Just a single win away from a Super Bowl appearance, the Baltimore Ravens appeared vastly different from the team that dominated the regular season with the NFL’s best record, especially after their commanding victory over Houston in the playoff opener.
Lamar Jackson’s Playoff Disappointment
To make matters worse, Lamar Jackson bore little resemblance to the quarterback who was the surefire MVP all season.
“We’re crazy, we’re one win away from getting to the Super Bowl,” Jackson said after Sunday’s 17-10 loss to Kansas City”, he said. Chiefs. “We didn’t make it. Rude, we didn’t put anything on the board. We scored once. This is not like us. I’m not mad, I I’m angry because I know how much effort these guys have put in to get here.
Reflection and Resolve
The top-seeded Ravens (14-5), hosting the AFC Championship Game for the first time in franchise history, committed too many penalties, turned the ball over three times and struggled against Jackson’s consistency against the defending Super Bowl champions. He showed an unparalleled performance.
Jackson completed 20-of-37 for 272 yards, but didn’t make many big throws other than two throws to Rookie Zai Flowers for 30 and 54 yards. He was sacked four times, lost the ball and threw an interception.
“You can’t change the ball. That’s very difficult,” Jackson said. “The defense did a great job and we scored 17 points with a great offense. They’re different than us. There’s no excuses.”
Jackson’s playoff record was 2 wins and 4 losses. Although he was somewhat reticent about his postseason woes, including a 34-10 loss to Houston, the versatile star was still hoping for his first Super Bowl appearance.
“I told him to stop,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “He had a great season. His performance today was honest, he fought. He gave it his all, so I won’t give up.”
Jackson wasn’t the only Baltimore player to lose in front of a rain-soaked crowd that had never seen the Ravens take the lead. Flowers had five receptions for 115 yards and the team’s only touchdown, but he also received a ridiculously unfair penalty after punting 54 yards late in the third quarter. Four plays later, Flowers missed the kick, ending the game with Baltimore leading 17-7.
“We all make mistakes,” Jackson said. “This is his first season. It’s my first time in a situation like this, it’s his first time in a situation like this. We’ll fly again. No one can play perfectly.”
The peacock was far away. He received eight warnings for 95 yards for violations such as pass pressure, unnecessarily harsh conduct, having 12 players on the field, and, as mentioned above, taunting.
“He’s never on the other side. This is for us,” Ravens forward Roquan Smith said.
Perhaps, but the Chiefs played as if they had been in this situation before. He made his sixth consecutive appearance in the AFC title game. After using that experience to defeat Miami and eliminate Buffalo on the road, Kansas City defeated the Ravens confidently, if not spectacularly.
The Chiefs were penalized just three times, he did not turn the ball over and held the ball for 15 minutes longer than Baltimore. Kansas City converted eight of 18 attempts on third down to spread the offense and keep the Ravens on the ball.
“It’s really frustrating when you’re in a position that they want you to be and you can’t use it defensively,” said Smith, who had 16 tackles. “Hats off to them for getting the job done.”So instead of going to Las Vegas for the Super Bowl in February. On the 11th, the Ravens will clean out their lockers and figure out what went wrong and how to fix it.
The loss prompted the Ravens to make significant roster changes and overhaul their offensive line under first-year coordinator Todd Monken, ending a season that started 3-2.
When asked what he remembers about the team, Jackson replied: We fought all season. No one expected us to be in this situation. New approach, new members, new team. I thought it would end here, but it will end next time, dude.
