Lamar Jackson, Probably The NFL MVP In Regular Season, Also Makes Case For Being Best Player Left In Postseason
Lamar Jackson had not played for 20 days. He wasn't resting because, obviously, the Baltimore Ravens quarterback was practicing and preparing for the playoffs with his team.
But the rest that began after his last game on Dec. 31 gave some people pause because the Ravens have tried to balance rest versus rust since the last time they were the No. 1 seed in AFC back in 2019.
And that experience was a disaster.
But this just in: The Ravens aren't rusty this year.
BALTIMORE - Isaiah Likely of the Baltimore Ravens catches a 15-yard touchdown pass against Derek Stingley Jr. of the Houston Texans during the fourth quarter in the AFC Divisional Playoff game at M&T Bank Stadium on Saturday. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
Ravens Ride Lamar Jackson Performance
Wait, allow me to retrace. The Ravens were definitely not sharp in the first half of their divisional round game against the upstart Houston Texans.
"We were rusty," quarterback Lamar Jackson said. "It was windy, it was cold as heck out there. But everything played a factor. The thing that's great about our team is we came out in the second half and did what we were supposed to do."
Jackson definitely wasn't rusty in the second half and that drives the narrative for the entire performance in which Baltimore won 34-10.
Jackson passed for only 152 yards. But he threw 2 TD passes. And didn't misfire with an interception. And had a 121.8 passer rating.
He also rushed for 100 yards. And scored 2 more rushing touchdowns.
"That's why he's the MVP," Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said after the loss that ends his team's season.
Jackson, likely the regular-season MVP, is now making his case for being the best player left in the playoffs.
Baltimore will host the AFC title game for the first time since January 1971. They will play the winner of Sunday's divisional matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills at 3 p.m. on Jan. 28.
BALTIMORE - Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens scores an 8-yard touchdown against the Houston Texans during the fourth quarter in the AFC Divisional Playoff game at M&T Bank Stadium on Saturday. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
Jackson Gave Ravens Teammates Halftime Talk
It should be noted that most of what the Ravens accomplished this day happened in the second half. This game was actually tied at 10 after the first half and, sure, at that point it did seem like the rest affected Baltimore.
But then came halftime and there was a conversation in the Baltimore locker room. What was said?
"It would be inappropriate if I said right here," Jackson said. "It would. But, yeah, we weren't really doing anything to that defense. They were playing great. And the offense was playing great as well. But we weren't doing our job with our unit.
"But in the second half we started putting points on the board. Moving the ball, moving the chains and started looking like ourselves."
Forgive if I'm giving the impression this halftime conversation was some sort of exchange. Only one person did most of the talking:
"I did," Jackson said, pounding his chest. "A lot of cursing. That's why I said it was inappropriate."
BALTIMORE - Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens throws a pass against the Houston Texans during the third quarter in the AFC Divisional Playoff game at M&T Bank Stadium on Saturday. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
Ravens Headed To AFC Title Game
Jackson's halftime speech, however it went, is troubling. But only if your team is the Chiefs or the Bills or any other team remaining in the playoffs.
Because it shows that even when all is not going as planned in a game, Jackson has matured to the point he becomes not just his team's performance leader but its vocal leader as well.
This is different, by the way.
Jackson has often been his team's best player dating back to Pop Warner. But being vocal? Demanding of others? Yes, different.
That combined with a defense that stifled the Texans -- limiting the rushing game to 38 yards and making quarterback C.J. Stroud scramble for whatever time he had to throw -- helped author the blowout.
So now, perhaps, Jackson and the Ravens are in a better position to accomplish what the No. 1 seed in the playoffs is supposed to accomplish, which is win the conference championship.
"We got to finish," Jackson said, showing maturity in his perspective. "It's still the playoffs. We're not in the dance yet. But I'm looking forward to next week, to be honest with you. I'm not even thinking about the Super Bowl until we handle business."