The Buffalo Bills are preparing to take on Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens as the NFL schedule turns to Week 4. It’s a battle between two legitimate Super Bowl contenders and a couple of top-end NFL MVP candidates in that of Jackson and Bills star Josh Allen.
In the lead up to the game, Bills players were heard praising Jackson and what he brings to the table. That includes Allen saying that Jackson should be the NFL’s highest-paid player, at which point the Ravens star responded in kind.
“I don’t know how to answer that. I appreciate him saying that,” Lamar Jackson told reporters on Wednesday.
New Bills pass rusher and future Hall of Famer Von Miller echoed Allen’s sentiments, too.
“He can throw the ball, he can run the ball, he can do whatever it takes to win games, to put his teammates in great situations to win, and that’s why he should be the highest paid player in the NFL.
Nobody is like Lamar, man. He’s quick, he’s twitchy. Any little space that he could get he can take it the distance. He’s a blend of all different players and he can throw the ball.”
Von Miller on Josh Allen
That’s a lot of praise to throw in the direction of an upcoming opponent. But it seems to be more than warranted. Jackson is playing at the highest level of his career. That’s something given that he’s literally a former NFL MVP.
As for Jackson’s contract, you were hiding under a rock all offseason if you don’t know the dynamics there. He was unable to come to terns on a record-breaking extension with the Ravens. Instead, the former first-round pick is playing under the final year of his rookie deal while earning $23.02 million.
That’s well below market value given that Allen is playing under a six-year, $258 million deal he signed with the Bills back in August of 2021.
Related: Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen and the NFL’s best QBs of 2022
Lamar Jackson vs Josh Allen matchup should be something
These two join Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts as the early-season favorites to come away with the NFL MVP. Jackson is playing at an otherwordly level in leading Baltimore to a league-best 33.0 points per game.
Not typically outdone by others, Allen has his Bills averaging 30.3 points heading into this huge Week 4 matchup. He’s also on that next level.
- Lamar Jackson stats: 64% completion, 749 passing yards, 243 rushing yards, 12 total TD, 2 INT, 119.0 QB rating
- Josh Allen stats: 71% completion, 1,014 passing yards, 113 rushing yards, 10 total TD, 2 INT, 109.8 QB rating
This is the single biggest QB matchup of the young NFL season. Both star signal callers know that with each one throwing praise on the other’s direction.
Selected in the same draft class with major questions about the ability of their game to translate to the NFL level, the two know very well the dynamics leading up to this one.
“I think it’s as simple as we’re doing what’s asked of us. There were a lot of different notions and opinions about both of us coming out of the draft.”
Josh Allen on himself and Lamar Jackson
Allen and his Bills head to Maryland to take on Jackson’s Ravens team at 1:00 PM ET on CBS this coming Sunday. It’s certainly must-watch football.