The Buffalo Bills face a stiff test this weekend as they host Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens with a spot in the AFC championship game on the line.
When these teams met early in the season in Baltimore, the Ravens ran the Bills off the field, 35–10, with Jackson leading the way with 210 total yards and three total touchdowns.
This time, the Bills are looking to flip the script, and the team has adopted a unique, possibly counterintuitive philosophy as they prepare to try to stop Jackson and the Ravens’ dynamic offensive attack.
"Our coach said something that really stuck with me,” explained Bills defensive tackle Ed Oliver, who will be partly responsible for keeping Jackson in check on Sunday.
“’He's like Kobe Bryant. ... Kobe Bryant's gonna get his at some point.' And that was a great analogy. Lamar's gonna get his at some point. And we know that. And everybody watching knows that. We just have to limit him. But he’s going to get his.”
Oliver appeared to credit assistant defensive line coach Matt Edwards with the turn of phrase.
Bills DT Ed Oliver on Lamar Jackson:
— Bobby Trosset (@bobbybaltim0re) January 16, 2025
"Our coach said something that really stuck with me: 'He's like Kobe Bryant. ... Kobe Bryant's gonna get his at some point.' And that was a great analogy. Lamar's gonna get his at some point. And we know that. And everybody watching knows… pic.twitter.com/itN2A3l8On
Thinking of Jackson like Kobe might prove helpful to the Bills. While stopping Jackson entirely feels like a tall order for any defense, if Oliver and company can hold the damage to a minimum, Josh Allen and the Bills offense will be in a good position to win the game.
The Bills haven’t just changed their thinking in preparation for Jackson, they’ve also altered their roster, picking up former Ravens backup quarterback Anthony Brown, who is simulating as Jackson for the team in practice.
We’ll see how well the Bills’ tactics paid off this Sunday night.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as The Bills Are Preparing for Lamar Jackson by Treating Him Like Kobe Bryant.
