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Fresh off a big win over the Dallas Cowboys in one of the most watched games in NFL history, the Buffalo Bills will now head back home and face the AFC’s number-one seed, the Baltimore Ravens. Here are three of the biggest headlines for Sunday’s huge game.
The #GoBills take on the #RavensFlock this Sunday in a battle of two of the AFC's best teams. Here's our top three headlines for the big game at New Era Field. pic.twitter.com/5HgNk5Rlb6
— Buffalo Rumblings (@BuffRumblings) December 5, 2019
2018 QB Class Duel
For the first time in their young careers, two of the best quarterbacks from the 2018 NFL Draft class will face off as starting quarterbacks. Back in April 2018, Josh Allen was drafted seventh overall by the Bills and Lamar Jackson was drafted with the last pick in the first round by the Ravens. Its not only a face-off between two ascending stars, it’s a historic match-up. As ESPN’s Field Yates pointed out on Twitter, “Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen have a combined 1,407 rushing yards this season. On Sunday that will represent the most combined rushing yards on the season by opposing QBs in the same game in NFL history.”
Rushing Ravens
Greg Roman and Lamar Jackson have created the league’s top offense by DVOA and points scored. The greatest strength of their offense is the run game, where they rank first in just about every statistical category. Sean McDermott and Leslie Frazier have almost certainly been spending the few extra days after the Thanksgiving game designing a strategy for how their 22nd-ranked (by DVOA) rush defense will be able to slow down Jackson and Mark Ingram.
Both teams looking to clinch
A win over the Ravens would be a big step towards the team cementing their playoff position. According to the New York Times Playoff Machine, the Bills’s chances would be sitting at 99%. If a few other games fall in their favor then those odds can move to 100% and the team will have earned their second playoff berth in the Sean McDermott era. Matt Warren laid out the full situation earlier this week, but it requires the Denver Broncos, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Tennessee Titans to also win. The Ravens are also looking to clinch a playoff spot and possibly their division title. A win over the Bills gives them a playoff spot and if that’s paired with a Pittsburgh Steelers loss then they will clinch the AFC North title.