We are getting closer to the game of the weekend of the divisional round. Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens are coming up to Western New York to take on Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills. Hopefully this game doesn’t turn out to be another Week 4 performance by the Bills where they were demolished 35-10 against the Ravens.
Both teams are different compared to when they last saw each other. The Bills offense has been clicking and their team is overall healthier than it was compared to Week 4. On the other hand, the Ravens are stronger than ever with Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry leading the way.
As game day approaches in Orchard Park, fans will be looking for any kind of advantage the Bills may have over the Ravens. We’ve got you covered on that. Recently, we had the chance to catch up with Matt Sidney, Site Expert for Ebony Bird, and Sidney was able to provide some insight about the Ravens heading into this divisional round matchup against the Bills.
Bills vs. Ravens divisional round insights
1.) The Ravens and Bills are coming off of ferocious wins in the wild card round. Do you believe that this matchup could be the ultimate deciding factor on who wins the MVP award?
First, I'd like to start off with an unrelated reflection: I, unfortunately, think the MVP award has just absolutely gotten out of hand. While there are very legitimate arguments to be made for both players, football is life, it's amazing, and it really stinks when you feel like you can't root for another team's guy because you want your team's player to be more successful.
Both Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen will be talked about for decades, and their brilliance and wizardry will forever be unparalleled. They are both deserving of the award and football fans should take a step back, and enjoy the amazingness both superstars display week-in-and-week-out.
That being said, I don't think this game will factor at all. Not sure how many fans know this, but the MVP ballots are submitted right after the regular season and before the playoffs start. So, literally, this game should have zero impact. However—and it's a big however—both sides will point to this game as the de facto MVP decision.
Listen, whoever comes out of this game as the winner will be viewed by the media as deserving and it is what it is, but I don't think this one game should be a factor in anything other than who plays the winner of the Chiefs-Texans game in the AFC Championship.
2.) Derrick Henry ran all over the Bills’ defense in their first matchup. Will Henry be the x-factor for the Ravens’ offense?
Henry is running like a man possessed, and the Bills' defense needs to keep tabs on him. He's seemingly found the fountain of youth and just keeps getting more and more dangerous as the season draws closer to a close. Henry is amazing, but I think the Ravens' X-factor here is going to be Ravens WR Rashod Bateman.
Regardless of Zay Flowers' injury update, Bateman has been a terrific bounce-back story—he's always had the talent, but injuries have held him back. This season, he's had a massive breakout season and has become a reliable deep threat who could pose nightmare matchups for the Bills' secondary. He seemingly catches a nasty deep ball every game now, so I'd keep all eyes peeled on No. 7.
3.) Who on Baltimore’s defense has to step up in order to throw Josh Allen off his game and why?
It has to be CB Brandon Stephens. He's been a shell of himself this year, and his struggles are real. The Ravens consistently trot him out and have him cover the outside on an island, which is something he can no longer do. They've made adjustments, like giving him support with Kyle Hamilton playing back, but it still hasn't been enough.
The frustrating part is, is that Stephens can be a really good corner. Two seasons ago, he was a game-wrecker for the Ravens. If Josh Allen and the Bills want to beat a favorable matchup to death, they can pick at Stephens all game.
4.) What is a major concern for the Ravens that Bills fans should know about?
The biggest concern is going to be Ravens WR Zay Flowers and his knee injury that caused him to miss the Steelers Wild Card game. As we saw against Pittsburgh, though, Baltimore still has weapons all over the offensive side of the ball. The aforementioned Derrick Henry, along with WR Bateman and TE Mark Andrews, have really stepped up this year.
So, maybe they can narrowly escape with a win in his absence again, but there's no doubt that Flowers' injury concerns are going to be the talk of the town fans will be wanting updates on throughout the week. If he's still not good to go, that puts a real damper on the Ravens' chances of getting out of Buffalo with a win.