Here we go again. Josh Allen's Buffalo Bills, Lamar Jackson's Baltimore Ravens and a meeting of the NFL's nearly men, who for all their generational talent have so often seen their Super Bowl dreams blunted by Patrick Mahomes and his Kansas City Chiefs dynasty. 

That is providing Jackson does in fact make his return from an injury that has sidelined him for the past three weeks; either way, it remains a story of parallels and a mutual Arrowhead enemy.

One might rightly point to the demise of Andy Reid's side in recent years, but were it not for the Chiefs' monopoly on the AFC for much of the last decade then one of Allen or Jackson - maybe even both - would be proud owners of a ring with which to complement their MVP accolades.

Since 2020, Buffalo have lost twice in the AFC Championship Game and four times in the Divisional Round of the playoffs, four of those defeats coming against the Chiefs. In the same period, Baltimore have twice lost to the Bills in the Divisional Round as well as falling to the Chiefs at the 2023 AFC Championship Game.

The Bills (5-1) host the Ravens (4-3) this weekend, live on Sky Sports, in the latest collision of two perennial contenders all-too familiar with final hurdle stumbles.

The Bills have toppled the Ravens on three straight occasions at home, the latest being last season's Week One thriller as Buffalo scored 16 unanswered points in the final four minutes to overturn a 15-point deficit in their 41-40 victory. It was a game befitting of a Super Bowl stage itself.

Before then the two met at the AFC Divisional Round in January 2025, when the Bills escaped with a 27-25 win following the infamous end zone drop by Mark Andrews for what would have been a game-tying two-point conversion.

Powerhouse offenses are piloted by Hall of Fame-destined quarterbacks, and yet their wait for a shot at the big dance goes on.

There is an argument for there being no two players in the league greater at hiding their team's weaknesses or dictating their team's success than Allen or Jackson; they are unrivalled equalisers, game-tilting deciders.

Allen has been electric through seven weeks of the season, throwing for 1,504 yards and nine touchdowns to four interceptions with a passer rating of 102.1 while ranking second in EPA/play and fifth in success rate. He also leads all quarterbacks with 240 rushing yards, eight rushing touchdowns and 23 first down runs. Nobody is better at strapping an entire organisation to their back.

This Bills offense has a case for being the best he has played in, ranking third in total yards, 12th in passing, second in rushing, first in scoring, first in EPA/play, third in success rate, first in dropback EPA and third in rush EPA under Joe Brady, who replaced Sean McDermott as head coach in January.

It isn't all Allen, either. James Cook remains the perfect backfield partner to his quarterback as Brady's trusted jab with which to tee up his play-action haymaker, amassing a third-most 627 yards and six touchdowns at 104.5 yards per game from 117 carries.

But we have been here before. A big bully offense stomping on the league while harbouring a defense with a proclivity for playoff disappointment. Allen could be near flawless all year, and yet knows come the postseason that one turnover might prove costly, such is the lack of trust in things on the other side of the ball.

Buffalo sought to address as much this offseason by hiring Jim Leonard as their new defensive coordinator - the immediate results have been ugly. The Bills currently sit second-worst in total yards allowed, passing, EPA/play and pressure rate, while ranking 15th against the run and second from last in scoring.

For the Ravens the availability of their star player remains a leading hindrance having been without Jackson for the last three games due to an ankle injury.

Caution with his return is crucial as they consider the bigger picture of a playoff push further down the line, particularly with a quarterback who not only feasts from the pocket but functions heavily on his ground threat and off-platform creativity.

Sure, it is an injury some might play with. But not everybody plays like Lamar Jackson, who has every right to remain on the sideline until comfortable he can protect himself.

There seems to be a bizarre conspiracy theory among certain corners of the media regarding Jackson's injury layoffs, and an over-eagerness to see him rushed back even were it to his detriment. Still, Jackson has missed 17 games through injury since his first year as full-time starter in 2019, the impact of which is evidenced through the Ravens failing to reach the playoffs in two of the three seasons in which he has missed four or more games, per ESPN stats.

"He's been one of the best if not the best quarterback. And what he's consistently done when he's on the field is unbelievable," said Allen of Jackson. "He's a very special player and I've got so much respect for him. "That's why you play this game is to have matchups like this."

He is set to return to the lineup to replace Tyler Huntley this weekend having produced a flying start to the season by completing 68 of 96 passes (70.8 per cent) for 967 yards and six touchdowns to just one interception. He even still ranks first in EPA/play and second in success rate. It was MVP-brewing Lamar, only to be slowed by injury. When he suffers, the Ravens suffer.

"Oh, man, you know Lamar, Lamar wants to play. He wants to play when he is fully healthy," said wide receiver Zay Flowers. "And seeing him out there today (Thursday), obviously it gave everybody a smile on their face."

Baltimore arrive on the back of a 35-13 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, during which Jesse Minter's side blew a 13-point half-time lead. It would see them become the first team ever to lose by 20 points after leading by 13 at the break, while also marking the 17th game they have lost after holding a double-digit lead since 2020. They have a Jekyll and Hyde problem on defense, their secondary in particular warranting criticism and lacking the talent required to combat the elite quarterbacks that would await in the playoffs.

Jackson's absence has also contributed to a disappointing run for Derrick Henry, who has managed just 103 rushing yards over the past two games and is averaging a career-low 3.9 yards per carry. Bizarrely, he is also among the worst in the league on short yardage situations

Two teams with sledgehammers at quarterback. But two teams with lingering questions when it comes to Super Bowl credentials.

4 things to watch live on Sky:

Flowers impact

The Ravens gave Zay Flowers a four-year, $140m contract extension in the offseason, and in return he is delivering a breakout season as a field-flipping focal point to Declan Doyle's offense. Flowers has been a menace with the ball in hand, his 321 yards after the catch bettered only by Jaylen Warren's 350.

The 2023 first-round pick has caught 40 of his 53 targets for a fourth-most 608 yards and three touchdowns while averaging a second-most 101.3 yards per game, second only to reigning Offensive Player of the Year Jaxon Smith-Njigba. He managed eight catches for 137 yards and a touchdown in last weekend's defeat to the Bengals, his rise to a place among the NFL's elite wide receivers crucial to Balitmore's playoff charge.

Reigniting the running game to control the clock and the line of scrimmage through Henry, and the return of Lamar Jackson, is what the Ravens need in order to continue feeding Flowers out of play-action.

Can Walker star for Chiefs again?

Kenneth Walker ran into the NFL's best defense last week as his former team and Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks bottled him up for just 36 rushing yards in Kansas City's 20-3 loss. This weekend the Chiefs running back, one of the league's very best through contact, faces a Denver Broncos defense that leads the NFL in missed tackles; in fact, the Broncos missed 28 tackles for 247 yards when the sides met earlier this season, Walker gaining 173 yards on that occasion and 144 after contact, according to NextGen Stats.

Denver are seeking their own source of joy on the ground as they enter the game ranked ninth-worst in rushing yards per game, Jonah Coleman trending towards an enhanced role should J.K. Dobbins continue to struggle. A backfield spike is needed as Sean Payton looks to restore the best of Bo Nix, who is playing with a career-low completion percentage and finding it tough to push the ball downfield.

Battle for LA?

The Los Angeles Rams and Chargers may call the same city and the same stadium home, but the two are a chasm apart when it comes to realistic ambitions this season. Sean McVay's Rams are still trying to get their season up and running after a 3-4 start amid soaring expectations as Super Bowl favourites. They arrive off a 35-21 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, with MVP Matthew Stafford leading the NFL with 1,989 passing yards and Puka Nacua riding a streak of 15 straight games with at least five receptions as their centrepiece on offense.

McVay knows any further slips up must be avoided in a hotly-contested NFC West division, and so the Chargers pose as something of a punching bag as the only winless team in the league at 0-6. Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh has not lost seven games in a row since he played quarterback for the 2000 San Diego Chargers. Only Aaron Rodgers and Deshaun Watson have been sacked more times than the 21 taken by Justin Herbert, who has endured a miserable start while completing just 107 of 180 passes (59.4 per cent) for 1,141 yards and five touchdowns to eight interceptions for a league-worst passer rating of 68.8 among qualified starters. Mike McDaniel remains the play-caller, for now. Their season is over. But how bad will it get?

Steelers-Brown beef

The rivalry is real between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns, who are tied for the lead on 5-2 at the top of the AFC North ahead of both the Bengals and Ravens.

Browns edge rusher Jared Verse caused a stir earlier this season when he criticised for the Steelers for playing dirty after Cleveland's 27-24 win.

"I don't got no respect for anybody that plays too dirty, and that does too much extra s*** after the game," he said.

"I can't wait until we see them again," Verse added. "I'm going to put that one on the calendar. I can't wait to get my hands on them again."

Steelers stalwart defensive lineman Cam Heyward hit back this week, welcoming a shot at revenge as Pittsburgh arrive back from their victory over the New Orleans Saints in Paris.

"Double teaming, sliding, chipping, are those not allowed in our game?" Heyward said on The Rich Eisen Show. "Yeah, I got the bruises to prove it. But we don't whine about it, baby. It's part of the game. And so, I'm looking forward to this game. It's gonna be a fun game. Both teams are in position to do a lot of work in this division, as they say. The AFC North is on fire and I'm glad I'm in the kitchen because I like it that way. But those are words that were said and they will be addressed."

Latest news

• The Colts traded All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson to the Super Bowl champion Seahawks, and veteran defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to the 49ers.
• The Titans traded All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons to the Bears for 2027 and 2028 first-round picks as well as a 2027 fourth-round pick.
• The Chiefs signed former Ravens kicker Justin Tucker to their practice squad; Tucker served a 10-game suspension last season for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy following allegations of sexual misconduct.
• Jay-Z announced that he will headline the Super Bowl LXI half-time show at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California in February.
• Bears pass rusher Montez Sweat is clear to return from a two-game suspension for violating the league's performance-enhancing substance policy.

Key stats:

• Lions QB Jared Goff needs 212 passing yards and no interceptions to become the fourth player since 1980 with at least 2,000 passing yards and no interceptions to begin a season.
• Ravens RB Derrick Henry needs a touchdown to tie Marshall Faulk (136) for the fourth-most touchdowns by a running back in NFL history.
• With at least 100 receiving yards against the Chargers, Rams receiver Puka Nacua can surpass A.J. Green (20 games) for the third-most games with at least 100 receiving yards by a player in his first four seasons in NFL history.
• Chiefs TE Travis Kelce leads the NFL with 1,104 receptions in 193 career games since entering the NFL in 2013.
• Bengals QB Joe Burrow needs three touchdown passes in a game to overtake Peyton Manning (32) for the third-most games of such kind by a player in his first seven seasons, behind Dan Marino (42) and Patrick Mahomes (38).