The Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers square off on Sunday for the AFC North lead. With both teams struggling of late, their Wild Card chances are dwindling. The season series between the two rivals will determine the AFC North crown. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has struggled of late, but told The Athletic's Jeff Zrebiec that he isn't listening to the criticisms.
“About the criticism he’s been getting, Lamar Jackson said, ‘It’s just noise. Most of us NFL players are built off noise.' Said he uses it for motivation,” Zrebiec reported.
Jackson missed three games in the middle of the season with a hamstring injury suffered in Week 4 against the Kansas City Chiefs. The team took a tumble in his absence, losing both games Cooper Rush started. Tyler Huntley picked up one win that started the five-game winning streak that ended on Thanksgiving.
Since his return, Jackson's performances have declined significantly. His first game back featured four touchdown passes against the Miami Dolphins on Thursday Night Football. Then, a sluggish 176 yards with a score was enough to beat the Minnesota Vikings. But in the last three games, he has not scored a touchdown. It is the longest streak of his career.
The Ravens need vintage Lamar Jackson
This has been far from an MVP-caliber season from Lamar Jackson. The Ravens are fighting for a playoff spot only because the Steelers have collapsed after a strong start. Baltimore benefitted from a weak schedule, namely the Browns and the Jets, to get them to 6-5. Once Joe Burrow came around on Thanksgiving, they were blown out.
The Ravens are healthy after an injury-plagued start to their season. Jackson has a full selection of weapons, with Zay Flowers, Derrick Henry, and Mark Andrews on the field. That should open up passing lanes for Jackson, but his ability to run has not been there this year.
This was the fourth consecutive week that Jackson missed at least one practice due to a different lower-body injury. This week, it was his toe that cost him Thursday's practice. While both Jackson and head coach Jim Harbaugh have downplayed the injuries, the eye test does not lie.
If the Ravens sweep the Steelers, they will have the inside track at winning the AFC North once again. While the season has been disappointing so far, a great December from Jackson would make that a distant memory.
The Ravens and Steelers kick off at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
