Bills vs. Ravens: 3 key matchups in Divisional round
After the Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens saw their young quarterbacks win their first playoff games in their careers over last weekend’s Wild Card round… only one of them will add a second to that total.
The Bills (13-3) host the Ravens (11-5) for a spot in the AFC title game. The stakes are high, but it’s still the same game… and the little games within the game will make all the different.
With that, here are three key matchups to watch in Saturday’s Divisional matchup as Buffalo hosts Baltimore:
LB Tremaine Edmunds vs. QB Lamar Jackson
Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson. Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports
It's not going to just solely be Tremaine Edmunds' job to shutdown Lamar Jackson. This is more of a quarterback vs. quarterback thing. Jackson is the NFL's best mobile quarterback and yes, Edmunds himself has to bring his sideline-to-sideline skills to track him down as much as possible. But Edmunds also has to make sure Buffalo's defense is all on the same page, especially in the front-seven. In doing so, the Bills will do their best to keep Jackson in the pocket and contain him and not down the field flying by defenders.
C Mitch Morse vs. DT Calais Campbell
Bills center Mitch Morse. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)
The middle of the Bills offensive line had a tough time with DeForest Buckner at times last week... and the Colts' entire defensive line in general. Ravens defensive tackle Calais Campbell is not Buckner. He's only Pro Football Focus' 23rd best defensive tackle from this season as opposed to Buckner who is No. 4. But Campbell is still good and can take over a game. Similar to the way Edmunds needs to help his teammates out, so does Morse in terms of making sure Campbell is always guarded by either him, Jon Feliciano or Ike Boettger.
LB Matt Milano vs. TE Mark Andrews
Bills outside linebacker Matt Milano.. (AP/ Photo Jeffrey T. Barnes)
It was not a banner day for either Edmunds or Matt Milano against the Colts. Both guys struggled to cover tight ends, regardless of who. Trey Burton, Jack Doyle, and Mo Alie-Cox all put up chunks of yards. There isn't a committee approaching coming at Buffalo this week, it's just one good player in Mark Andrews. He's a favorite target of Jackson and has to be shutdown. Typically Milano, a former safety in college, is the better player in coverage than Edmunds from week-to-week, so the Bills will hope last week was just a one-off bad game for him.
