Buffalo Rumblings
Everything you need to know as the Bills look to advance to the AFC Championship game!
The Buffalo Bills (14-4) continue their quest for their first Super Bowl title Sunday evening when they welcome Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens (13-5) to Highmark Stadium for an AFC Divisional Round clash.
To get you ready for the game, this week on the Billieve podcast, host John Boccacino welcomes back an old friend, Jamie D’Amico, to break down the key matchups and players to watch as the Bills look to advance into the AFC title game for the first time since the 2020 season.
All season long, Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen have battled back and forth for MVP honors, and on Sunday, at a frigid Highmark Stadium, they lead their high-octane offenses into battle for a berth in the AFC Championship Game.
We break down Baltimore’s top-ranked offense, and explore how Jackson delivered one of the finest quarterback seasons in NFL history, becoming the first QB in league history to top the 4,000-yard passing and 900-yard rushing mark in the same season. We address the threat that Jackson, running back Derrick Henry and the Ravens’ rushing attack pose to a Bills defense that has been known to allow a few big runs, but also offer up reasons for optimism that Buffalo’s run defense is much improved from Week 4, when the Ravens racked up 271 rushing yards, the most the Bills allowed since December of 2018. Unlike in Week 4, linebackers Terrel Bernard and Matt Milano will be on the field, as will All-Pro cornerback Taron Johnson, and safety Taylor Rapp, who was injured early in the Week 4 loss. Since that setback, Buffalo’s defense, including its run D, has improved dramatically, allowing only 3.7 yards per rush over its last six games, down from 4.9 yards/rush over its first 12.
Boccacino and D’Amico discuss strategies for containing Jackson; make a case for the Bills generating pressure through Greg Rousseau, Von Miller, and A.J. Epenesa instead of sending blitzers; analyze a spike in man defensive looks by Buffalo; explain why it would make sense for the Bills to utilize three-linebacker sets and one-safety looks; and cover why Buffalo needs to clamp down on Baltimore’s screen passing game.
Offensively, Allen is coming off another terrific playoff performance against the Broncos, but he’s preparing to play a Ravens squad that limited his effectiveness during the regular season. We analyze what Allen needs to do against a big, physical Ravens D; explain why Buffalo needs to control the line of scrimmage (and keep Baltimore off the field) by successfully running the ball with Allen, James Cook, and Ty Johnson; discuss how Amari Cooper’s presence will open things up for Buffalo’s other wideouts; explore how Buffalo’s offensive line will face a tall task against the Ravens’ defensive front; and offer up ideas about where Baltimore’s defense is vulnerable.
We close with score predictions as the Bills look to advance into the AFC championship game for...
