Tag: Mark Ingram

Lamar Jackson makes more history as his doubters look even more ridiculous

With every step in his remarkable career, Lamar Jackson has trounced his doubters. You’d think they’d run out of things to doubt…

It would likely be a profitable exercise after the 2019 NFL season to compile a book containing all the analysts who have doubted Lamar Jackson, and all the ways in which Lamar Jackson has made those analysts look downright ridiculous. Baltimore’s quarterback has been maligned at every turn on his NFL career path, and whatever the motives, it’s not working.

Thursday night in a 42-21 win over the Jets that moved Baltimore to 12-2, won them the AFC North, and kept them in position for the one-seed in the AFC, Jackson did a few more things to add to his MVP candidacy:

  • He broke Michael Vick’s single-season record for rushing yards by a quarterback, and now has 1,103 rushing yards on the season, with two games left to go. Vick’s record was 1,039 in 2006, over 16 games.
  • He completed 15 of 23 passes for 213 yards, five touchdowns, and no interceptions, breaking the record for touchdown passes in a single season by a player 22 years old or younger. Jackson stands at 33 touchdown passes on the season, Peyton Manning and Jameis Winston held the record before with 28.
  • He became the first player in NFL History with more than 4,000 passing yards and more than 1,500 rushing yards over his first two seasons. Again, with two games left to go in the 2019 regular season.
  • He recorded his third game of the season with more than four touchdown passes and more than 50 rushing yards. Cam Newton is the only other player in the Super Bowl with three such games in his career. 
  • He became the first quarterback in NFL history with three games of five touchdown passes with fewer than 25 passing attempts in each instance. Jackson had all of those games this season. Eddie LeBaron, Don Meredith, Craig Morton, Ben Roethlisberger, and Drew Brees have each matched that feat in two different games — in their entire careers.

“Everybody was a fan of his — still is,” Jackson told Colleen Wolfe of the NFL Network after the game, when Wolfe asked Jackson if he had been a Vick fan. “I still watch his highlights. I go on YouTube and watch all the greats. Especially him. He was the guy who would spin defenders and stuff like that — he was amazing. It’s an honor to break his record.”

Of course, Vick isn’t one of the guys who have doubted Jackson — he sees too much of an evolutionary version of his own game to do that. But there is an entire cottage industry of people who get paid to opinionate about football who have insisted that Jackson isn’t legit for one reason or another. The all-timer, of course, was Hall of Fame general manager Bill Polian insisting as Jackson came out of Louisville for the 2018 draft that Jackson should switch to receiver — a take so weird, Polian eventually had to recant it.

Even when Jackson started lighting up the league in his second NFL season both as a thrower and as a runner, the guys broadcasting his own games, and supposedly doing their homework beforehand, were getting it wrong. After Jackson threw the first of three touchdown passes against the Bengals in a 49-13 Week 10 win, former NFL quarterback Rich Gannon had this to say from the booth:

“The Ravens do such a good job changing the launch point for Lamar Jackson. He rarely throws the ball from the pocket. They get him out on the edges, they cut the field in half, and he throws the ball so well and so accurately on the move.”

Stats and tape proved (and prove) a different story. Going into that game, Jackson had attempted 240 passes from the pocket, completing 134 for 1,611 yards, 10 touchdowns and five interceptions, and a passer rating of 95.9. At the time, Jackson had more attempts from the pocket than Kirk Cousins, Mitchell Trubisky or Josh Allen. Going into Week 15, Jackson had completed 192 of 286 pocket throws for 2,348 yards, 22 touchdowns, six interceptions, and a passer rating of 109.1. So, he’s actually improved as a pocket passer since Gannon’s erroneous evaluation. Perhaps he was inspired by it!

The analysts weren’t done, of course. After the Ravens beat the 49ers in a 20-17 Week 13 thriller in which Jackson rushed 16 times for 101 yards and a touchdown against San Francisco’s top-flight defense, 49ers color analyst and ex-NFL defensive lineman Tim Ryan made comments on a Bay Area sports radio station that got Ryan suspended from his job for a week.

“He’s really good at that fake, Lamar Jackson, but when you consider his dark skin with a dark football with a dark uniform, you could not see that thing,” Ryan said. “I mean you literally could not see when he was in and out of the mesh point and if you’re a half step slow on him in terms of your vision forget about it, he’s out of the gate.”

Ah. So it’s the skin color and the color of the football. Riiiiiight. Unperturbed, Jackson came out the next week against the Bills’ excellent defense wearing white sleeves in a game where he rushed 11 times for 40 yards and threw three touchdown passes.

Whoops, again.

Dec 8, 2019; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) runs with the ball against the Buffalo Bills during the first quarter at New Era Field. (Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports).

At this point, Jackson’s skeptics are in the uncomfortable position of having to really drill down to find things that bother them. On the morning of the Ravens-Jets matchup, FOX Sports analyst Doug Gottlieb said on the Colin Cowherd show that he’d rather have Jets quarterback Sam Darnold than Jackson over the long term. Now, while Darnold has shown development as a quarterback since the Jets selected him third overall in the 2018 draft (29 spots before Jackson, who the Ravens took with the 32nd overall pick), Jackson has outpaced Jackson in every possible fashion in 2019.

No matter; Gottlieb had come up with his own picayune pickings — now, Lamar Jackson can’t throw outside the numbers! How original.

“I would still to this day take Sam Darnold over Lamar Jackson – it’s the long-term play,” Gottlieb said  “If you want to tell me that Lamar Jackson is a good long-term play, then you’re going to tell me that Cam Newton was a good long-term play, too. Lamar is Cam without the attitude and arrogance. You have to be mobile, but you also have to be able to throw and complete passes. He can do it on multiple platforms but he never throws outside the numbers… Unless they change the rules to where they can’t hit you outside of the pocket, they’re going to catch you and hit you. Cam was the biggest, strongest, and most athletic quarterback we’ve ever seen, and his body broke down at 30. We’re supposed to expect Lamar’s to be different?”

Yes, we know that Newton and Jackson are both mobile quarterbacks. And yes, we know that they’re both black. But to compare the two in a stylistic fashion is like comparing Kurt Cobain and Edward Van Halen — two individuals with highly effective, but massively different, styles. Newton’s body broke down primarily because he was getting bashed from the pocket, though that doesn’t fit the comfortable narrative. As far as Jackson’s durability, he’s far closer in style to Vick, and Vick played 143 NFL games from 2001 through 2015, starting 115. The only thing that could stop Vick’s career curve in the middle was a federal dog-fighting conviction, and 548 days behind bars.

As Warren Sharp points out, Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman has had running quarterbacks in each of his three stops as an NFL offensive coordinator — with the 49ers from 2011-2014, with the Bills in 2015 and 2016, and with Baltimore this season. in 91 starts, Roman’s quarterbacks have missed a total of three games due to injury.

“Mobile quarterbacks are so much safer when they’re out in space ‘driving the car’ as opposed to standing in the pocket, hoping that nothing surprises them,” Roman recently said of Jackson, per NFL reporter Andrea Kremer. “Lamar does a really good job being safe.”

As to Jackson allegedly never throwing outside the numbers… well, again, the stats tell a completely different story. Per the Sports Info Solutions database — a database well within the financial constraints of any major network — Jackson came into Week 15 completing 42 of 67 passes for 607 yards, 490 air yards, seven touchdowns, three interceptions, and a 108.2 passer rating (the same as Aaron Rodgers) on out, fade, corner, post-corner and seam routes — the routes most commonly thrown outside the numbers. Only Tom Brady (perhaps the greatest fade thrower in NFL history) and Deshaun Watson have more touchdown passes than Jackson on those routes.

But hey, don’t believe the numbers! Just take a look at this sick sidearm release on this five-yard touchdown pass to receiver Miles Boykin.

Or, how about this 10-yard touchdown pass to running back Mark Ingram?

Still skeptical? Well, if you’d prefer a deep touchdown pass outside the numbers, there’s this 33-yard pass to receiver Seth Roberts.

Any questions?

Undoubtedly, there will be more people doubting Lamar Jackson for their own reasons. We have a fairly good idea what the subliminal reasons tend to be. When you refuse to believe the tape, and refuse to believe the stats, and are bound and determined to go against the truth of one of the most remarkable quarterback seasons in NFL history, you are not only falling down on the job and obfuscating the truth; you are also denying yourself the pleasure of watching the quarterback position evolve to levels we’ve never seen before.

Sounds like a pretty rotten gig to me.

So. what’s next? Lamar Jackson doesn’t separate his whites and darks when he does his laundry? He can’t hit a curveball? Can’t sink threes like Steph Curry? He’s a Coldplay fan? He can’t throw ambidextrously?

Well, best not to bring that last one up, because who’s to say he can’t? At this point, wondering what Lamar Jackson can’t do seems an exercise in futility.

4 studs, 2 duds from Ravens’ win over Jets in Week 15

The Baltimore Ravens beat up on the NY Jets but not everyone had a perfect game in spite of the lopsided win. These are the studs and duds

The Baltimore Ravens once again handled their business, returning on a short week to blow out the New York Jets at M&T Bank Stadium. In the 42-21 drubbing that wasn’t nearly as close as the score indicates, the Ravens got back into the flow on offense but struggled in a few other spots.

Though there aren’t very many duds in their Week 15 win, Baltimore has a few spots they need to address moving forward. Here are the four studs and two duds from the Ravens’ win over the Jets.

Stud: Lamar Jackson

Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images

Jackson was expected to break the single-season rushing record in this game. But needing 23 yards, I’m not sure many really expected he’d do it on the opening drive. However, just like this entire season has been, Jackson was more impressive with his arm and leadership in spite of where all the headlines will focus.

Jackson was far from perfect, failing to connect on a few deep shots that he’ll likely be upset about. But it was still an amazing game from Jackson as he completed 65.2% of his passes for 212 yards and five touchdown throws on the night. But his best play of the game was easily the 4th-and-1 from their own 29-yard line where Jackson told the punt team to stay on the sidelines and found tight end Mark Andrews for 36 yards to convert.

Jackson looked every bit the MVP he’s likely going to earn this season while extending his lead on touchdown passes, TD% and amazing individual plays.

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Ravens vs. Jets final score predictions: It’s not going to be pretty

Everyone here at Ravens Wire is predicting another lopsided victory for Baltimore as they take on the New York Jets in Week 15

It’s December, freezing cold and it’s time for football as the Baltimore Ravens host the New York Jets on Thursday Night Football. Arguably the best team in the league going up against one of the worst, Baltimore is rightfully a massive favorite in Week 15. It’s no surprise that us here at Ravens Wire are feeling pretty high about this game ourselves.

Before Baltimore kicks off tonight, take a look at our final score predictions for this game and how we expect it to play out.

Matthew Stevens

Ravens 34 – Jets 10

It’s been the tale of the entire season: Can anyone stop quarterback Lamar Jackson. And against some of the best defenses in the league in terrible weather, the answer has been no. So why would it change this week against a struggling New York squad?

While the Jets at full health would probably be a pretty dangerous opponent, they’re about as beaten up as a team could get. They’ll be without key starters on both sides of the football, which just doesn’t bode well when trying to keep up with the Ravens. Just as we’ve seen repeatedly this season, Baltimore gets out to an early lead which completely kills the Jets’ offense and forces them to be one dimensional, where the Ravens can then be even more aggressive defensively. It’s a death spiral where Baltimore piles on the points before resting the starters in the second half.

Joe Serpico

Ravens 34 – Jets 10

The Jets don’t stand a chance based on recent results and the quick turnaround. They flat out stink on offense and the Ravens are proving that defensive rankings just don’t matter against them right now. Baltimore jumps out to a quick lead that allows them to rest Jackson and that ailing quad in the fourth quarter.

Vasilios Nikolaou

Ravens 52 – Jets 17

To keep line with my bold prediction, the Ravens rain hellfire down onto the Jets under the bright lights of primetime football. Lamar Jackson is going to pad his stats before maybe being deactivated for the end of the season if the Ravens lock up the North and the #1 seed.

The wide receivers and tight ends put on a show for the home crowd and folks start to leave in the third quarter because of the score disparity.

Neil Dutton

Ravens 27 – Jets 6

The Ravens offense has cooled a bit of late, which is understandable given how good they had been and also considering the quality of opposition they’ve faced. But this is something a get right game against one of the leagues sorriest offenses. Even if Lamar Jackson is slightly under the weather, a likely Jamal Adams-less Jets defense should be no match for the Ravens.

Alex Bente

Ravens 30 – Jets 0

The Ravens’ offense should control this game from the onset, sustaining long drives that take loads of time of the clock, but I don’t expect them to dig too deep into their bag of tricks. A steady dose of the run game along with the occasional deep ball should be all Baltimore needs to take care of business.

The defense, on the other hand, will make short work of the Jets’ offense . . . or lack thereof. Hungry after nearly letting the Bills even the score on the game’s final drive, watch as the defense punishes the visiting team in front of a fired-up home crowd. The Jets fail to score as the Ravens cruise to their 10th-straight win, a repeat division title and one step closer to securing home-field advantage in the playoffs.

Kevin Oestreicher

Ravens 35 – Jets 13

I’ve been calling it close for the Ravens in most games and they’ve blown out teams, so now it’s my turn to call a blowout. This Jets team is extremely banged up right now, and although the Ravens are certainly still feeling the effects from the Bills game on Sunday, I expect a dominant showing from Lamar Jackson and company, as well as the defense. I expect a lot of pressure looks to be dialed up by Don Martindale and a run-heavy game plan employed by Greg Roman. I don’t think Lamar Jackson plays a full game in this one, but not because of injury. Instead, the Ravens take advantage of their dominance to get their second-year signal caller some much-needed rest and let Robert Griffin III get some playing time

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Report card: Bills lose 24-17 to Ravens

In a classic AFC slugfest, the Ravens came away victorious over the Buffalo Bills at New Era Field to clinch a playoff birth.

The Bills received plenty of national attention after their Thanksgiving victory over the Dallas Cowboys, and with the national media watching two weeks in a row the team fell flat. The Bills offense was smothered by a dominate Ravens defense in Week 14 at New Era Field as the visitors took a 24-17 win.

While Buffalo’s defense had a stout performance they couldn’t stop MVP front runner, Lamar Jackson for four quarters.

A fourth quarter touchdown did make the final few minutes interesting, but it was too little too late.

Here’s how the Bills graded out in this week’s report card following their loss to the Ravens:

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)

Quarterback: D

Josh Allen had an atrocious first half, let’s not kid ourselves.

He was 8-for-17 passing, threw for just 39 yards, and was constantly hounded by a ferocious Baltimore defense. His production increased in the second half, which gave Buffalo an opportunity to tie the game in the fourth quarter but he couldn’t produce on the final throw of the game.

While the Bills kept it close throughout the game, Josh Allen simply wasn’t good enough during the first three quarters. Allen missed on a majority of his deep shots, which resulted in drives stalling out, or stopping before they could even start. He also missed on some of his shorter throws, with most of his misses sailing over the head of his intended receiver.

Allen’s final stat line was 17-for-39, 146 yards, and one touchdown, and one successful two-point conversion throw. Frankly, this may have been Allen’s worst game of the season and it couldn’t have come at a worst time.

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PODCAST: What went wrong with Bills offense in loss to Ravens?

Buffalo Bills NFL podcast following Week 14 24-17 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

The Buffalo Bills fell to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday at New Era Field, 24-17. It certainly wasn’t the Bills’ finest game offensively, but there is a lot of optimism and growth than can come from a loss like this.

No, this isn’t the Bills first loss in 2019. The reason that this loss feels differently though, is that the Bills hung tough with the NFL’s finest team.

The Baltimore Ravens offense has been one of the most explosive forces in 2019, and have been a delight to watch as a fan. The Bills defense contained the young and very spry Lamar Jackson on the ground, perhaps laying a blueprint for a future team, or even themselves, to continue to restrict Jackson”s scrambling ability.

The problem though, Lamar Jackson can throw pretty well, and in tight spaces. Jackson torched the Bills secondary on a blown coverage touchdown to tight end Hayden Hurst, and several mid-range passes, but overall, the defense did it’s job. Held the hottest and one of the highest scoring offenses to a reasonable score. Unfortunately, the offense couldn’t take advantage.

The team is already looking ahead, as they have a big Sunday Night Football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, a team that is also currently in the playoff picture, and looking to improve their spot. The Bills have a competitive, but not overwhelming final three game stretch, including a Patriots team, that of course shouldn’t be overlooked, but is not having their best season in quite some time, despite their record.

Here’s the latest episode of The Bills Wire Podcast following the Bills’ loss to the Ravens:

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Bills opponent outlook: Ravens history, statistics and more

Everything you need to know about the Baltimore Ravens, the Buffalo Bills’ Week 14 opponent.

Dec 1, 2019; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) runs during the second quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

The Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens square off this Sunday in a match up of AFC Heavyweights in Orchard Park. The Ravens are the hottest team in the NFL right now, defeating the Patriots and the 49ers over the last month. For the Bills, the chance to hang with a team of this caliber, is one to salivate at.

Here is all of the history that you need to know between the Ravens and Bills to get you ready for Sunday:

  • Since the Ravens inception in 1996, these two have played the Bills eight times.
  • They first played on Halloween in 1999, with the Bills getting a narrow 13-10 victory.
  • Their most recent encounter was the season opener just last year. The Ravens won 47-3 in that game.
  • Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson both made their NFL regular season debuts in last years game. Allen came in for a struggling Nate Peterman after he failed to move the offense down field, and Lamar was given the opportunity to get repetitions after the Ravens were well ahead.
  • The Ravens lead the all-time series, 5-3 , outscoring the Bills 180 to 112 in those eight encounters.

2019 So Far

Baltimore is way ahead of what many experts thought that they would be. Lamar Jackson’s growth, combined with excellent coaching from the Ravens staff, has propped the Ravens up as the best team in the NFL currently. Greg Roman, their offensive coordinator, is the dual-threat quarterback whisperer, and has this Ravens offense exciting to watch, and efficient, utilizing well sold trickery and misdirection.

After a good start, which saw them begin the season  2-2 with a blow out victory over Miami, a close victory over the Cardinals, and losses to Kansas City and division rival Cleveland, Baltimore hasn’t looked back since. Garnering eight straight wins, the Ravens have mostly dominated, with seemingly no end in sight.

Their major victories have been giving the Patriots their first loss of 2019 on primetime television, a double-digit victory over the Seattle Seahawks, led by another MVP candidate in Russell Wilson, lopsided victories over the Texans and Rams, and most recently, a strong four quarter effort to defeat the San Francisco 49ers.

It’s safe to say that 2019 has been good for the Baltimore Ravens. They currently sit at second in total offense, behind the Cowboys. Baltimore has accumulated 5,049 yards of total offense this season, with one fewer game than the Cowboys currently. Although they haven’t really needed too, they are the 26th ranked passing offense, with 2,555 yards passing for Jackson. By a long shot, they are the number one rushing offense, with 2,494 rushing yards in total, over 700 rushing yards ahead of the second best rushing offense, who they defeated in last week.

The Ravens also happen to be the highest scoring offense, by nearly 60 points ahead of the 49ers, who come in at number two. Baltimore is tied at first with Seattle for 26 passing touchdowns, and first in rushing touchdowns with 18.

Jackson comes in 18th for passing yard leaders this year, with 2,532 passing yards, just 59 yards behind Josh Allen. His 25 passing touchdowns are good for second in that category, only one touchdown behind Russell Wilson. Jackson is also 11th in completion percentage, with 66.5%. He’s doing well in the interception category as well, throwing only five this year, tied for 23rd with Matthew Stafford, Gardner Minshew, and Joe Flacco.

As for rushers, Jackson is in the top-10 of the NFL, 977 yards for him on the ground, with a good chance of crossing 1,000 this Sunday, averaging 81.4 yards per game. Mark Ingram, the starting running back, is not far behind, sitting at 12th with 837 rushing yards. Ingram has been a complementary and integral part of the offense, not only with yardage and production, but with selling fake handoffs. Gus Edwards sits at 32nd in yardage with 460 yards.

Obviously, with such a run heavy team, receivers aren’t having “career-years,” but it does not matter, they are doing their part to put their team in a winning position. Tight end Mark Andrews leads receiving for Baltimore, with 693 receiving yards, coming in at 32nd in the NFL. Andrews is fourth amongst tight ends however, just behind Travis Kelce, Darren Waller and Zach Ertz.

Marquise Brown is the leading wide receiver for the team. The rookie sensation is 58th in receiving yards with 520 yards by air, and six touchdowns of his own. Willie Snead is the next closest, ranked 125th with only 289 yards.

Historically, Baltimore has always been a defensive heavy team, and this year is no different. Despite losing some talented players, they traded for Marcus Peters and have a very young, and talented defense. The Ravens are currently the seventh ranked defense, allowing 3,881 yards against them. They are the 11th ranked passing defense, giving up 2,742 yards by air, and are the sixth ranked rush defense, allowing 1,139 yards on the ground. Baltimore is also the fourth ranked defense in points allowed, giving up 219 points so far, just behind the Buffalo Bills.

How do they match up versus the Bills?

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4 Ravens to watch against the Bills

The Baltimore Ravens have a chance to clinch a playoff spot and extend their lead on the No. 1 seed. But these four players need to show up

The Baltimore Ravens enter Week 14 with a chance to not only clinch a playoff berth but to extend their lead on the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoff picture. To do that, they simply need to handle their own business and beat the Buffalo Bills.

The Bills won’t be an easy task, however. They sit at 9-3 and are trying to reinforce their standings in the postseason. With such an important game for both teams, Baltimore will need to see solid play from a few particular players to pull off the win.

Keep a close eye on these four Ravens in Week 14 against the Bills.

RB, Mark Ingram

Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images

With the potential for cold weather and high winds again this week, Ingram should see a heavy workload. And considering the Bills’ run defense is a little porous thanks to a defensive line that has struggled to tackle ball carriers, it seems like the type of matchup Ingram should be licking his lips over.

As we’ve seen all season long, Baltimore loves pounding down a defense early and often in order to open them up against the pass and Jackson running outside the tackles. If Ingram and the Ravens find some early success when running inside, they should be able to eat up a lot of time and apply pressure on Buffalo’s offense to make up the ground quickly. Once that happens, Baltimore has pretty much already won the game.

But that means Ingram has to show burst through the hole and make defenders pay for getting in his way. Luckily, that’s his forte.

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PODCAST: Lamar Jackson breakdown with Ravens beat reporter

The Ravens are one of the most perplexing offenses in the NFL currently. Their style of a run heavy offense with a dual-threat QB in Lamar Jackson is not uncommon, but the way that it’s executed has never quite been seen before. The way that the …

The Ravens are one of the most perplexing offenses in the NFL currently. Their style of a run heavy offense with a dual-threat QB in Lamar Jackson is not uncommon, but the way that it’s executed has never quite been seen before. The way that the team sells it’s trickery, misdirection, and plays in general has challenged and confused every team in it’s way so far.

Buffalo is an enigma, though. A resilient team that has been in an uphill battle all season, on and off of the field. Facing criticism from many for a schedule that’s out of their control, doubts about Josh Allen, coaching, and more. They’ve risen to the occasion, and are one of the best teams in the AFC and NFL currently. They are certainly chomping at the bit for this opportunity to cement their place along with the greats in 2019.

Joining host Matt John for this episode, are the Managing Editor of Billswire, Nick Wojton. Secondly, a friend and colleague of Nick’s from college, Sean Grogan, who covers the Baltimore Ravens for Cecil Whig via cecildaily.com, to discuss the various aspects, story lines, and more for this huge AFC match up:

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Can Buffalo slow Baltimore’s offense and other questions for Bills Wire in Week 14

With similar makeups and two of the best mobile quarterbacks in the league, the Ravens and Bills are in for a good fight this week.

The Baltimore Ravens are on an eight-game winning streak and if they win out, they’ll be guaranteed the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoff picture. While that might seem easy to do considering how Baltimore has played in recent weeks, they’ll get another big test in the surging Buffalo Bills in Week 14.

The Bills have been getting better as they rebuilt their roster. They even surprised many by earning a playoff berth in 2017. With their eyes on the postseason again this year, the Ravens are standing in their way and mark a chance to add a statement win to a pretty easy schedule.

To get better insight on what Buffalo has going for them and what to expect from this team this week, I say down with Bills Wire managing editor Nick Wojton to pick his brain.

1- Lamar Jackson gets all the attention but Josh Allen is no slouch when running the ball. How can the Ravens slow him down on the ground?

Like Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen is tough to bring down and is an excellent runner. Why I think Jackson gets much more hype is his running style. He’s so elusive it’s amazing to watch. Allen has some wiggle, but not close to Jackson’s elusiveness. Think more, a younger Big Ben. He’s tough to take down, and if it’s not there, he’ll take off and fight his way for yards. He’s just recently started sliding more to avoid contact, which is a great sign. So to answer, slow Allen down by taking him down. Don’t let Allen escape that first tackler, who’s often on him behind the line of scrimmage.

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PODCAST: What will Bills have to do beat Ravens?

This Sunday has a big game feel to it. Sure, the Bills just defeated the Cowboys on Thanksgiving, with the National Spotlight firmly on them, but there is something special about this game against Baltimore.

This Sunday has a big game feel to it. Sure, the Bills just defeated the Cowboys on Thanksgiving, with the national spotlight firmly on them, but there is something special about this game against the Ravens.

How do you gameplan for a team of the caliber and level that the Ravens are playing at right now? It’s not as easy as it would seem. The Ravens offense is unique, and it’s key piece, the sophomore sensation Lamar Jackson, is having an MVP-caliber season. His speed, combined with his growing passing ability, and the offensive units ability to sell fake out plays, has stumped the best defensive coordinators across the NFL, including one of the greatest minds in pro football history, Bill Belichick.

The challenge is one that the Bills are certainly up for, and another opportunity to prove that they’re for real. The coordinators and players have their work cut out for them. In this episode, podcast hosts Matt and Jeremy examine what they believe that the Bills have to do to try and slow down one of the fastest offenses running in the NFL.

 

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