
Getting ready forĀ Lamar JacksonĀ is a tough challenge under normal circumstances, so theĀ Buffalo BillsĀ have gained some inside knowledge ahead of the AFC Divisional Playoff matchup on Sunday, January 19 by signing formerĀ Baltimore RavensĀ quarterback Anthony Brown.
Brown joining the practice squad was confirmed byĀ Buffalo Bills PRĀ on Wednesday, January 15. The move āmakes senseā because Brown can act āas a scout team QB to simulate some of what the Ravens do with Lamar Jackson,ā according toĀ Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic.
A head-start will be crucial for the Bills if theyāre going to have any chance of corralling Jackson. The dual-threat signal-caller is playing the best football of his career and is a leading contender toĀ win a thirdĀ NFL MVP award.
Ironically, JacksonāsĀ strongest competitorĀ is Buffaloās running and throwing sensation,Ā Josh Allen. The Ravens will need their own special plans to keep him under wraps.
Reunion With Anthony Brown About Lamar Jackson for Bills
Thereās no mistaking why the Bills brought Brown back into the fold. Head coach Sean McDermottĀ told reporters, includingĀ WROC-TVās Thad Brown, how the āaddition of Anthony Brown to the practice squad allowsĀ #BillsĀ to have a scout team QB that can adequately simulate run and pass. If they had (to) bring a WR to handle Lamar runs, D in practice wonāt take pass threat seriously enough.ā
Brown has returned to familiar surroundings at Highmark Stadium,Ā having had a brief spellĀ with the Bills last preseason. Already knowing what Brown can offer isnāt the best reason for bringing him back, compared with the 26-year-oldās extensive knowledge of the Ravens and Jackson.
The information comes from Brownās two seasons in Baltimore. He was signed as an undrafted free agent back in 2022 and even got onto the field for two games, including starting in a losing cause against AFC North rivals theĀ Cincinnati Bengals.
Brown was a good fit for the Ravens quarterback room because heād been a dual-threat playmaker at Oregon in his collegiate days. He gained 658 yards and averaged 4.4 yards per attempt on the ground during his final season with the Ducks in 2021, perĀ Sports Reference, including thisĀ touchdown dart against Fresno State.
Heās not Jackson, but Brown is a mobile and strong-armed passer. Heāll at least give the Bills a working theory for how to prevent Jackson from breaking the pocket, but thatās just the start of Buffaloās problems.
The Bills also need to stop bulldozing running backĀ Derrick Henry. He bludgeoned theĀ Pittsburgh SteelersĀ for 186 of the RavensāĀ 299 rushing yardsĀ in the Wild-Card round.
Successfully splitting focus between Henry and Jackson is the challenge the Ravens pose every team, but they face a similar dilemma against Allen and the multi-faceted Bills offense.
Ravens Need Flexible Plan for Josh Allen
Heās played at an MVP level all season, but Allen isnāt the only threat posed by the Bills. Third-year running backĀ James CookĀ rushed forĀ over 1,000 yardsĀ for the second-straight campaign and is also a useful receiver.
Cookās averaged 4.9 yards per carry, while Allenās wide receivers all bring different traits to the field. VeteranĀ Khalil ShakirĀ thrives between the numbers,Ā Mack HollinsĀ is prolific in the red zone, and dynamic rookieĀ Keon ColemanĀ can take the top off coverage.
There are plenty of supporting pieces, but Allen is still the main man. He can dominate in a designed QB run game, while the 28-year-old is deadly moving the pocket to throw in space.
Those qualities have allowed Allen to put together a season rivalling Jackson for production, perĀ FOX Sports: NFL.
Allenās supporting cast isnāt as good as the Henry-led group around Jackson, but Buffaloās QB1 has home-field advantage. The Ravens will need a flexible pass-rush plan to pressure Allen and take away his running lanes.
A season spent going against Jackson in practice should be all the preparation the Ravens need for Allen.