“We went through the process with (Jackson) as well. Like I said the other day, he was a fantastic player then, and he remains a fantastic player,” McDermott said. “It wasn’t so much about [pocket passing] as — we wanted Josh Allen and everything that Josh Allen brought to Buffalo. That was the right fit for us. No disrespect at all, obviously the Ravens got a fantastic player and credit goes to them, we feel good about where Josh is.”

Both Jackson and Allen entered the NFL under the same umbrella. The umbrella which included draft analysts making tongue-and-cheek comments about how those two should be tight ends or running backs. League-wide, Jackson is the better playmaker currently, he’s since proven his arm in the NFL, but both guys are proving dual-threat quarterbacks are here to stay.

“It is an exciting time around the NFL because of such young, dynamic playmakers like Lamar, like Josh, Mahomes, the list goes on,” McDermott said.

Of course, a head-to-head win over Jackson might change that league-wide narrative on Sunday.

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Lamar Jackson led Cyber Monday merchandise sales

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has already started his takeover, leading all athletes in Cyber Monday merchandise sales.

The NFL is absolutely enthralled with Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson. So much so that he destroyed in merchandise sale on one of the biggest shopping days of the year.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Jackson outsold every other athlete in total merchandise sales on the Fanatics website.

It seems every week we’re left with new additions to his highlight reel, whether it be a long run dashing between defenders or a perfectly-placed pass for a touchdown. With Jackson currently the frontrunner for the NFL’s MVP, about to set the single-season rushing record for quarterbacks and leading the best team in the league, there’s little wonder as to why fans were buying up his merchandise.

As coach John Harbaugh was caught saying to Jackson at one point this season, “You know how many little kids in this country are gonna be wearing number 8 playing quarterback for the next 20 years?”

Looks like Harbaugh was right.

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Ravens Week 13 snap counts: Lamar Jackson actually plays entire game

The Baltimore Ravens were in a dogfight in their 20-17 win over the San Francisco 49ers. We analyze the Ravens snap counts for Week 13.

The Baltimore Ravens found themselves in a dogfight in their 20-17 win over the San Francisco 49ers in Week 13. Any debate about whether or not the Ravens are the best team in the NFL can be put to rest.

Baltimore is on an eight-game winning streak, but this game was by far their toughest during that stretch. After winning five straight by at least two touchdowns, and the last three games with a margin of victory over 30 points, the 49ers battled with the Ravens until the final whistle. The talk of this being a potential Super Bowl LIV preview was justified.

With San Francisco keeping this game tight, it was the first time in a few weeks in which the Ravens starters played the whole game. Quarterback Lamar Jackson and the entire offensive line played every snap. The significance of the big guys playing all 65 offensive snaps is escaping with no injuries upfront. Jackson gets all the attention, but Baltimore’s beef on the line is not getting the love they deserve.

It is also worth noting tight end Nick Boyle was the only other Raven on offense to see at least 90% of snaps. Wide receiver Marquise Brown was next in line but was on the field for just 57% of the offensive plays. That goes to points towards a more heavy front Baltimore used in an effort to combat the fearsome 49ers front, including Nick Bosa.

Boyle is often used as an extra blocker and rarely makes the stat sheet, but his share of playing time is significantly higher than the other two tight ends. Boyle was in on 60 plays, while Mark Andrews (28) and Hayden Hurst (23) combined for 61 snaps. The latter two each caught three passes to tie for the team lead, while Boyle had just one reception.

Baltimore Ravens offensive snap counts:

Player	Position	Snaps	%
Ronnie Stanley	OT	65	100%
Orlando Brown	OT	65	100%
Bradley Bozeman	C	65	100%
Patrick Mekari	OG	65	100%
Marshall Yanda	OG	65	100%
Lamar Jackson	QB	65	100%
Nick Boyle	TE	60	92%
Marquise Brown	WR	37	57%
Mark Ingram	RB	36	55%
Seth Roberts	WR	32	49%
Mark Andrews	TE	28	43%
Patrick Ricard	FB	26	40%
Miles Boykin	WR	25	38%
Gus Edwards	RB	25	38%
Willie Snead	WR	25	38%
Hayden Hurst	TE	23	35%
Justice Hill	RB	4	6%
James Hurst	OG	4	6%

Click on the next page to see the defensive snap counts for the Ravens’ Week 13 win over the 49ers.

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6 storylines to follow during Bills vs. Ravens

Six storlyines for the Buffalo Bills vs. Baltimore Ravens during the NFL’s Week 14 slate.

The Bills and Baltimore Ravens will get after it in Week 14 at New Era Field. It’s not just your run of the mill game, though.

Nobody thought prior to the season that this one could have home field advantage implications taking part in the festivities, but alas, here we are with the 10-2 Ravens visiting the 9-3 Bills.

With that, here are six storylines to follow during the Bills’ Week 14 game against the Ravens:

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson. Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Can anyone slow down Lamar Jackson?

That’s the question nobody has had an answer for yet in the NFL and the most obvious storyline heading into this game for the Bills. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson hasn’t been stopped at all this season. Yes, the Ravens have two losses, but they’re on an eight-game winning streak currently.

Jackson’s talents of a dual-threat quarterback are much like the ones the Bills have in Josh Allen, but Jackson’s elusiveness as a playmaker while running the ball are next level. With 977 rushing yards already this year, he’ll top 1,000 yards against the Bills. But exactly by how much is the real question.

And even then, Jackson has two games this season where he’s tossed five touchdown passes in a single game. Like Allen, his arm is questioned a little bit in comparison to his running skills, but to a much lesser extent since… did we mentioned Jackson has tossed five touchdowns in a single game two times this year?

Lamar juked him right out of his shoes 😮 @Lj_era8 pic.twitter.com/eVVxNrMnct

— The Checkdown (@thecheckdown) December 1, 2019

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NFL Week 14 Power Rankings: Air is thin at the top of the NFL mountain

As we round into the final four weeks of the 2019 NFL regular season, Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar ranks all 32 teams — especially the top.

Before Sunday, there were two one-loss teams in the NFL, and all seemed pretty safe with the order of power. Then, the Ravens beat the formerly 10-1 49ers in a nail-biter in Baltimore, and the Texans slammed the Patriots on Sunday night, and everything changed.

With their win, the Ravens, who haven’t lost a game since Week 4, became the AFC’s top seed. And with their loss, the Patriots moved to second, with the Texans right behind them. The Chiefs, Bills, and Steelers now round out the AFC playoff picture, with the red-hot Titans on the outside looking in.

The NFC playoff picture wasn’t going to make since until Monday Night Football was decided. When the Seahawks came away with a narrow escape at CenturyLink Field, they moved to the second seed, just behind the Saints. And the 49ers plummeted like Monty Python’s proverbial dead parrot, all the way to the wild-card round. A harsh reality for a 10-2 team while the Cowboys get a higher seed based on their “lead” in the NFC West with a 6-6 record, but the ways in which teams are seeded? That’s an entirely different discussion.

The point is, the 49ers and Patriots losing on the same day brings a wide-open feel to both conference races we really haven’t seen all season. Here’s how all 32 teams line up in our Week 14 Power Rankings.

32-25 | 24-17 | 16-9 | 8-1

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Sean McDermott says Bills might need 3 players to prep for Lamar Jackson

The Bills have a unique test when facing the Ravens this week.

Quarterback Lamar Jackson is a jack-of-all-trades playmaker with elite running skills. Jackson is leading the NFL with 32 touchdowns and has his team on an eight-game winning streak.

In order to slow him down, the Bills will need all the help they can get. Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott acknowledged that on Monday, joking that the Bills might need up to three players to simulate Jackson’s skills during practice this week in order to prepare for him.

“I don’t think there’s been a defense that’s cracked the code to this point, so to speak. … We’ve got some thoughts (on how we’ll prepare for him) but we’ve got a little more time to go through it. We may have to use, put a guy here, one guy there and one guy there, and just say go. He’s just so fast,” McDermott said.

It’s going to be anyone’s guess as to which Jackson the Bills will get. He’s nearing 1,000 rushing yards this year as he leads his team with 977 yards. Jackson is fresh off a game of only 105 passing yards, but he can sling it, too. He’s thrown five touchdowns in a single game twice this year.

While McDermott’s defense has slowed down Tom Brady among others this season, Jackson might be his team’s biggest test to date.

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8 things to know about the Bills’ Week 14 opponent, the Ravens

Eight things to know about the Buffalo Bills’ Week 14 opponent, the Baltimore Ravens.

The Bills have an upcoming clash that might be the highlight of the NFL’s next slate of games in Week 14.

Not many predicted the Bills (9-3) and Ravens (10-2) would have the records that they have heading into this game.

Alas, here we are, potentially battling for the top spot in the AFC at New Era Field. With such an important matchup in mind, let’s update ourselves on the opponent.

Here are eight things to know about the Bills’ Week 14 opponent, the Ravens:

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson. Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

Lamar a potential MVP?

The easiest place to start on the Ravens is exactly where everyone’s mind is. Quarterback Lamar Jackson.

Like Buffalo’s Josh Allen, Jackson is a dual-threat quarterback but in a much flashier sense. Both players are tough to bring down. Allen has the big body while Jackson has the elusiveness of Michael Vick. With those skills, Jackson leads the Ravens in rushing this season with 977 rushing yards, to go along with 2,532 passing yards. In total, Jackson has 25 passing touchdowns, seven rushing scores, six fumbles and five interceptions. It will be the first Lamar-Josh meeting at quarterback, too.

It’s hard to put into words how good Jackson is. He’s the current frontrunner for the MVP race and the Ravens are the only offense in the NFL to have scored more than 400 points (406) so far this season. Yes, that is good and yes he did this just last week:

. @Lj_era8 doing @Lj_era8 things 🤣🤣#ProBowlVote pic.twitter.com/0It0bYRIEK

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) December 1, 2019

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In their toughest test this season, Ravens answer with tenacity and grit in close win over 49ers

The Baltimore Ravens answered any final questions any doubter could have this season as they withstood the 49ers’ onslaught to still win.

The Baltimore Ravens didn’t play particularly good football in Week 13 against the San Francisco 49ers. However, in their 20-17 win, the Ravens proved that not only are they the best team in football, but they also have what it takes to withstand a real test of their mettle.

Since Week 7, no team has been as dominant as Baltimore. Coming into Week 13 against the 49ers, the Ravens had blown out quality opponents like the Houston Texans, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots. Through the five games leading to this week, the Ravens had outscored their opponents 202-62 as they dismantled good offenses and bludgeoned some of the best defenses in the league to lopsided victories.

In each game, doubters spoke up to question how sustainable Baltimore’s scheme and quarterback Lamar Jackson could actually be this season. With each win, those same doubters pointed to the following week being the real test that would figure them out. Repeat that cycle until this week when those still doubting the Ravens said it would be the 49ers that would stop Jackson, stymie their rushing offense and pick apart their aggressive defense. They were sure Baltimore’s winning streak was going to end in Week 13 and they’d finally be proven to be fake when facing a “real” team.

Generally speaking, those doubters were actually right. Jackson and Baltimore’s offense accounted for just 285 total net yards, their lowest total since Week 5 and their second-worst total of this season. The defense struggled to contain the run, giving up 174 total net yards on the ground — their lowest total since they suffered their last loss, in Week 4 to the Cleveland Browns. The team as a whole struggled . . . and yet they still won.

With the game tied up at 17, Baltimore’s defense got a much-needed stop and turnover on downs. With little more than six minutes remaining and the game on the line, the Ravens stopped playing around and got back to business. They milked the clock with their power-rushing attack and some accurate passes from Jackson to convert on crucial third and fourth downs while marching down the field. Then with three seconds on the clock, Baltimore turned to the best kicker in football to seal the win.

The Ravens didn’t play their best football but they took the best shot the NFL has this season. Baltimore withstood every punch the 49ers gave them, answered with their own and landed the haymaker in the final quarter to end things. If San Francisco is the endcap to Baltimore’s schedule against the best teams in football this season, the Ravens answered every test and came out unscathed.

Now, who still wants to get in their way?

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4 takeaways from Ravens 20-17 win over the 49ers

Here’s what we learned from the Baltimore Ravens’ close win over the San Francisco 49ers in Week 13

In what might have been a possible preview of Super Bowl LIV, the Baltimore Ravens defeated the San Francisco 49ers by a score of 20-17. With the win, the Ravens to rise to 10-2 and keep up with the New England Patriots in the race for the conference crown.

This was quite possibly the hardest opponent the Ravens have faced all season. So of course, there’s going to be a few things we can learn from this win and carry into future games.

1. The Ravens can beat anyone

In the last six weeks, the Ravens have faced the Seattle Seahawks, New England Patriots, Cincinnati Bengals, Houston Texans, Los Angeles Rams, and San Francisco 49ers. Four of the teams on that list — the Seahawks, Patriots, Texans and 49ers — appear to be postseason bound and two of them –the Patriots and 49ers –are popular picks to win the Super Bowl.

Baltimore is 5-1 against teams that would be in the playoffs if the season ended today, with their one loss coming against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 3 when this was a much different team. After struggling to defeat playoff-caliber teams in previous seasons, the Ravens have figured out how to do it now in 2019 and that makes them the most dangerous team in the league with the postseason approaching.

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