Josh Allen vs. Lamar Jackson: How Bills QB has struggled in limited history vs. Ravens star

Having entered the league as the two most prominent hurlers in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Bills' Josh Allen and the Ravens' Lamar Jackson are likely to be forever linked.

There are a number of reasons why this will be the case, starting with the fact they've emerged as two of the sport's most high-profile ambassadors. Both also rank highly among the sport's all-time dual threats, with Allen recording more rushing touchdowns than all but one QB in league history (Cam Newton) and Jackson within striking distance of Michael Vick's career rushing yards record.

Such comparisons are part and parcel in today's NFL, but just how do these two QBs compare to one another? Jackson is the more accomplished, having captured two  MVPs to Allen's zero through seven seasons. Allen hasn't strayed too far behind, finishing top five in MVP voting on three separate occasions.

Whatever your thoughts are on the QBs in question, one thing is for sure: both are in rarefied air among NFL QBs of both the present and the past. Whenever they duel with one another, fireworks tend to follow.

You know the stories behind Allen and Jackson's rise to NFL prominence. Now, see how the duo shape up when facing off with one another.

Here's what you need to know about Allen and Jackson's performances during their epic showdowns.

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Josh Allen vs. Lamar Jackson stats

Allen and Jackson have had markedly different journeys to NFL success, with Jackson overcoming doubts over his throwing ability to become one of football's greatest showmen. Allen was similarly cast to the side by segments of NFL fandom, albeit for different reasons. Nevertheless, his considerable physical gifts, coupled with an ever-improving understanding of the sport, have made him one of the most feared passers in the league.

Here's how their numbers stack up since entering the league (regular-season stats only):

And here is a breakdown of how the two have fared when facing off with one another, head-to-head:

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Josh Allen vs. Lamar Jackson head-to-head stats

Allen and Jackson have faced off with one another just four times in the regular season and one time in the playoffs. Jackson holds the regular-season advantage thus far, vanquishing Allen and the Bills in three of their four meetings. Allen and his side were the victors in postseason play, however, vanquishing Baltimore 17-3 in their one playoff matchup.

A look at their stats in those regular-season contests reveals that Allen has tallied more yards, although he's done so in a far less efficient manner than Jackson. The Ravens QB, meanwhile, has double the amount of passing touchdowns to his Buffalo counterpart, although he also eclipses Allen in interceptions, as well.

Allen has proved a more effective runner, averaging 6.2 yards a carry. Jackson's been more prolific, with 152 yards on 29 rushes — good for an average of 50.67 yards a game.

Here's a look at their totals across their three regular-season clashes with one another.

And here's the data from their one postseason clash:

Josh Allen vs. Lamar Jackson games

1. Week 1, 2018: Ravens 47, Bills 9

A look at the score may make it seem as if Jackson dominated Allen and the Bills. However, one has to remember that Baltimore was one of the best teams in the league when it dueled with Buffalo in Week 1 of 2018. The Bills, meanwhile, were middling, ending the 2018 season with a 6-10 record.

Moreover, neither Allen nor Jackson started the Week 1 contest. Instead, they made their professional debuts when the game was already decided.

Allen was slightly better than the Louisville product, completing six of his 15 pass attempts for 74 yards compared to Jackson's 1-for-4, 25-yard day. Jackson added an additional 39 yards (on seven carries) on the ground, a better total than Allen, who rushed the ball four times for 26 yards. Nevertheless, the advantage went to Allen in terms of individual performance. Jackson didn't mind, though. After all, it was his team that walked out 42-point victors.

2. Week 14, 2019: Ravens 24, Bills 17

When Allen and Jackson met more than a year after their first encounter, their situations were far more different. Jackson was on his way to a unanimous MVP while Allen had cemented himself as the QB of Buffalo's present and future.

Their Week 14 clash represented a clash of titans atop the AFC. Baltimore entered the game with a 10-2 record. The Bills weren't too far behind, posting a 9-3 showing through their first 12 contests.

When the dust settled, it was Baltimore on top. John Harbaugh's squad was the beneficiary of another Jackson masterpiece; this one saw him complete 64 percent of his passes, tossing three touchdowns and tallying an additional 40 yards on the ground.

Allen fell way short of his opponent's showing, missing the mark on more than half of his pass attempts. He tossed a touchdown and didn't throw an interception. But things could've been a lot smoother.

3. AFC Divisional Round, 2020: Bills 17, Ravens 3

Allen emerged the victor when Buffalo and Baltimore clashed with a spot in the 2020 AFC Championship Game on the line. He looked far better than his adversary, finding pay dirt via a three-yard toss to Stefon Diggs. Although his numbers weren't all that impressive, Allen looked fairly composed in the moment. That wasn't quite the case for Jackson, who struggled against the Bills' mighty defense.

The then-third-year hurler completed just 58.3 percent of his passes and failed to spearhead a touchdown scoring drive. In fact, Jackson made the game's most decisive play, firing an arrow straight into the path of Buffalo cornerback Taron Johnson in the end zone.

Johnson did the rest, racing 101-yards from his own goal-line to the crib to vanquish the Ravens' chances of equalizing the game — and with it, their Super Bowl hopes, too.

4. Week 4, 2022: Bills 23, Ravens 20

By this point, both Allen and Jackson had emerged as two of the league's most gifted passers. Despite their stature around the league, both will likely want to forget about their showing in this one.

Allen was inefficient, oscillating between over and under the 50-percent completion mark throughout the contest. Jackson, despite finding his target 69 percent of the time, threw two interceptions compared to Allen's one.

All of that amounted to a three-point, last-second victory for Buffalo, an impressive result given the fact that the Bills trailed by as many as 17 points before mounting their comeback.

5. Week 4, 2042: Ravens 35, Bills 10

Jackson got the best of his 2018 NFL Draft counterpart in the Ravens and Bills' latest duel with one another, emerging 35-10 victors under the "Sunday Night Football" lights.

Jackson was efficient, completing 13-of-18 passes to spearhead Baltimore's offense. He didn't need to do too much; tailback Derrick Henry nearly cracked the 200-yard plateau, allowing Harbaugh's side to control the tempo. Nevertheless, Jackson impressed, accruing 210 yards of total offense and three scores (two passing, one rushing.)

Allen's numbers lagged behind, by comparison, but he had some eye-catching moments, namely a 52-yard arrow to Khalil Shakir that he delivered under duress while falling towards the sideline.

All told, it was a challenging day for Allen and Co., who struggled to contain the Ravens on either side of the ball. A third-quarter touchdown appeared to breathe life into what looked a stupefied Bills side. But Allen fumbled the ball in the midst of Buffalo's comeback. The Bills wouldn't score a point after that moment.