Two MVP hopefuls go head-to-head in the 2025 divisional round
Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson are favorites in this year’s NFL MVP race. Now, on Sunday, they’ll face off for a lot more than an individual accolade as the Buffalo Bills play host to the Baltimore Ravens in a fight to reach the AFC championship. The Bills last advanced to the conference title game in 2020, while the Ravens fell to the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs in last year’s AFC finale.
Is this Allen’s year to get over the hump, months after the Bills front office remade his wide receiver corps? Or is Jackson too dynamic alongside the big-bodied Derrick Henry to slow down in January?
Either way, this one’s absolutely must-see material.
How can you tune in? And who’s primed to walk away with the win? Here’s our rundown and prediction:
Bills vs. Ravens where to watch
Date: Sunday, Jan. 19 | Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
Location: Highmark Stadium (Orchard Park, New York)
TV: CBS | Stream: Paramount+ (click here)
Follow: CBS Sports App
Odds: Ravens -1.5, O/U 51.5 (SportsLine consensus)
Prediction
This is, in many ways, a legacy game for both Allen and Jackson and their respective contenders: Neither quarterback is in danger of slipping from the widely accepted tier of transcendent talents under center, but both signal-callers are desperate to forge their own defining postseason run, and ultimately eclipse the hulking shadow of Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. As such, we’d expect both to make their fair share of splash plays on Sunday, even and perhaps especially if the wintry weather strikes.
The real question is, which supporting cast is better suited for the occasion in wintry Buffalo? While the Bills are underrated as a rushing team thanks to James Cook’s explosiveness out of the backfield, Baltimore has been the more well-rounded contender at its peak, boasting a rejuvenated defense and a physical, methodical offense that was practically built for cold-weather playoff games. We like Henry’s chances against Sean McDermott’s front seven, especially after what he did to Buffalo back in September, and project Baltimore’s return to the AFC title game. Pick: Ravens 27, Bills 24
Bonus: Mike Tierney, who is on a 53-27-2 roll with Baltimore Ravens games, has released his best bets for the Baltimore Ravens vs. Buffalo Bills Divisional round game. Tierney is leaning the Under, but who does he like against the spread? Find out here at SportsLine.
