Ravens’ Lamar Jackson enters playoffs, proving floor vs. Texans

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — After the Baltimore Ravens clinched the AFC’s No. 1 seed on New Yr’s Eve, gamers joyfully commemorated the season by taking group photos whereas holding a newspaper whose headline learn “AFC’s Greatest.” They let unfastened within the locker room by dancing in the midst of the ground, the place even coach John Harbaugh confirmed off his strikes.

Amid the celebratory chaos, quarterback Lamar Jackson barely cracked a smile. He dapped up teammates with a stoic look on his face, which has develop into his ordinary postgame demeanor this season.

“We have got extra to do,” he informed them.

Jackson understands he’s coming into his proving floor — a postseason that can both change the narrative from his first six seasons within the NFL or proceed to underscore his most mentioned shortcoming.

Few quarterbacks have dominated within the common season after which upset within the postseason like Jackson. At 27, he is in line to develop into the youngest two-time NFL Most Worthwhile Participant because the merger (edging the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes by simply over 9 months), and he is gained extra regular-season video games (58) than any quarterback at his age.

However Jackson has struggled on the most important a part of the season, going 1-3 within the playoffs with 4 complete touchdowns and 7 turnovers. The one quarterback to win greater than 50 video games in his first six seasons and have fewer postseason victories is Andy Dalton (0-4).

When the Ravens host the Houston Texans within the divisional spherical Saturday (4:30 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN), Jackson begins a very powerful stretch of his profession.

“Lamar’s all the time had a single-minded focus, however I do not assume I’ve ever seen it fairly like this,” Harbaugh stated. “He is been that method because the offseason once we talked, since he got here to OTAs [organized team activities], since coaching camp, [he’s been] in the future at a time, locked in. That is sort of how he is approached it. It has been mirrored in how he is practiced and the way he is performed.”

Jackson has basically gotten all the things he wished over the previous yr, though it wasn’t fairly firstly. After a protracted standoff that featured Jackson asking for a commerce and the Ravens granting him permission to hunt one, the perimeters got here collectively on a five-year, $260 million contract that made him one of many highest-paid gamers in league historical past. He received a playcaller in offensive coordinator Todd Monken to assist him elevate his passing recreation. He obtained an improved supporting forged at extensive receiver — together with first-round choose Zay Flowers and free agent Odell Beckham Jr. — to reduce the burden on his shoulders.

The final unchecked field is hoisting the Vince Lombardi Trophy, which isn’t misplaced on anybody round Jackson.

WHEN JACKSON DISCUSSES an adjustment on a route, Beckham is aware of how the speak is probably going going to finish.

“I am making an attempt to win a Bowl,” Jackson tells him.

When Jackson hangs out with teammates, offensive sort out Ronnie Stanley is aware of it is solely a matter of time earlier than Jackson blurts it out.

“I simply desire a Tremendous Bowl,” Jackson says.

Within the practices main as much as the 56-19 victory over the Miami Dolphins, Jackson informed teammates: “Make it to February.”

“He will not be happy till we get a Tremendous Bowl,” Stanley stated, “so I do know what I am getting in my quarterback.”

Jackson’s former quarterbacks coach, James City, as soon as described Jackson’s fixation with the Tremendous Bowl as an obsession. Others see it extra as a private mission.

“I do not assume Lamar feels that it is his solution to shut the haters up,” stated Robert Griffin III, an ESPN analyst who was a Ravens backup quarterback for the primary three seasons of Jackson’s profession. “I feel it is his solution to say ‘I informed you so.’ It is extra self-validation than it’s to rub within the face of his haters.

“Would you like me to play receiver? I informed you I used to be a quarterback. You need to name me a working again? I informed you I used to be a quarterback. You need to say I should not have been drafted within the prime 10 or been the primary choose, I informed you I used to be going to deliver them a Tremendous Bowl.”

The earlier time Jackson led Baltimore to a No. 1 seed, the rallying cry was “Massive truss.” This yr, Jackson’s mantra is “Locked in.”

Jackson has gained a unique appreciation for the chance after lacking the previous two postseasons with season-ending accidents. He is additionally performed his finest in opposition to the very best, recording 10 victories in opposition to groups that completed with profitable data — essentially the most by a quarterback in a single season since at the least 2000.

The adjustments in Jackson captured the eye of Corridor of Fame center linebacker Ray Lewis, the one participant who was on the Ravens’ two Tremendous Bowl championship groups.

“I am placing all my chips on 8,” Lewis stated when requested if Jackson can win a Tremendous Bowl. “I am watching his maturity, I am watching his endurance within the pocket.

“However I am going to additionally inform you: 8 has a unique look in his eye.”

IN JANUARY 2021, the final time Jackson performed in a postseason recreation, he did one thing he had by no means achieved earlier than.

After staring down tight finish Mark Andrews, Jackson was picked off within the crimson zone for the primary time in his 41-start profession. Buffalo Payments cornerback Taron Johnson returned Jackson’s interception 101 yards for a landing in a 17-3 loss at Buffalo.

That is essentially the most puzzling side of Jackson’s profession. Within the common season, Jackson’s 65.0 Whole QBR is the seventh finest within the NFL since 2018. Within the playoffs, his 41.5 QBR is the second worst amongst quarterbacks with a number of postseason begins over that very same span — topping solely Mitchell Trubisky.

This season has been barely totally different. When Jackson was a unanimous-choice MVP in 2019, he led the NFL in landing passes (36) and broke the dashing report for QBs (1,206). This yr, he is outdoors the highest 10 in passing yards (3,678 was fifteenth) and TD passes (24 was eleventh). He additionally did not rush for 1,000 yards (821). But the Ravens (13-4) had their second-highest win complete.

“The truth that they have been capable of win with a number of the numbers he is put up,” Griffin defined, “that to me is Lamar saying, ‘I am OK with managing this recreation if I’ve to. I needn’t run for 100 or throw for 300. If I throw for 150 and run for 20 and we win the sport, that is all that issues.

“That is the place he is had the largest development. He now understands that generally the dynamic play is taking the checkdown. Generally the dynamic play is throwing the ball away, residing to battle one other day.”

Jackson knew he wanted higher targets within the passing recreation. In line with Griffin, Jackson remarked a couple of years in the past how there was a transparent distinction when throwing the ball to the likes of Keenan Allen within the Professional Bowl. This previous offseason, Jackson requested Ravens basic supervisor Eric DeCosta if the workforce might add free brokers Beckham or DeAndre Hopkins, and Baltimore responded by signing Beckham to a one-year, $15 million deal.

Throughout previous postseasons, Jackson primarily threw to Marquise Brown, Willie Snead IV and Miles Boykin. Now, he is passing the ball to Beckham, Flowers, Rashod Bateman and Nelson Agholor, all of whom had been first-round picks.

“Oh, Lamar cannot win within the playoffs. Oh, Lamar solely received one playoff win. OK, nice,” Lewis stated. “However possibly we did not have a adequate workforce to go forward and try this.

“That is why I feel as his huge brother, I am throwing him the recommendation, ‘Bro, we should win. Not Lamar should win.'”

JACKSON HAS NEVER appeared extra comfy in an offense, and it may be traced again to this offseason with a textual content from Monken.

“I will provide the keys to the offense. It is as much as you to make sure choices on the line. In the event you do not prefer it, put us in a greater state of affairs, however in case you mess up, it will be on you.”

Within the win over the Dolphins, Jackson stated he made a test on the line after seeing man protection and delivered a 33-yard cross to Beckham, who made a memorable catch alongside the best sideline.

“He could make you pay together with his legs, he could make you pay together with his arms, he could make you pay together with his thoughts,” Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay stated. “And so that you’re seeing all of that stuff present up, and that is what makes him probably the greatest and one of the crucial tough to defend, surely.”

Jackson produced profession bests with 3,678 passing yards and a 67.2% completion fee this season. Plus, he led all quarterbacks with 821 yards dashing for a league-high 5.5 yards per carry.

Previously, Jackson would take off and run if his first couple of reads weren’t open. This season, he is simply as elusive, however he is staying within the pocket.

Monken likes to name him a “two-play quarterback.” Defenses can do all the things proper to cease the unique play, however then Jackson forces them to defend him going off-script. When given 5 seconds to throw, Jackson has the very best completion fee (56.3%), connecting on 18 of 32 of these passes for 294 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.

Final month in opposition to the Jacksonville Jaguars, Jackson escaped the clutches of defensive finish Dawuane Smoot and tossed a cross-body cross to tight finish Isaiah Probably, who outjumped two defenders for a 26-yard catch. Requested what he was considering when Jackson made the throw, Monken stated, “Holy s—“

“Anticipate the sudden, I assume,” Monken stated. “He has a novel potential to see the sector and a novel potential to make performs off schedule.”

LAST MONTH AGAINST Miami, the Ravens held a 28-13 lead towards the top of halftime and Jackson noticed some teammates celebrating an excessive amount of on the sideline.

“Y’all calm the f— down,” Jackson yelled at them. “We received to remain locked in.”

Teammates have seen a extra vocal Jackson since he signed his new contract eight months in the past. He’s extra prepared to talk in workforce huddles. He’s now telling struggling teammates that they should play higher. And he’s going to ensure everybody is concentrated on the sideline, it doesn’t matter what the rating is.

When teammates describe what Jackson is like throughout video games, he is not happy when the Ravens kick a subject objective. He desires a landing. And when Baltimore scores a landing, Jackson goes to the sideline speaking about scoring one other landing on the following drive.

“Even once we win, he isn’t joyful concerning the vogue, at instances,” quarterbacks coach Tee Martin stated. “He is aware of the potential [of the team], is aware of how good we could be and the way far we will go — and he isn’t stopping till we get to that time.”

Jackson established his objective the day he was drafted with the final choose of the primary spherical on April 26, 2018, when he stated: “They will get a Tremendous Bowl out of me. Imagine that.”

He later talked about chasing Tom Brady’s seven rings, which is why Griffin can predict Jackson’s mindset if he finally ends up hoisting the Lombardi Trophy on Feb. 11 in Las Vegas.

“He’ll soak it in that second, and he’ll recognize it,” Griffin stated. “However I feel as quickly because it’s over, he’ll be proper again saying the identical factor: Tremendous Bowl.

“He desires to be the best of all time.”