Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson are about to be on the same football field for the first time in nearly two years, and those around them with the Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens are preparing for another classic.
“I am just grateful to be a part of it and to be around it,” Baltimore coach John Harbaugh said. “These are the things that you’re going to look back on and you’re going to say, ‘Wow, wasn’t that cool to be there for that?’”
Allen’s unbeaten Bills and Jackson’s Ravens renew a premier NFL rivalry Sunday night, with the AFC contenders still chasing back-to-back Super Bowl champion Kansas City and coming in off very different starts to the season. Allen is the early favorite for league MVP honors with Buffalo at 3-0, while Jackson and Baltimore return home hoping to get on track after starting 1-2.
It is another chance for the elite quarterbacks to put on a show and put another dent in their doubters.
“I don’t think anybody thought that — maybe other than the people in our buildings — thought that we’d still be playing right now,” Allen said, calling Jackson an inspiration. “Love watching him play because every play is never dead with him. He’s got a crazy ability to keep plays alive and make guys miss and then get the ball downfield, so he’s a special player.”
Jackson is the reigning MVP, has won it twice and his 254 yards rushing are the most of any QB through the first three games of the season. He is now paired with Derrick Henry, who ran for 151 yards last week to help beat Dallas 28-25.
Even though the Ravens lost their first two games, veteran Bills linebacker Von Miller thought the combination of Jackson and Henry looked scary from the outset.
“I remember watching the game on TV, and I was like, ‘This is this is going to be a problem,’” Miller said. “And it has been.”
So has Buffalo’s offense, which shredded Jacksonville in a 47-10 blowout Monday night and has scored the most points in the league. Allen, now the 2-1 top choice as MVP at BetMGM Sportsbook ahead of Patrick Mahomes, has thrown for 634 yards and seven touchdowns, has run for 85 yards and two more scores and has yet to get picked off after a career-worst 18 interceptions last season.
“Just an incredible player playing at such an extremely high level,” Ravens linebacker Kyle Van Noy said, crediting much of the Bills’ success to Allen and offensive coordinator Joe Brady being on the same page. “They’re in sync right now, and they have a great pulse of their offense with their identity, and they’re doing an extremely good job of just getting everybody involved.”
Allen calls that “everybody eats,” and stopping not only him but running back James Cook and others will be a major challenge. Jackson’s not worried about that on his side of the ball, but he is well aware of the spotlight on him and Allen whenever they face off.
“It’s always going to be that way as long as we are in the league,” Jackson said. “I really don’t know how people will judge it or what people will say. I’m just going out there trying to get a ‘W.'”
Protecting the hand
With Allen’s left, non-throwing hand still tender after he landed on it in while scoring a touchdown in the season opener, he has mostly used his right hand on handoffs. And that includes going backhanded.
“Style points,” Allen said, with a wink, before explaining he’s trying to limit hits to his left hand, which he says is improving.
Coach Sean McDermott, when asked whether he gets nervous seeing some of Allen’s more unorthodox handoffs, said with a laugh: “Yeah, I mean, that among 100 other things that I’m saying, ‘I hope it goes well.’”
Baltimore’s blown leads
The Ravens blew a 10-point, fourth-quarter lead in a deflating Week 2 home loss to Las Vegas and nearly saw history repeat itself against the Cowboys before escaping with a win.
“I think we need to just lock back in,” safety Kyle Hamilton said. “I think we’ve come in so strong, and it’s hard to keep that up for 60 minutes straight, but I think we have the people to do it. Reset, refocus in the fourth quarter.”
Sack a game
Miller feels like his old self again taking the field expecting, rather than hoping, to make a sack. The 35-year-old is on a three-game sack streak a year after he failed to register one in 14 games, including the playoffs, while coming back from a torn knee ligament.
“I feel really, really comfortable,” Miller said. “I was hoping for something to fall into my lap last year, and this year is just, like, ‘I just need to be out there to make it happen.’”
Miller is the NFL’s active leader with 126 1/2 sacks, which is tied for 17th on the career list with Derrick Thomas.
Blackout in Baltimore
Ravens fans are being asked to wear black, and they have enjoyed watching their team play under the lights for more than a decade. Baltimore is 20-3 in prime time under Harbaugh since he took over in 2008.
“Just hearing ‘the Flock’ and seeing all black throughout the crowd, it’s hard to escape,” Jackson said. “Something about it. I can’t really describe it. It’s like the dark side.”
Asked to name his favorite nighttime victory, Jackson said: “All of them. I love winning.”
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AP Sports Writer John Wawrow in Orchard Park, New York, contributed to this report.
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