The Baltimore Ravens are walking into Josh Allen’s territory on Sunday. The Buffalo Bills will host what should be an instant-classic bout in Week 8.
You don’t need to remind Ravens fans of how dangerous Josh Allen is. While he hasn't been exceptional individually against them, he's still one of the NFL's three-best quarterbacks.
Over seven games against Baltimore, Allen has tallied 1,519 total yards and 10 total touchdowns, while committing just three turnovers. His passing can be a bit erratic with a 58% completion rate, but the Ravens haven’t solved him and the Bills consistently — they’re 3-4 in those battles.
Baltimore is coming off a disastrous defensive performance, too. If the leaks haven’t been patched, Allen will expose them all game long. The defense must bounce back.
These three Ravens will play a crucial role in slowing Allen down and making this matchup winnable.
3 Baltimore Ravens defenders who need to star in Week 8 to help slow Josh Allen down
Kyle Hamilton
We’ll start with the obvious one. If the Ravens want to have a good day on defense, Kyle Hamilton needs to be the star. He very rarely has a bad game, but Week 7 was one of those. That can’t happen again.
When you’re facing Josh Allen, you’re worried about him improvising and making something out of nothing. He can extend plays like Lamar Jackson, and when that happens, routes break open easily and running lanes form. Hamilton needs to be the equalizing force in limiting him when those plays come about.
Hamilton can obviously do it all. He can blitz as well as some pass rushers, hold it down as a deep safety, and be a dependable tackler closer to the line of scrimmage. With his long frame and range, he can be the guy who keeps Allen off balance.
And as a physical runner, Allen isn’t easy to tackle either. Hamilton will need to come ready to bring the boom.
Nnamdi Madubuike
You can’t give Josh Allen time to dissect the defense. If the defensive line doesn’t get home, he will pick them apart. The Ravens must do whatever they can to make him feel uncomfortable.
The most important player on that defensive front becomes Nnamdi Madubuike. He’s one of the best interior pass rushers and will be critical in ensuring Allen doesn’t make Baltimore’s defense look like fish food.
If you collapse the interior, you force the quarterback to take a deeper drop in the pocket. That gives edge rushers like Trey Hendrickson and Mike Green the leverage they need to win. Obviously, Madubuike can get sacks of his own, but breaking down the middle of the offensive line can help his teammates feast.
With Hendrickson as the defense’s star pass rusher and Green bending the edge, a game-wrecker in the middle like Madubuike can tie everything together.
Trenton Simpson
Just like Kyle Hamilton, Trenton Simpson can absolutely fly to the football. He’s the kind of playmaker who plays at 100 miles per hour at all times, and he may have to take it up a notch against Josh Allen.
Simpson is playing very well this year, and his play in the open field has been particularly stellar. He possesses a quick trigger to fire downhill, fight through blocks, and bring down the ball carrier. That’ll certainly come into play against Allen.
Simpson also has the athleticism of a defensive back, too. It’s part of what makes him so great in pursuit. He should be able to cut off Allen in the open field when he scrambles, and that quickness may also give Simpson chances on simulated pressures and sack Allen without giving him much time to react.
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