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Interactive: Lamar Jackson’s ankle, Josh Allen’s 32.8 points a game — Ravens at Bills, step by step

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Baltimore is 3-1 with Lamar Jackson and 1-2 without him. Buffalo is 5-1 and scores 32.8 points a game. Before Sunday's meeting in Orchard Park, here is the rivalry and both seasons, step by step.

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WhyNFL Sports DeskPublished
Josh Allen throws at Bills practice
Josh Allen at Bills practice after the bye, Oct. 28, 2026. Photo by Buffalo Bills, resized.
Josh Allen throws at Bills practiceJosh Allen at Bills practice after the bye, Oct. 28, 2026. Photo by Buffalo Bills, resized.
WhyNFL Interactive

Lamar Jackson's ankle, Josh Allen's 32.8 points a game: Ravens at Bills, step by step

Baltimore is 3-1 with its quarterback and 1-2 without him. Buffalo is 5-1 and scores more than anyone in the league. On Sunday the two teams behind the closest quarterback rivalry of the decade meet again in Orchard Park. Scroll through how they got here.
Lamar Jackson with BaltimoreFile photo: Lamar Jackson with Baltimore against Washington, August 27, 2021. Photo by All-Pro Reels, CC-BY-SA-2.0, resized.
Chapter 1

Six meetings, two playoff games

Jackson and Allen were both first-round picks in 2018. Since then they have started against each other six times, and Buffalo has won four of them, including both playoff games.

The all-time series between the franchises is tied 7-7.

0-2Bills' record when Allen and Jackson both start
0-0Bills' playoff record against the Ravens
0-7all-time series
  1. Ravens 24, Bills 17 in Orchard Park. Jackson throws three touchdown passes.
  2. Bills 17, Ravens 3 in the divisional round. Taron Johnson returns an interception 101 yards for a touchdown, and Jackson leaves with a concussion.
  3. Bills 23, Ravens 20 in Baltimore. Buffalo comes back from 20-3 down and wins on a field goal as time runs out.
  4. Ravens 35, Bills 10 in Baltimore. Derrick Henry runs for 199 yards.
  5. Bills 27, Ravens 25 in the divisional round. Mark Andrews drops the two-point pass that would have tied it.
  6. Bills 41, Ravens 40 in Orchard Park, the last time they met.
Highmark Stadium in Orchard ParkHighmark Stadium in Orchard Park (file photo). Photo by Gri3720, CC-BY-SA-4.0, resized.
Chapter 2

The last one: 41-40

The 2025 opener is the game both fan bases still bring up. Baltimore led 40-25 in the fourth quarter. Buffalo scored the last 16 points and won on a field goal as time expired.

Allen threw for 394 yards and two touchdowns and ran for two more. Henry ran for 169 yards and two scores for the Ravens, and Zay Flowers caught seven passes for 143 yards.

0Allen passing yards
0Bills points in the fourth quarter
0Henry rushing yards
0combined points

Points by half, Sept. 7, 2025

Ravens, 1st half20
Bills, 1st half13
Ravens, 2nd half20
Bills, 2nd half28
Tyler Huntley warms up before Ravens vs. BengalsTyler Huntley warms up before the Bengals game, Oct. 25, 2026. Photo by Baltimore Ravens, resized.
Chapter 3

Baltimore: 3-1 with Jackson, 1-2 without

The Ravens, now coached by Jesse Minter, scored 116 points in Jackson’s four starts. In those games he completed 68 of 96 passes for 967 yards, six touchdowns and one interception.

Tyler Huntley has started the last three. Baltimore won the first in overtime in Atlanta, then lost 13-10 in Cleveland and 35-13 at home to Cincinnati. It is 0-2 in the AFC North for the first time since 2007.

Ravens points by game

at IND (W)41
vs. NO (L)17
at DAL (W)34
vs. TEN (W)24
at ATL (W, OT)*30
at CLE (L)*10
vs. CIN (L)*13

* Started by Huntley.

0points per game with Jackson
0points per game without him
0Jackson passing yards in four games
0-1Jackson touchdown passes to interceptions
Lamar Jackson after practiceLamar Jackson after practice, Oct. 23, 2026. Image: Baltimore Ravens / YouTube.
Chapter 4

The ankle

Jackson sprained his left ankle, a high-ankle sprain, in the 24-18 win over Tennessee on Oct. 4. He has not played since.

Last week he was limited in all three practices and listed as questionable. On Saturday the Ravens downgraded him to out, and he was inactive for the loss to the Bengals.

  1. Hurt in the win over Tennessee
  2. Misses the overtime win at Atlanta
  3. Misses the 13-10 loss at Cleveland
  4. Downgraded from questionable to out
  5. Full participant in practice, his first full practice since Oct. 2
“I think the more you're able to do and respond from and feel from, certainly raises your optimism.”
— Jesse Minter, on Wednesday

Two defensive starters did not practice Wednesday: safety Kyle Hamilton and linebacker Roquan Smith, both with knee injuries.

Josh Allen at a press conferenceJosh Allen on Oct. 28, 2026. Image: Buffalo Bills / YouTube.
Chapter 5

Buffalo: 32.8 points a game, and nothing easy

The Bills, coached by Joe Brady, have scored 197 points in six games, the most in the league per game. They have also allowed 171, and four of their six games were decided by five points or fewer.

Their only loss was 29-26 to New England. They won 37-34 in overtime with the Rams and 33-30 in Las Vegas before the bye.

Bills points by game

at HOU (W)36
vs. DET (W)41
vs. LAC (W)24
vs. NE (L)26
at LAR (W, OT)37
at LV (W)33
0Allen passing yards
0Allen touchdown passes
0Allen rushing touchdowns
0James Cook rushing yards
“There's so many things that we're not doing well on offense, a lot of things that we need to clean up. Obviously, ball security being one of the big issues.”
— Josh Allen, on Wednesday
Bills fans with a Go Bills bannerBills fans in Orchard Park. Photo by Buffalo Bills, resized.
Chapter 6

The numbers that decide Sunday

Allen’s “ball security” point shows up in the totals. Buffalo has turned it over nine times, five of them in the win over the Chargers. Baltimore has five giveaways in seven games.

The Ravens have allowed fewer points per game, 23.9 to Buffalo’s 28.5.

Points scored per game

Bills32.8
Ravens24.1

Points allowed per game

Bills28.5
Ravens23.9

Turnovers

Bills (6 games)9
Ravens (7 games)5
“I'm not playing Lamar, I'm playing the defense.”
— Josh Allen

The Ravens visit the Bills on Sunday, Nov. 1, at 1:00 p.m. ET, which is 8:00 p.m. in Cairo. Baltimore then hosts Jacksonville on a short week.

A loss would drop the Ravens to 4-4. A Buffalo win would move the Bills to 6-1.

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