OWINGS MILLS, Md. — It's arguably the game of the Divisional week.
Bills versus Ravens.
This AFC Divisional round matchup will be headlined by the two MVP front runners, Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen.
All eyes will be on this Sunday night game John Harbaugh says is an honor and privilege to be a part of.
"These Divisional [Playoff] games are really hard to win because you’re playing the best teams. The four best teams in the AFC [and] the four best teams in the NFC are still alive. To get to the Super Bowl – if you want to take a step out – you have to win two games now. Whoever gets to the Super Bowl has to win two games against the best in their conference. That’s tough. [It’s] really tough. So, to be a part of that just in that sense is really amazing, and then you get a chance to play a team like the Bills who have been perennially in that group," says Harbaugh.
As tough as this weekend's matchup against the Bills will be, these two teams have been acquainted with each other as recently as week four.
It was a game the Ravens dominated, winning 35-10.
Harbaugh says when looking back at that film, it's about a scientific approach rather than focusing on the outcome.
"We look at it from kind of a scientific type of football perspective, in terms of what did they see? What are they going to try to stop? What are they going to play against us? What are they going to run against us? Where are the matchups now that weren’t there then, or that are different or the same? It’s just all of those kinds of little things because just watching the game gives you some insight on what they were accomplishing. They had a lot of good plays against us, too, so it’s more that, as opposed to the outcome. You don’t really look at the outcome – the outcome is kind of irrelevant. It’s more just the predictive aspect of it, in terms of what you think you might get going forward," says Harbaugh.
Harbaugh spoke highly of this Buffalo team, who's coming off a dominating 31-7 win against the Denver Broncos.
"They're such a good team. All three phases are playing at a very high level. I think the biggest thing that stands out is how well-coached they are, how well-tied together they are – they play complementary football. All three phases play off of each other – they have a defined personality in every phase. And as a team, they’re very physical; they play very hard; they’re cohesive; they’re on the same page," says Harbaugh.
