The Baltimore Ravens and star quarterback Lamar Jackson were sent home packing, albeit from their own stadium, on Sunday as they fell to the Kansas City Chiefs, 17-10 in the AFC Championship Game. But it wasn't supposed to end like that.
No, this was a team that seemed more than destined to right all the wrongs from the years past, where things like injuries—specifically to Jackson—or lack of wide receivers—like Zay Flowers—or even homefield advantage wouldn't keep one of the NFL's most winning teams since 2018 from going back to the Super Bowl.
But once again, Jackson and the Ravens will not be playing on Super Bowl Sunday this year.
The Ravens are not the same without Lamar Jackson
There are a lot of people who want to point fingers at Jackson for the Ravens losing the AFC Championship Game. But it comes with some hesitancy perhaps. You see, Ravens' fans know the value of Jackson and what he has brought to the team. They've seen what the Ravens are with him and without him, and without him seems much scarier than with him.
Jackson ranks third behind Mahomes (73) and Josh Allen (63) for the most regular-season wins as a starter since 2018 (his first season) with 58. That's why the Ravens have won three AFC North division titles since that stretch and have missed the playoffs just once. The problem, however, is when the Ravens get to the playoffs.
The Ravens were clearly missing Jackson's presence last season in the postseason after injuring his PCL. They just barely got in the playoffs as a Wild Card at 10-7 but lost in the first round to the Cincinnati Bengals 24-17. That's one of the many reasons why this season excited the Baltimore faithful since their generational quarterback, the one that is set to more than likely win his second MVP, looked healthier and more lethal than ever, and poised to finally get the Ravens to the Super Bowl.
After all, he and the Ravens more or less routed the Houston Texans in the divisional round. Jackson alone had 252 yards worth of total offense, with 100 of that on the ground and three total touchdowns. He didn't look like he would be stopped in getting to Las Vegas.
Lamar Jackson's playoff collapses are not unnoticed
All the accolades of the regular season or from the Divisional Round evaporated quickly in the AFC Championship Game. That's something that maybe Jackson and the Ravens haven't quite figured out yet.
The No. 6 total offense and defense in the league had their entire season turned upside down in the AFC Championship Game. But the defense did enough to keep the game close, only allowing the Chiefs to 17 points, matching their third-lowest scoring total of the season, and were able to sack Mahomes twice, something that hadn't happened since the postseason started. Jackson and the offense, who were only able to score 10 points, matching their lowest-scoring total of the season, were the problem, and that has to fall squarely on the shoulders of Jackson.
The loss to the Chiefs put Jackson at 2-4 in postseason play, with besides the win over the Texans this postseason, the lone other win was over the Tennessee Titans in the Wild Card back in 2020. That record is because Jackson doesn't know how to play from behind.
This season, the Ravens dominated their opponents on the way to a 13-4 record. Until the Chiefs game, they had beaten their last four opponents by at least 14 points or more. But when the pressure is on and Jackson has to start throwing the ball down the field, that's when he becomes his own worst enemy.
In his six playoff appearances, Jackson now has nine total turnovers to nine touchdowns, per StatMuse. He's also been sacked 26 times. But looking specifically at his four losses, he's totaled four touchdowns to eight turnovers and averaged 10.5 points per game, according to Jamison Henley at ESPN. Also, everything from his completion percentage (64.5 to 57.4), passer rating (98.0 to 75.7), and average yards per attempt (7.5 to 6.8) takes a significant dip from the regular season to the postseason.
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pic.twitter.com/hBOkoRh1ZU— PFF (@PFF) January 28, 2024
What is Lamar Jackson's legacy so far?
As dynamic of a player as Jackson is during the regular season, he becomes less than in the playoffs. He folds. He has yet to figure out how not to panic under the pressure of the moment. And Sunday was the ultimate pressure cooker moment for him, facing Mahomes and the defending champions in the AFC title game with a chance at the Super Bowl on the line.
Nothing was clearer of Jackson's inability to handle the moment than when late in the fourth quarter, as he was leading the Ravens down the field on a 12-play drive down 10, he threw an interception in the end zone that had three Chiefs defenders around it.
Jackson was quickly seen throwing his helmet to the ground in frustration, knowing that he once again wasn't going to the Super Bowl. But perhaps he knows that he may never get that opportunity, as right now, at least, that's his legacy.
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