Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen Set for Blockbuster Divisional Battle

Taking Care of Business over Wildcard Weekend

For two quarterbacks playing at the top of their game, and lifting their teams to home field advantage, the dialogue surrounding Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen was quite interesting this week leading up to kickoff. Just ask the crew of NFL Network’s Good Morning Football, who carried the talking points of “what ifs” surrounding potential first-round upsets.

Despite the media drooling for a Monday morning headline, both Jackson and Allen showed up and showed out for their respective franchises.

Lamar and the Ravens hosted the Steelers on Saturday night. A divisional rival who’s had Lamar’s number in the past, and the first playoff matchup between the two heated foes since 2015. Jackson and the Ravens entered without their star second-year receiver Zay Flowers, following a knee injury in their Week 18 win over the Browns.  Down a weapon, the offense never seemed to lose their rhythm. Jackson utilized the ground game early and often, rushing for 24 yards on six carries on just the first two drives of the game. It was only the start of what was soon to be a long night on defense for the struggling Steelers. Baltimore gouged the Steelers run defense rushing for 299 yards, the 8th-highest team total in NFL postseason history.

Jackson and Derrick Henry combined for 267 rushing yards, the most by a QB-RB duo in a playoff game since Colin Kaepernick and Frank Gore’s 300-yard game in the 2012 postseason.

Josh Allen and the second-seeded Bills hosted rookie QB Bo Nix and the #7 seed Broncos on Sunday. The talk surrounding the matchup throughout the week centered around the underrated Broncos pass rush, and their ability to take over a game. To counter a blitz-heavy Denver defense, the Bills looked to the ground game Sunday to establish their offensive presence. If you ask a Bills fan, you’re bound to get mixed responses depending on how it affects Allen’s MVP case, but the truth is RB James Cook is one of the more underrated ball carriers in the NFL. The Bills third-year star became the first Bills running back to rush for over 100 yards in a playoff game since HOFer Thurman Thomas in the 1995 Wild Card Round. Cook found his success on plays from under center, as the Bills utilized six or more offensive linemen on 22.2% of their offensive plays Sunday, their third-highest percentage in a game this season. According to NextGenStats, Cook racked up 110 of his 120 yards from under center, on 20 of his 23 carries.

When needed, the Bills offense found their success through the air during their win Sunday afternoon. Allen and the offense took advantage of a Broncos defense seemingly sending the house throughout the second half. Denver sent a blitz on just two plays during the first half, turning up the heat in the second half, sending a blitz on 11 of Allen’s 17 second-half dropbacks. The added heat wasn’t an issue for Allen and the Bills offense, as he completed 10 of 12 pass attempts for 141 yards and a touchdown. Eight of those completions resulted in a first down, according to NextGenStats.

The win Sunday set up a divisional matchup written by the football gods.

Lamar Jackson vs Josh Allen, for a trip to the AFC Championship Game.

A Battle of MVP Favorites

It’s crazy to believe that by around 10 pm Sunday night, one of these two electric QBs will be heading home after a career-defining season. Jackson and Allen entered the 2024 season with different narratives to disprove.

Following an offseason where both Stephon Diggs and Gabe Davis moved on, the Bills were expected to take a step back as the season began.

For the Ravens, could the team find the same success they had a year prior, despite losing key starters on both sides of the ball?

Fast forward to today, and it’s clear both AFC squads are the true favorites to represent their conference in this year’s Super Bowl. Jackson and Allen enter as the MVP favorites, both putting up career numbers in their 7th season in the league.

Lamar and the Ravens offense have found the passing attack fans have longed for. Jackson put up career-high numbers through the air, setting personal records in passing yards, passing TDs, and passer rating while becoming the first QB in NFL history with 40+ passing touchdowns and four or fewer interceptions.

Allen and the Bills have finally shown a willingness to commit to the run game, allowing them to be truly two-dimensional for what seems to be the first time in the Allen era.

The Ravens enter with the league’s #1 offense, averaging 434.0 yards per game to go along with their 30.5 ppg, 3rd highest in the league. Buffalo’s secondary will look to limit the explosive plays, as they surrender the 9th highest passing yards per game (226.1). Both teams enter in the top two of offensive DVOA (Defense-adjusted Value Over Average), Baltimore first (No.1 passing, No.1 rushing) and Buffalo second (No.2 passing, No.4 rushing). It’ll be the second time the squads meet this season, the first being a 35-10 Ravens win back in Week 4.

The Ravens rushing attack was ultimately too much for the Bills back in September, a gameplan we could see them look to repeat Sunday. A battle of the two MVP favorites could become a true battle of the trenches. Both quarterbacks enter with one goal on their mind: getting their franchises to New Orleans for Super Bowl LVIII.

Sunday is set to be must-watch television.

The post Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen Set for Blockbuster Divisional Battle appeared first on Russell Street Report.

Source: https://russellstreetreport.com/2025/01/13/monday-morning-qb-talk/lamar-jackson-josh-allen-set-for-blockbuster-divisional-battle/