Ravens vs. Bills Week 8 Preview: Lamar Jackson Returns to Face Josh Allen in Orchard Park

Lamar Jackson spent three weeks in street clothes watching his season spring leaks. Now he is back. "I feel like I'm no longer a statue," Jackson said this week, which is wonderful news for Baltimore and a migraine for a Buffalo defense that has been giving up points like it's contractually obligated to.

The Ravens (4-3) visit the Bills (5-1) at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET, and the two locker rooms could not feel more different. Buffalo is rested off its bye and tied with Kansas City for the best record in the AFC. Baltimore has lost two straight, sits last in the AFC North and just watched a 13-0 halftime lead over Cincinnati turn into a 35-13 loss.

Baltimore Needs This One Way More Than Buffalo Does

The AFC North is a four-car pileup, and the Ravens are the car in the back. Cleveland and Pittsburgh are both 5-2, Cincinnati is 4-2, and Baltimore is 4-3 with a Thursday night home game against Jacksonville waiting four days after this one. Jackson kept it simple on Friday: "The sense of urgency is extremely high."

His ankle is only part of the problem. The Ravens own the NFL's best first-half point differential (plus-65) and its worst second-half differential (minus-70), per the AP. They are a prestige TV show that keeps botching the finale. Offensive coordinator Declan Doyle took some of that on himself this week. "I probably haven't stuck to that second half script enough," Doyle said.

Buffalo, meanwhile, treats bye weeks like a cheat code. The Bills are 8-0 under Josh Allen coming off a bye, per the AP, and have won their first game after the break in 11 consecutive seasons, per the team. First-year head coach Joe Brady spent the off week self-scouting rather than tearing anything down.

There is a revenge subplot, too. Baltimore's last trip to Orchard Park, the 2025 opener, ended with a blown 15-point fourth-quarter lead and a 41-40 loss. The series is tied 7-7, and Allen is 2-2 against Jackson in the regular season and 2-0 against him in the playoffs.

The Matchup That Decides It: Zay Flowers vs. Buffalo's Patchwork Secondary

The AP circled Zay Flowers against Christian Benford, and it is the right call. Flowers has 608 receiving yards, fifth in the NFL and 36% of Baltimore's total, per the AP. He just dropped eight catches for 137 yards on Cincinnati with a backup quarterback throwing to him. Now he gets Jackson back. Benford, Buffalo's best cover man, blanketed Brock Bowers in the Week 6 win at Las Vegas, holding him to four catches for 70 yards.

The problem is everything around him. C.J. Gardner-Johnson is suspended, slot corner Dee Alford is questionable, and Damar Hamlin is expected to start at safety next to Cole Bishop, per the Bills. Buffalo ranks 31st in yards allowed at 386.8 per game, per the Ravens' site, and has given up 29 or more points five times. If Jackson can extend plays, Doyle will hunt whoever draws Flowers in the slot.

Baltimore's defense has its own fire to put out after Cincinnati scored touchdowns on its first five second-half possessions. Next up: an offense averaging a league-best 32.8 points per game, per the Ravens' site, plus James Cook (627 yards, six touchdowns). The Ravens will also be without their sack leader, Tavius Robinson (3.5 sacks), who is on injured reserve.

Players to Watch

Lamar Jackson, QB, Ravens. Before the injury he was 68 of 96 for 967 yards with six touchdowns and one interception, and Baltimore is 1-2 without him. The run game misses him most: Derrick Henry has averaged 4.5 yards per carry with Jackson on the field and 3.3 without him, per the Ravens. "I think he'll look like Lamar Jackson," coach Jesse Minter said this week.

Josh Allen, QB, Bills. Allen has 1,504 passing yards, nine touchdowns and four picks, and his 101 career wins (including playoffs) are tied with Tom Brady for third among players in their first nine seasons, per the AP. He sounds like a man who has been waiting for this one. "That's why you play this game is to have matchups like this," Allen said this week.

Derrick Henry, RB, Ravens. Henry has 579 yards and seven touchdowns, but the last two weeks were rough: 58 yards on 17 carries at Cleveland and 45 on 17 against Cincinnati. He is 65 yards behind Jerome Bettis for eighth on the all-time rushing list. "Nobody's going to fix it but us," Henry said this week.

Injury Report

Jackson has no injury designation and will play, per the Ravens. Baltimore ruled out guard Olaivavega Ioane (knee) and safety Jaylinn Hawkins (knee). Cornerback T.J. Tampa (knee) is questionable, running back Adam Randall (neck) is listed as questionable while in his 21-day practice window off injured reserve, and Robinson (pectoral) remains on injured reserve.

For Buffalo, Gardner-Johnson is serving a one-game suspension. Tight end Dalton Kincaid (chest), receiver DJ Moore (shoulder), right tackle Spencer Brown (back), Alford (ankle), defensive tackle Greg Gaines (calf) and outside linebacker TJ Parker (knee) are questionable, per the team injury report. Defensive lineman Ed Oliver carries no designation and is expected to play for the first time since Week 4, per the Bills.

By the Numbers

• DraftKings lists Buffalo as a 3-point favorite with a total of 54.5, via ESPN, as of Saturday.
• ESPN's matchup predictor gives the Bills a 61.4% chance to win.
• Buffalo is 4-0 this season when allowing 30 or more points, per the AP.
• The Ravens are 3-1 on the road this season and 21-8 on the road since 2023, which the AP says leads the NFL over that span.
• Bills kicker Tyler Bass has made 18 straight field goals, matching Rian Lindell's franchise record from 2007.

Our Pick: Fade the Second Half

Jackson's return turns this into a real fight, and Buffalo's secondary is thin enough that Flowers could have a monster afternoon. Expect Baltimore to start fast, because it usually does. The question is the third and fourth quarters, and nothing this season says the Ravens have solved them, while Buffalo is rested, at home and 4-0 when opponents score 30 or more.

Our pick: Bills 31, Ravens 27. If we are right, Allen goes up 3-2 on Jackson in their regular-season meetings, and Baltimore heads into a Thursday night game with a lot of second-half film to burn.

Odds from DraftKings via ESPN as of Oct. 31. Injury statuses from team reports via ESPN, buffalobills.com and baltimoreravens.com. Quotes as reported by the Associated Press, buffalobills.com and baltimoreravens.com.