Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has had one heck of a season, however all he’s achieved might be not anything however a reminiscence in the event that they stumble towards the Houston Texans this week. Jackson was once so just right this yr that he may grow to be the first QB since Steve McNair in 2003 to win the MVP award with fewer than 25 landing passes. With that during thoughts, this divisional-round weekend is ready as much as be a defining second in Jackson’s younger occupation.
Whilst you play in an technology the place one participant apparently dominates the entirety, ultimately all of the person accolades fade into the background. Jackson will without end be chasing Patrick Mahomes within the eyes of many as a result of his and the Ravens’ loss of postseason good fortune. Jackson has competed in 4 playoff video games since 2018 and has only one victory.
Falling to 1-4 and now not enjoying as much as par within the procedure would reignite all of Jackson’s detractors whom he silenced all yr. Successful a 2d MVP can be wonderful, however legends are conceived within the postseason. That’s the place athletes actually cement their legacy: Successful and advancing within the playoffs. Mahomes may retire day after today and he’d be a Corridor of Famer in large part according to having gained two Tremendous Bowls and being named MVP in each.
Most of the people are selecting the Ravens to win this sport rather simply. Whilst Houston is scrappy with a tender QB who’s most likely taking house Rookie of the Yr honors, the whole scope of the placement is that Baltimore is the extra entire crew. Then again, we’ve observed Jackson and the Ravens in a equivalent spot previously.
All over the 2019-20 postseason, the similar marketing campaign that noticed Jackson take house his first MVP, the top-seeded Ravens have been ousted within the divisional around by means of the No. 6 seed Tennessee Titans. Certain, that was once a couple of years in the past and Motion Jackson was once a first-year starter, however none of that is even thought of if he’d had primary playoff good fortune since then. One win in 4 postseason contests is sufficient to make critics query whether or not he can get them over the hump.
So, we all know all too neatly the tale of Jackson within the postseason. However that may briefly be grew to become round and all the belief may alternate apparently in a single day. The latest instance of a QB converting his legacy in a single playoff run took place a few years in the past with Matthew Stafford. When arriving in Los Angeles to the Rams, Stafford was once 0 for three within the playoffs as a Detroit Lion. Stafford and the Rams went directly to win 4 playoff video games in his first yr in LA, culminating in a Tremendous Bowl triumph.
Stafford went from a perceived big-game bust to a Tremendous Bowl-winning QB in a question of weeks. In a single run, all of the previous disasters in Detroit were forgotten and are infrequently discussed anymore when discussing Stafford. Jackson has the chance to do the similar this yr, nevertheless it begins Saturday at house towards the upstart Texans. First, he and this Ravens squad wish to get previous that psychological block of the divisional around.
