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A16 sports
Friday 15 January 2021
Allen, Jackson set for playoff showdown as Bills host Ravens

By JOHN WAWROW Allen benefitted from
AP Sports Writer spending three years being
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) groomed by offensive co-
— Ravens coach John Har- ordinator Brian Daboll, and
baugh was immediately the influx of talent brought
impressed by Buffalo quar- in by GM Brandon Beane.
terback Josh Allen’s com- The most notable addition
petitive fire following their this offseason was acquir-
first face-to-face encoun- ing Stefon Diggs in a trade
ter in an NFL setting. with Minnesota.
It happened in the 2018 Much like Jackson, Allen
season opener, when the prefers putting the past be-
then-raw rookie Bills quar- hind him and focusing on
terback was shoved into the next challenge.
the Ravens’ sideline. Al- And yet, he remembered
len hopped up and ex- his encounter with Har-
changed words with play- baugh, and noted how the
ers and Harbaugh before two laughed about it the
officials stepped in to sepa- following April when they
rate everyone. bumped into each other at
“He came up jawing and The Masters.
talking and shoving and Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) talks with Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson “My first game, yeah. I’ve
pushing,” Harbaugh re- (8) following a 24-17 Ravens win in an NFL football game in Orchard Park, N.Y., in this Sunday, Dec. changed a lot since then.
called as fifth-seeded Bal- 8, 2019, file photo. My mannerisms and my
timore (12-5) prepares to Associated Press temper’s a little different
face the AFC East cham- perspective where they AFC championship game. “We know how it feels to than it was back in the
pion Bills (14-3) in a division- came up the hard way, Jackson made his splash be hyped up and we know day,” Allen said. “I don’t
al playoff Saturday night. doubted often, and had to last season when he earned how it feels to be at your forget those days. They’ve
“Rookie quarterback. Man, overcome that,” Harbaugh NFL MVP honors after lead- lowest point,” Jackson said. helped me get to where I
I love this guy.” said. “I always like the un- ing the NFL with 36 touch- “We’re focused on Buffalo am.”
Allen was only in the game derdog.” down passes, 43 com- and we’re not trying to let PLAYOFF MODE
for mop-up duty after Nate Allen, whom the Bills traded bined TDs and became the the outside noise or any- Baltimore has been playing
Peterman was benched up five spots to select No. league’s first player to top thing like that distract us.” with a win-or-done urgen-
upon throwing his second 7 in the 2018 draft, had 3,000 yards passing and Allen blossomed into a star cy since early December,
interception, which led to accuracy issues and was 1,000 rushing. this season by setting nu- following a 1-4 skid that
the Ravens building a 40-0 dismissed for playing at And yet, Jackson failed to merous franchise passing dropped it to 6-5.
lead in an eventual 47-3 lowly regarded Wyoming. silence his critics because and scoring records, while The Ravens were depleted
victory. What struck Har- Jackson, selected 32nd in he was 0-2 in the playoffs finishing fourth in the NFL by a COVID-19 outbreak
baugh is how Allen refused 2018, was questioned as to before a 20-13 win at Ten- in completing 69.2% of his in a 19-14 loss at Pittsburgh
to back down, a quality whether the dynamic mo- nessee last weekend. It was passes — a 10.45% jump before reeling off six con-
he also sees in Baltimore’s bility he showed at Louis- a game in which the Ra- over last year. secutive wins.
Lamar Jackson, who also ville would translate to the vens overcame a 10-0 defi- An NFL MVP candidate, “We’ve had our backs
made his NFL debut that NFL. cit — their largest in a play- Allen is the key reason the against the wall since the
day as Joe Flacco’s back- Three seasons later, both off victory — with Jackson Bills matched a franchise Pittsburgh game,” Har-
up. are coming off their first ca- sparking the comeback record in winning 13 reg- baugh said. “I really think
“They’ve come up on the reer playoff victories and with an electrifying 48-yard ular-season games and our guys have handled
quote-unquote other side have their teams one win touchdown run. clinched their first division everything exceptionally
of the tracks from a football short of appearing in the One win isn’t enough. title in 25 years. well.”q
Jared Goff to start for Rams in Green Bay;

Wolford inactive

at Green Bay on Saturday, mal Adams, and he hasn’t work,” McVay said of Goff’s
and John Wolford will be practiced this week. health. “He’s making good
inactive. Coach Sean Mc- Goff has been the Rams’ progress. The further you
Vay announced his deci- starter for the past 4 1/2 get away from that, the
sion Thursday ahead of the years, but he sat out their more normal — I know he’s
final workout for the Rams regular-season finale after been pain-free, but I think
(11-6) before they travel to breaking his right thumb, the more functionality and
face the top-seeded Pack- missing a game due to in- feeling like yourself.”
ers (13-3) at Lambeau Field. jury for the first time in his Wolford will still travel to
Wolford started the Rams’ career. Green Bay with the Rams,
Seattle Seahawks defensive end Carlos Dunlap (43) leaps to try last two games, but the Goff then was the Rams’ but he won’t play. Veteran
and deflect a pass from Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared second-year pro was in- backup in their first playoff Blake Bortles, who returned
Goff during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football jured early in Los Angeles’ game, but he relieved Wol- to the Rams in Week 17
game, Saturday, Jan. 9, 2021, in Seattle. 30-20 win at Seattle last ford in Seattle and led Los after Goff’s injury, will be
Associated Press Saturday. Wolford left the Angeles to victory with 155 Goff’s backup against the
By GREG BEACHAM (AP) — Quarterback Jared stadium in an ambulance yards passing. Packers, and rookie third
AP Sports Writer Goff will start the Los An- with a neck stinger after a “He’s been able to get quarterback Bryce Perkins
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. geles Rams’ playoff game hit from the Seahawks’ Ja- a lot of good individual also might be active.q