Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills (10-3) travel to Ford Field Sunday for a highly-anticipated showdown with Jared Goff and the Lions. Kickoff is set for 4:25 p.m. EST.

Allen, a two-time Pro Bowler and one of the best quarterbacks in the game today, is enjoying a terrific season. The Wyoming product has thrown for 3,033 yards, 23 touchdowns and just five interceptions through 13 games. Plus, he’s recorded a league-best QBR (76.7).

On top of all that, the dual-threat passer has added another 416 yards and nine touchdowns as a runner.

Undoubtedly, Aaron Glenn’s defense will have its hands full trying to limit the productivity of Allen in this Week 15 matchup.

“He is challenging, and I haven’t had a chance to truly deep dive them yet, but I do know this: he’s taken care of the football,” Detroit head man Dan Campbell said of Allen. “He’s taking the plays that are there, and once he progresses, if it’s not (there), then he uses his legs. So, I feel a more patient player out of him, and because of that, he’s playing at a very high level. And, that makes him even more dangerous.

“He’s got a big-time arm, he’s accurate, he can read defenses, and then he’s got the physical ability to take off and run. And, he can run over people, he can run around you, he can get on the perimeter. So, yeah, this is going to be a huge task for us. This is not going to be easy.”

Without further ado, let’s take a look at three ways in which Detroit can attempt to curtail Allen’s production Sunday.

Bring the pressure 

It’ll be easier said than done against Allen, who has a knack for escaping the pocket and evading pass-rushers. Because of such, he’s only been sacked 13 times this season. That mark ranks toward the very bottom of the league among qualified quarterbacks.

Nonetheless, the onus will be on Glenn to dial up the blitz and get in the face of Allen as much as possible. 

Additionally, EDGE Za’Darius Smith will be key to the Lions’ pass-rushing efforts vs. the Bills signal-caller. In four games in Detroit, he’s amassed 20 total pressures, 14 quarterback hurries, two QB hits and four sacks.

The Lions certainly could use a solid game from the pass-rusher Sunday.

Deploy Jack Campbell strategically 

I’m fully aware that Glenn is not a fan of utilizing a QB spy. However, Jack Campbell, as the de facto quarterback of the defense, will still play a vital role in stymieing the efforts of Allen both through the air and on the ground. He’ll be responsible for keeping a close eye on the Bills dual-threat passer. And he’ll be tasked with ensuring that Allen doesn’t break off any big plays with his legs.

It won’t be an easy assignment for the middle linebacker, but it will be an ultra important one on Sunday.

Keep Allen and the Bills’ offense off the field

The best way of doing this is through long drives by Goff and the Lions’ offensive attack. And, Detroit can accomplish this by relying upon its bread and butter: its ground game.

Through 13 games, the Lions have compiled 1,964 yards and 22 touchdowns on the ground (both of which are the fourth-best marks in the league).

Jahmyr Gibbs, the “Sonic” to David Montgomery’s “Knuckles” persona, leads all Detroit running backs with 1,016 rushing yards on the season.

I expect a healthy dose of both Gibbs and Montgomery in this Week 15 contest. And, I truly believe this will be a method deployed by the Lions to keep Allen and Buffalo’s high-octane offense off the field.

If dining out for Christmas or finding takeout to bring home is on your wish list, some area restaurants and resorts are ready to help. Here are a few locations offering Christmas Eve or Christmas Day specials for dining in or taking home. Advance reservations and orders are required at most restaurants.

ARIA

Saint Kate’s signature restaurant is open for dining from 4 to 9 p.m. Dec. 24 and Dec. 25. A special prix fixe Christmas menu is priced at $79 per person, or guests may select from items on the regular menu. For reservations, call (414) 270-4422 or visit OpenTable.com. Saint Kate – The Arts Hotel, 139 E. Kilbourn Ave

Bar Louie

The Brookfield Square restaurant will be open from 11 a.m. to midnight Dec. 24 and 4 p.m. to midnight Dec. 25, offering a four-course dinner for two priced at $75. Guests may pick one bar bite to share, a choice of soup or salad for each person, a choice of entree per person, and one dessert to share. Choose from select options such as the Citrus Grilled Salmon or Parmesan Crusted Chicken, and finish the meal with the restaurant’s signature cinnamon doughnut holes. Bar Louie also will offer burger specials, so guests may order a craft burger with fries or tots for only $8. Reservations are not required, but you may call to reserve a table: (262) 505-6319. 95 N. Moorland Road, Brookfield

Benny’s Cafe

Open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. Christmas dinner specials include prime rib ($31) with baked potato, roast duck ($24) with dressing and mashed potatoes, baked ham ($18) with mashed potatoes, ribeye ($29) with baked potato, Atlantic salmon ($20) with broccoli and rice, and coconut shrimp ($18) served with french fries. All dine-in dinners include soup or salad, a glass of wine or beer, and dessert. Walk-in customers are welcome; no reservation required. Call for takeout orders at the drive-thru window. (414) 431-0004. 5354 S. 27th St.

Emerald City Catering

Pre-order the whole meal or a la carte items from the menu for Christmas. A la carte items available to order include roast beef in gravy, beef tips, baked ham, roast chicken, uncooked Polish sausage, cooked stuffed chicken breast, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, macaroni and cheese, corn and rolls. See menu online at emeraldcitycatering.com/hollidays, or call (414) 672-3434. 3555 S. 13th St.

Lowlands Group

Christmas Eve brunch will be served from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 24 at all grand cafes, which includes all Cafe Hollander locations, Cafe Benelux and Centraal Grand Cafe & Tappery. Buckatabon Tavern & Supper Club, 7700 Harwood Ave., Wauwatosa, will serve brunch from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. All restaurants will close at 3 p.m. and remain closed on Christmas Day. Reservations are not required. lowlandsgroup.com

Maharaja

The east side Indian restaurant is open Dec. 24 and 25 for lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and dinner service from 5 to 9 p.m. A special Christmas buffet is available during lunch hours for $35 per person. Reservations and takeout orders can be placed online at maharajarestaurants.com or by calling the restaurant during business hours: (414) 276-2250. 1550 N. Farwell Ave.

Mason Street Grill

The downtown restaurant offers both its regular menu and a special prix fixe Christmas menu from 4 to 9 p.m. Dec. 24 and 1 to 8 p.m. Dec. 25. The holiday prix fixe menu is priced at $81 per guest and features prime rib with herb whipped potatoes, pancetta Brussels sprouts, and a choice of dessert. Private dining rooms are available for family gatherings. Call for reservations, (414) 298-3131, or visit OpenTable.com. 425 E. Mason St.

The Melting Pot

A special holiday fondue is offered for Christmas Eve from noon to 8 p.m. Pricing is $65 for adults and $30 for children under 12. The set menu features one cheese fondue, a salad, entree and a chocolate fondue. The entree choices are either the Holiday Feast of teriyaki-marinated steak, vanilla rum chicken and apple rosemary pork; or the Holiday Fusion of teriyaki-marinated steak, vanilla rum chicken, salmon and shrimp. A lobster tail ($19) or center-cut filet ($28) may be added to any entree. All entrees include seasonal vegetables and signature dipping sauces. Call for reservations: (262) 782-6358. 19850 W. Blue Mound Road, Brookfield

Mo’s Irish Pub Wauwatosa

Pre-order a to-go meal or dine-in on Christmas Eve from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. A special dine-in dinner of turkey or ham, with all the traditional sides, is priced at $21.99 for adults and $11.99 for children 12 and under. Call for reservations. The pre-order To Go Family Style meal ($159.99) serves 10 to 12 people and is available for pickup. Place your order by Dec. 22 by calling (414) 774- 9782, or email events@mosirishpub.com. 10842 W. Blue Mound Road, Wauwatosa.

Odyssey

The Menomonee Falls restaurant is serving breakfast and lunch from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Reservations and takeout are available; call (262) 255-3036. N82 W15380 Appleton Ave., Menomonee Falls

Old Town Serbian Gourmet Restaurant

The restaurant will open for dining at 5 p.m. Dec. 24 and Dec. 25. Christmas specials and regular menu items are available. Reservations required. Call (414) 672-0206 or visit oldtownserbian.com. 522 W. Lincoln Ave.

The Packing House

Call to reserve a table and order from the full, sit-down Holiday Dinner menu. Dining hours are from 4 to 8 p.m. Dec. 24 and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Dec. 25. No takeout or to-go orders will be available. Call (414) 483-5054 or visit packinghousemke.com. 900 E. Layton Ave.

The Pfister Hotel

A Christmas Celebration Brunch is offered in the grand ballroom from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Dec. 25. The buffet includes an assortment of fresh seafood, Wisconsin cheeses, carved meats, omelets made to order, individually customized pastas, holiday salads and starters, an array of entrees, and desserts. Brunch includes a mimosa or bloody mary. $95 for adults, $35 for children 3 to 10 years old (tax and service charge will be added to all reservations). Reservations are required with full pre-payment via credit card. thepfisterhotel.com, 424 E. Wisconsin Ave.

Steak House 100

The West Allis chophouse will offer its full menu on Christmas Eve from 4 to 8 p.m. House specialties include ribs, pork chops, rotisserie chicken and a seafood, chicken or beef tenderloin shish kabob. For reservations, call (414) 727-2222. 7246 W. Greenfield Ave., West Allis

Tre Rivali

A standard breakfast menu is available from 7 to 10:30 a.m. Dec. 24, and a Christmas Day buffet is offered from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 25. Buffet pricing is $85 for adults and $35 for children under 12 years of age and includes complimentary coffee, teas and sodas. The buffet features an artisanal cheese and salami board, waffle bar, assorted toasts and spreads, chive and creme fraiche scrambled eggs, fresh fruit platter, fregola and white bean soup with kale and sausage, Caesar salad, prime rib of beef, Tuscan roast pork, Brussels sprouts and whipped potatoes. Reservations can be made online through OpenTable or directly to the restaurant by phone: (414) 291-3971. 200 N. Broadway

Ward’s House of Prime

The restaurant is open for dining from 4 to 8 p.m. Christmas Eve, or pre-order a prime rib dinner to-go, or just the meat for the holidays. The Dinners To Go menu is available in servings for one ($65), two ($125), four ($250), five to eight ($400), and a whole dinner serving nine to 12 ($625). Dinners include au jus and creamy horseradish, house salad, mushrooms, mashed potatoes and corn. Just the Meat prime rib is available in portions of a quarter ($200), half ($300), or whole ($525). Pick up orders from 1 to 3 p.m. Dec. 24 and noon to 1 p.m. Dec. 25. Order online at wardshouseofprime.com or call for reservations: (414) 223-0135. 540 E. Mason St.

Apple Holler

The Racine County farm offers a full Holiday Take-Home Dinner, a Holiday Dinner Add-Ons menu, and homemade pies for pickup. Pre-order an individual dinner or a group-size dinner serving four to six people. The Apple Cider Bourbon Glazed Ham Dinner ($38.95 individual, $189.95 group), the Turkey Breast Dinner ($39.95 individual, $199.95 group), and the Prime Rib Dinner ($49.95 individual, $249.95 group), all feature mashed potatoes, bacon mac and cheese, apple-bread stuffing, honey-glazed carrots, sweet potato casserole, cranberry-orange relish, dinner rolls and apple butter, apple pie, and Apple Holler apple cider. The Holiday Dinner Add-Ons menu includes additional meat and sides, doughnuts, cornbread, apple pie bread and cider. Homemade pies are priced at $8.35 each and include a variety of fruit, berry, cream and seasonal specialty pies. Pick up from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 21 through Dec. 24. Order online at appleholler.com or call (262) 884-7100. 5006 S. Sylvania Ave., Sturtevant

The Abbey Resort

The resort on the shore of Geneva Lake will offer a Christmas Eve dinner buffet and Christmas Day brunch and dinner buffets in the 240° West Restaurant. The Christmas Eve buffet is served from 4 to 9 p.m. for $75 per person. Christmas Day brunch is served from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for $50 per person. Christmas Day dinner buffet is served from 4 to 9 p.m. for $75 per person. Children (ages 5 to 12) are $25. Call (800) 709-1323 for reservations. View the menus online at theabbeyresort.com 269 Fontana Blvd., Fontana-on-Geneva Lake

Grand Geneva Resort

The resort offers multiple dining options on Dec. 24. A Christmas Eve brunch buffet will be served in the Geneva ChopHouse from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and in Ristorante Brissago from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. with complimentary champagne and mimosas. Pricing is $85 for adults, $40 for children ages 6 to 12 and $15 for children ages 2 to 5. Children age 2 and under are complimentary with each paid adult. The holiday specialties include crispy chicken, roasted cod, short ribs and cheese ravioli. Food stations offer a variety of traditional breakfast items, omelets and eggs Benedict, prime rib, ham, lamb, seafood and shrimp, plus a variety of salads, vegetables, sides and sweets. The Grand Cafe will serve a prime rib and seafood buffet from noon to 9 p.m. Pricing is $59 for adults, $25 for children ages 6 to 12 and $15 for children 2 to 5 years of age. Reservations are required with a credit card. Call (262) 249-4788. grandgeneva.com; 7036 Grand Geneva Way, Lake Geneva.

Lake Lawn Resort

The Walworth County resort is offering a prix fixe menu Christmas Eve and a champagne brunch on Christmas Day at 1878 on the Lake. The Christmas Eve dinner is a prix fixe menu ($85 per person) served from 4 to 9 p.m. Entrees include a choice of prime rib, salmon, a Cornish game hen, wild mushroom risotto, or a surf and turf option of a center-cut filet and lobster tail. The first course offers a choice of butternut squash bisque, Caesar salad or apple and pecan salad. The featured desserts are an eggnog cheesecake or a sticky toffee and figgy bread pudding. A Christmas Day buffet is available from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 25. Pricing is $68 for adults, $25 for children ages 8 to 12 years and $14 for children 4 to 7 years. The food stations feature a carvery with prime rib and ham; chicken or salmon entrees; traditional breakfast items of bacon, sausage, pancakes, omelets and waffles; salads, seafood and seasonal fruits and vegetables. A sweets station includes a chocolate rum yule log, Christmas figgy pudding, English trifle martinis, Christmas cookies and fudge brownies cherries jubilee. An additional food station for children features chicken tenders, penne pasta and meatballs, mini corn dogs, waffle fries and baked macaroni and cheese. Make reservations online lakelawnresort.com/events or call (262) 725-9155. 2400 Geneva St., Delavan

Before Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks last year, Jacob Frey, the mayor of Minneapolis, had never identified first and foremost as a Jew, even as he had always been mindful of his heritage.

But in the wake of the attacks and the ensuing war in Gaza, Frey’s personal investment in confronting a surge in antisemitic activity, he said, has forced him to reconsider how he has connected to his Judaism. “My ethnicity has risen greatly over the last year in the way that I think of myself and how others think of me,” he said in an interview with Jewish Insider on Monday, echoing many Jews who have also felt a deeper attachment to their faith amid the ongoing conflict. 

“There was a moment where I thought to myself, ‘Oh my gosh, there are all these people coming out against Jews, should I not be as out in front? Should I not be as vocal about my identity as a Jew?’” Frey, a two-term Democrat, explained. “And as soon as I thought that, it was almost a slap in the face: ‘No, I have to be more out front. I have to be more vocal.’”

The level of antisemitism he has witnessed during the past year, including in Minneapolis, “has never been something that I’ve experienced in my life,” he said. “People are saying it very clearly, their hatred for Jews,” he added. “It is problematic, and I’m not going to back down.”

Last month, Frey — who is already facing a handful of emerging challengers as he prepares to seek reelection next year — spoke out against a local teachers’ union for inviting an anti-Israel activist with a history of antisemitic remarks to join one of its seminars, urging the group to cancel its event with a participant who “hates Jews,” as he put it in a widely viewed social media post. 

More recently, Frey vetoed a City Council resolution supporting students at the University of Minnesota facing disciplinary action and at least one criminal charge for occupying a school building during an October protest calling for divestment from Israel.

In a letter on Monday blocking the resolution, he called the protest “neither peaceful nor protected speech” and suggested that the Council had “taken a position simply because it aligns with a cause they support, rather than the basic principles of law.”

The 43-year-old mayor has also clashed with the City Council over a cease-fire resolution he viewed as “one-sided,” releasing his own proclamation on the conflict after the legislative body had rejected his veto — a tool he has frequently used during his time as the city’s chief executive.

Even as he reiterated that he has long been in favor of a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, Frey said that the resolution, which was denounced by Jewish leaders for demonizing Israel, underscored what he described as “a desire” among some far-left Council members to “find where the fault line exists — and then push a little further.”

“I supported a cease-fire, then and now. I support the return of the hostages, then and now. I’ve been oppositional to [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu, then and now,” he told JI. “At the same time, I’m not going to sign on to a completely one-sided resolution that reduces the entire existence of the State of Israel to illegality.”

In addition, he said he was “not going to allow for teachers to get taught by someone who has quite literally said Jews should not be our friends and they’re enemy No. 1,” alluding to Taher Herzallah, the extremist speaker who was set to be featured at the recent teachers’ union event. “Obviously, that’s problematic,” Frey said. “Everybody should be acknowledging the problem there.”

Frey, who is the second Jewish mayor to represent Minneapolis, confirmed that he intends to run for a third term next year, but did not share a timeline for announcing his campaign. Last week, he drew two new challengers, including Omar Fateh, a democratic socialist in the state Senate, and Emily Koski, a relatively moderate Democrat on the City Council who has nevertheless differed with the mayor over some progressive policies. 

Both challengers have argued that Frey’s repeated divisions with the City Council — where he served before he was elected mayor — are an impediment to productive governance.

But speaking with JI, Frey, who fended off several challengers in a hotly contested election three years ago, said he is confident about his prospects in the upcoming mayoral race — claiming he has “a lot of momentum right now.”

“At this point in time, experience matters, and people are very much recognizing that,” he argued. “There’s also a dynamic that is happening federally, and we need to make sure that we respond correctly to it. The election at the federal level did not go the way that I had hoped, obviously, and I’m hearing from some that they need to counter Donald Trump by going further to the extreme on the left. That is not the right approach, and it is counterproductive.”

Highlighting comments he expressed in an opinion piece for The Minneapolis Star Tribune last week, Frey insisted that “the opposite of extremism is not the opposite extreme” but is instead what he called “good, thoughtful government” backed by data and evidence. “It’s a willingness to listen to experts and to do right by the city, loving the city more than you love your ideology,” said Frey, who has prominently feuded with the hard left over efforts to defund the police. “I think we need to base our progressivism in reality, not in belief.”

“We also need to have the guts to tell our own side, at times, what they don’t want to hear,” Frey told JI. “I’ve seen more than a few Council members cave to support something they don’t think is right because of the pressure. They’ll tell me privately, ‘Oh, I know what you’re doing is the right thing to do, but I can’t support it.’”

His efforts to speak out against antisemitism after the Oct. 7 attacks are a part of his broader approach, he suggested, particularly amid rising antisemitism he himself has experienced personally “many times” as mayor. “I tell the truth and I stand by my values,” he said. 

“Judaism is very much based more in law than it is belief,” Frey elaborated. “There’s a fairness and an objectivity I deeply appreciate and that I certainly incorporate into my leadership as mayor. There’s also not just a beautiful acceptance — but a kind of hospitality of inclusivity that is entrenched in the fabric of being a Jew, and that’s something I also believe in.”

As he vows to continue fighting antisemitism, Frey stressed the value of education to counter prejudice and said “we also need to make sure that both Jews and their allies have the courage to stand up to hate in all forms” — including “hate against Palestinians and Arabs.”

“We’ve got a history as a people and we should be talking about it,” he told JI, noting that the “reason I’m alive” and “in America right now” is because his great-grandparents chose to leave their small town in Ukraine before World War II. “Years later,” he said,” they checked back in to see how the rest of the family was doing, and they were all slaughtered in either the pogroms or the Holocaust.”

“Jews are resilient. We are tough. We’re strong,” he said, while reflecting on how recent events have strengthened his sense of Jewish identity. “We stand up for what’s right — and we should be proud of that. We should also be proud of the way that we stand up for other people.”