Lamar Jackson is back for Week 8, and the timing matters: the Ravens face Josh Allen and the Bills on consecutive losses, with Buffalo chasing its fifth win in the last six meetings between the teams.

The matchup previews converge on a few themes. For Baltimore, the formula runs through Derrick Henry — Yahoo Sports notes he could be the key to controlling possession and keeping Buffalo's explosive offense off the field, though the Ravens must shore up blocking that has sagged during the losing streak. Containing Allen and fixing Baltimore's second-half struggles round out the to-do list.

Buffalo has its own matchup edges. Among the Bills players flagged as potential problems for the Ravens is receiver Joshua Palmer, part of a supporting cast Baltimore can't afford to take for granted while keying on Allen.

Last year's meeting was a thriller, and this one carries similar stakes: a statement spot for a Bills team rolling through the series, and close to a must-win for a Ravens club trying to keep its season from tilting. Jackson's return gives Baltimore its best chance to swing the trend — if the line in front of him holds up.