Ramsey stands by his trash-talking at expense of Bills QB
JACKSONVILLE — It has been three months since Jaguars cornerback Jalen Ramsey issued his harsh evaluations on several NFL quarterbacks during a interview in GQ magazine before the season began.
Despite heading into Week 12 with the Jaguars (3-7) on a disastrous sixgame losing streak, he still stands by his comments.
And earlier this week Ramsey didn’t back off from what he said in August when he called Buffalo rookie quarterback Josh Allen “trash.”
“Everybody who knows me knows why I was so hard on him,” Ramsey said. “If you don’t know me, that’s on you. But if y’all look deep into it, you will be able to figure out why I was so harsh.”
Allen is expected to make his return on Sunday against the Jaguars after missing the past four games with a sprained right elbow.
Allen has been better than “trash” but has experienced his share of setbacks like most rookie quarterbacks.
Allen, the seventh overall pick in the draft from Wyoming, has completed 54 percent of his passes for 832 yards, two touchdowns and five interceptions.
The Bills (3-7) rank last in passing, averaging 159.8 yards per game.
“Honestly, I don’t remember what he said, but I could care less,” Allen told Bills reporters this week in response to Ramsey’s comments. “It’s more what my teammates feel about me and how I’m progressing.”
Ramsey said in the GQ magazine interview: “I think Buffalo Bills draft pick Josh Allen is trash. I don’t care what nobody say. He’s trash. And it’s gonna show too. That’s a stupid draft pick to me. We play them this year, and I’m excited as hell. I hope he’s their starting quarterback.”
It will be the second consecutive week Ramsey will be facing a quarterback that he evaluated negatively.
Last week against Pittsburgh, Ramsey had one of his best games since joining the Jaguars as the fifth overall pick in 2016 with two interceptions and a game-high eight tackles.
Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, however, got the last laugh with a 20-16 victory after scoring the game-clinching touchdown on a 1-yard keeper with 8 seconds remaining. Roethlisberger helped the Steelers overcome a 16-0 deficit with three touchdown drives after halftime.
Two of the other passers that Ramsey commented on remain ahead for the Jaguars, including the Dolphins’ Ryan Tannehill and the Colts’ Andrew Luck.
“Andrew Luck — I don’t really think he’s that good,” Ramsey said. “He and T.Y. Hilton had a connection in the past that made him stand out a little bit more, but I don’t think he’s good.”
In their first meeting this season, however, Luck threw three touchdown passes in the first half and led the Colts to a 29-26 victory against the Jaguars. Twice Ramsey was caught playing the wrong coverage that led to two touchdown passes by Luck.
After sitting out 19 months because of shoulder surgery, in 10 games Lucks has completed 67.3 percent of his passes for 2,769 yards with 29 touchdowns with nine interceptions. After going 4-12 last season without Luck, the Colts remain in playoff contention with a 5-5 record after winning four straight.