Lamar Jackson hasn't been able to avoid criticism as of late. In the aftermath of another playoff loss this past season, the quarterback has been receiving scrutiny from both fans and analysts alike. In fact, even a former NFL player joined the chorus of reproval. Mark Schlereth — who won three Super Bowl titles back in the 90s — spoke about Jackson in a way that Baltimore Ravens fans would not approve of.
“You wanna talk about the definition of mediocrity when it comes to playoff football? Lamar Jackson is mediocre come playoff time,” Schlereth said, via the Stinkin' Truth Podcast. “…I do not want to hear from all of you out there that are telling me that Lamar Jackson, ‘Well, they don't get him weapons.' How many first-round wide receivers do you need to draft? ‘Well, they're not drafting the right one.' Well, you're not developing them. How do you develop them? Your quarterback has a long way to go in developing wide receivers, so I don't want to hear that bulls*** from you anymore or any of you Baltimore fans. I'm tired of it.”
“They've drafted first round on talent, they drafted tight ends in the first round, they drafted three different wide receivers since 2018 in the first round. I mean, Aaron Rodgers went 16, 17 years with the Green Bay Packers and they never drafted a guy in the first round, whether it was a tight end or a wide receiver for him. So don't tell me about it. …Produce in the playoffs.”
Lamar Jackson's playoff struggles
There was no holding back from Schlereth, that's for sure. Still, he did touch on the exact topics that continuously swirl around Jackson at present.
Throughout his six-year career, Jackson's versatility has left fans in awe. With a mixture of passing skills and the ability to carry the ball like a running back, the two-time MVP is considered one of the best players today. However, holding a 2-4 playoff record continues to be a stain on his resume.
For the most part, Jackson has struggled to make it past the Divisional Round. That ended last season, when the 27-year-old steered the Ravens to an AFC Championship appearance. It was there that the ghosts of past seasons somehow caught up to him. The Ravens were favored by many to advance to the Super Bowl, but they ended up bowing out of contention at the hands of Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.
On the topic of wideouts…
Schlereth also spoke about the quarterback's supporting cast — specifically, the wide receivers. In the Lamar Jackson era, the Ravens have drafted first-round picks such as Hollywood Brown, Rashod Bateman and Zay Flowers. Brown ended up getting traded after three seasons. Bateman still hasn't quite lived up to expectations. So far, it seems like Zay Flowers might be the Ravens' next star. The rookie led Baltimore's wideout room last season with 858 receiving yards, and more development is expected moving forward.
One could ask how the Ravens would truly bring out a receiver's full potential if the offense is centered around the running game. Answering such a question starts by saying that Baltimore has begun to stray away from the one-dimensional label. Yes, the disparity between rushing and passing yards is still present, but that is expected of a team whose offensive formula revolves around their primary strength. Nonetheless, they've already started to give more importance to air-centered plays, as seen through Jackson's career highs in passing yards, passing attempts, and completion percentage last season.
Maybe that's why the Ravens appeared in the AFC championship for the first time in more than a decade. Who knows? If the team continues to prioritize and work on that ideal, balanced playbook, maybe they could finally win it all and prove the doubters wrong.
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