With an average of 30.9 points per game, the Buffalo Bills are statistically the second-best offense in the NFL this season. What has made Josh Allen & Co. tick this well (even into the postseason) is their dynamism and near-perfect execution of every play. Yet, Keyshawn Johnson made a bold claim that the Ravens defense will barely break a sweat in their Divisional Round clash against the Bills this weekend.
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On the latest episode of Speak!, the former NFL wide receiver bafflingly claimed that the game against the Bills will be the easiest for Ravens DC Zachary Orr to strategize. He backed this claim by noting how Allen has been the heartbeat of the Bills’ offense. Keyshawn, therefore, believes that if the Ravens double up on the quarterback, they’ll be able to cut the oxygen flow to the Bills’ offense.
So, what about RB James Cook, who has 1,009 rushing yards this season? Or what about the likes of Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman, and Amari Cooper — the WR cohort capable of burning most defenses with their pace? Keyshawn’s solution to keep them at bay was simple — do nothing, as long as you can push Josh Allen to the ground.
“This is the easiest defensive game plan that Baltimore is gonna see… because you have one guy that you need to get to. So what the DC (defensive coordinator) and what Coach Harbaugh are gonna say is that whatever we do (we focus mainly on) 17 (Allen). So, get him on the ground. That’s it. Everybody else, we don’t have to double nobody. We can single up across. We don’t have to put extra bodies.”
This take by Keyshawn is truly outrageous. If Allen were a Brock Purdy-type QB or a playmaker with a poor running game, one could see some merit in this extremely risky tactic. But with Allen, you have a 6-foot-5, 237-lb playmaker who is hard to bring down — both due to his strength and his ability to get the ball to his target when necessary.
Statistically, the Eagles [174.2 PYA], Titans [177.3 PYA], and the Commanders [189.8 PYA] have been the three best passing defenses this season. While the Bills didn’t play against Philadelphia, he did play against the other two, and both games ended in one-sided, blowout wins for them.
As far as best rushing defenses are concerned, the Ravens [80.1], Vikings [93.4], and Broncos [96.4] have allowed the least rush yards allowed per game. As seen recently, Josh & Co. took control of the game against the Denver defense, cruising to a 31-7 victory in the Wildcard clash.
Even against the Ravens, granted the Bills lost, but Josh had a great individual performance in that contest. Moreover, it was one of the earliest games of the season, and since then, the Bills have been on an upward trajectory.
Equating the Bills’ offense to Josh Allen is a very short-sighted approach, as even the best NFL defenses have failed to stop the entire unit. Tripling down on Josh is all fun and games until the QB wriggles out of the traffic and scores. Then, the Ravens will end up chasing the opponent’s lead.
Maybe, come Sunday, the Ravens will try something unique, as Keyshawn suggests, even if it means lining up more defenders at the scrimmage line. But let’s not forget what’s at stake: a knockout loss and a missed opportunity to reach the Super Bowl.
