Two of the NFL’s leading quarterbacks (neither of whom have yet to win a Super Bowl) could move one step closer to their ultimate goal when Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen meet in the playoffs.
As the Kansas City Chiefs seek an unprecedented third straight Super Bowl title, Jackson and Allen have often been collateral damage in the aftermath of their five-year dynasty.
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Jackson and Buffalo Bills QB Allen were drafted in 2018, a year after the Chiefs selected Patrick Mahomes, who suddenly catapulted them to the top of the NFL.
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Mahomes has led the Chiefs to four of the last five Super Bowls, winning three of them, Jackson has matched him for the league MVP award over that span (twice) and Allen is the favorite to win his first championship this season. He is a strong player. In the playoffs where Mahomes thrived, he too often fell short.
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Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen’s best play of the season has made him a favorite to win the 2024 MVP.
Jackson is 3-4 in the playoffs, and Allen is a little better at 6-5, but neither can match Mahomes’ incredible 15-3 record.
Jackson’s Ravens and Allen’s Bills will look to improve on one of their records this weekend when they meet in an AFC divisional round matchup in Buffalo. Sky Sports NFL Live StreamSunday, 11:30 p.m. – But another one will end up with another ‘L’ in the playoff loss column.
“This is a legacy game (for Jackson and Allen).” Sky Sports’ Neil Reynolds said this on the latest episode of the Inside The Huddle podcast. “They both struggled in the divisional round and beyond.
“Lamar Jackson is 1-3 and Josh Allen is 1-4 in the divisional round or higher.
“Their Super Bowl window is open, but Patrick Mahomes is waiting and ready to ruin all the fun if necessary.
“One of these quarterbacks is going to be in the Super Bowl one day.”
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And indeed, Mahomes could be waiting again as the Chiefs host the Houston Texans as a reward for a winner. Sky Sports NFL Live StreamSaturday 9:30 PM – Another divisional round game in the AFC.
While Mahomes and Kansas City are the conference’s No. 1 seed and have Super Bowl pedigree, the 2024 season has been an odd one, with 11 of their 15 wins coming by eight points or fewer.
17th in yards per game (327.6) – Baltimore is best in the class at 424.9 and 15th in points per game (22.6), close behind Buffalo’s 30.9 and the Ravens, who are second in the NFL at 30.5.
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Derrick Henry’s best play of his debut season with the Baltimore Ravens, a campaign in which he broke the franchise’s single-season touchdown record.
Sunday’s meeting also marks the first meeting in playoff history between two quarterbacks with more than 40 TDs and fewer than 10 turnovers in a season (Jackson: 45 total TDs, 9 giveaways / Allen: 41 total TDs, 8 giveaways) prize).
That’s why this divisional round meeting between these two teams is so anticipated. Although the Chiefs could wait for a winner, the Ravens and/or Bills could finally prove too strong for Mahomes and co.
“I think the team that wins this game can win the Super Bowl.” Sky Sports’ Phoebe Schecter, former coach of the Bills.
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Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson’s best plays of the 2024 NFL season.
“Both of these teams have struggled with their identity in the postseason at times. Lamar and the Ravens said publicly that they should have run the ball more last year (in a playoff loss to the Chiefs), and we’ve seen the Bills’ struggles. I saw it.
“This game is so hard to pick because both teams are phenomenal in so many ways and their quarterbacks are so big in key moments.
“It’s funny because this was supposed to be a rebuilding year for Buffalo. Their defense is what worries me the most, but I’m going with the Bills to win this game.”
Watch the Buffalo Bills take on the Baltimore Ravens in the divisional round of the playoffs live on Sky Sports NFL on Sunday at 11:30pm.
