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Jamison Hensley, ESPN Staff Writer
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Earlier this season, Baltimore Ravens quarterbacks coach Tee Martin watched video of Kansas City Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes in last season’s AFC Championship game for Lamar Jackson and his teammates. Played.
Mahomes chanted “Calm, calm, calm” to the gathered crowd during the fourth quarter. “I want you all to finish, but I want composure.”
What about Martin’s message to Jackson? Championship teams are emotionally and mentally ready to win even the toughest games.
Jackson has won as many NFL MVP awards as he has played in the postseason. There are two. In a year where he posted some of his best statistical numbers by becoming the first player to have more than 4,000 passing yards and 900 rushing yards in a season, Jackson faces the distinction of demonstrating his regular season dominance and playoff disappointment. There are only several NFL MVPs who have never won a Super Bowl, and even fewer who have never won one.
Helping Jackson overcome his playoff struggles and reach the Super Bowl has become the franchise’s most pressing priority. Among quarterbacks with at least five starts since 2018, Jackson holds the NFL’s fourth-best regular season record at 70-24 (.745), but is tied for worst in the postseason at 2-4 (.333). I’m recording it. In the playoffs, Jackson had as many turnovers (6 interceptions, 3 lost fumbles) as touchdowns (9).
When Baltimore hosts the Pittsburgh Steelers in Saturday’s AFC Wild Card Game (8 p.m., Prime Video), the Ravens will learn how Jackson can lean on an upgraded supporting cast, avoid uncharacteristic mistakes and leverage past postseason experience. You will find out if you have learned it. Focuses on his ultimate goal.
“I’m going to be so excited,” Jackson said, reflecting on what he learned from past postseasons. “That’s it. I’m so anxious. Before that happens, I’m like, ‘Oh, I need to calm down.’ “I’m seeing the same thing happen, but as I’ve gotten more experienced, I’ve found ways to balance things out.”
When asked what Jackson’s mindset was like in the playoffs, Mark Andrews said he was “completely locked in.”
The Ravens have been trying to ease the pressure on Jackson by improving the players around him. Over the past three drafts, Jackson has watched Baltimore strengthen its offensive line by adding Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum and rookie starting right tackle Roger Rosengarten. Jackson had his first Pro Bowl wide receiver in Zay Flowers, but the pass-catcher injured his right knee in the regular season finale and will not play Saturday.
Baltimore’s biggest addition came when they signed free agent running back Derrick Henry, whose 1,921 rushing yards were the 11th most in a single season in NFL history. His powerful presence, especially late in the game, was intended to scare the defense and provide some relief to Jackson.
“Now Lamar doesn’t have to be Superman,” said Hall of Fame defenseman Rod Woodson, a Ravens radio analyst.
There is only one Postseason play Jackson is still thinking about last season’s AFC Championship, a 17-10 loss to the Chiefs.
“It was right there,” Jackson said, alluding to a trip to the Super Bowl. “But my mind is focused right now, at this point.”
Jackson’s biggest mistake in that game was an unusual one.
With the Chiefs ahead 17-7 in the fourth quarter, Jackson moved Baltimore to the Kansas City 25-yard line before throwing a dangerous ball to Isaiah Likely, who was a step behind defenders. By the time the underthrown pass reached the end zone, Likely was surrounded by three Chiefs players and Jackson’s throw was blocked.
“I think the last few years he’s been under pressure and trying to make it to the postseason,” Woodson said. “And usually when you try to play in any sport, they usually don’t come. Let them come to you.”
Jackson averaged one turnover per 82 snaps in the regular season. What about in the playoffs? There is one turnover every 45 snaps.
In Baltimore’s 2020 divisional round loss to the Buffalo Bills, Jackson threw a pick-six on cornerback Taron Johnson’s 101-yard return. He has only thrown one pick-6 in his career, and it came on a deflected pass against the Cleveland Browns in 2023.
“You have to try not to make mistakes,” Jackson said. “Games are won by turnover battles and controlling the ball, moving the ball down the field and getting first downs. … Obviously, that’s how you win games.”
The change in Jackson’s play from the regular season to the postseason is one of the most dramatic in the league. From the regular season (67.4) to the postseason (53.2), his QBR dropped 14.2 points, the second-highest among quarterbacks since 2006, according to ESPN Research. Following Carolina Panthers veteran Andy Dalton.
In Jackson’s first playoff game, the 2018 Wild Card Round, he fumbled three times against the Los Angeles Chargers. In the 2019 Divisional Round, he had two interceptions against the Tennessee Titans. Both games were lost.
“(Lamar) plays freely when he’s at his best,” Linderbaum said. “So I don’t think he needs to feel any pressure or feel any pressure. I think he does his best when he’s having fun, and that’s our job to try to get him in that state of mind.”
Jackson’s highlight making The play made him and the Ravens must-see TV. The reigning NFL MVP had a near-perfect regular season by eliminating mistakes.
He threw four interceptions in 2024, three of which came out of the hands of receivers and another when the receiver failed to complete his route. In his previous MVP seasons, Jackson threw six interceptions in 2019 and seven in 2023.
“His mind is on another level,” Martin said. “What he sees, what he thinks, what he expects and how he acts on it is a year ahead of him.”
Jackson is the first player in NFL history to have more than 40 touchdown passes (41) and fewer than five interceptions (4) in a season.
“Every game, his will, his fight strives for perfection,” Andrews said. “His will to win games, to be himself, to be Lamar and even raise that level every week is just unbelievable.”
Backup quarterback Josh Johnson believes Jackson limited his mistakes by taking ownership of the offense and keeping everyone on the same page.
“Lamar’s awareness has not been addressed enough,” Johnson said. “His God-given abilities allow him to do things most people can only dream of. So many people think he’s improvising, but that’s often not the case.”
On Saturday, Jackson faces his biggest postseason challenge from the Steelers, a team that has historically made him slip up. They are the only team where Jackson has thrown more interceptions (9) than touchdowns (8).
After going 2-4 against Pittsburgh, Jackson had his best game last month, throwing for 207 yards and three touchdowns in a 34-17 win. Still, he couldn’t celebrate. His final interception of the season came against them in the fourth quarter due to a miscommunication with wide receiver Rashod Bateman, who broke up his route.
“I was angry until the end of the game,” Jackson said. “I’m lying, I’m still mad. The game is over, I’m still mad.”
When the Ravens won the AFC North title for the second straight season in Week 18, Jackson didn’t wear a celebratory hat and T-shirt like the rest of his teammates. Inside the locker room, he expressed frustration with the final drive, which Ravens coach John Harbaugh called “a personnel problem.”
“That guy is a competitor,” Harbaugh said. “He’s a fighter. He’s just a special guy. There’s no one like Lamar Jackson.”
At Jackson’s Sevens The last thing we need to know about the season is whether or not we make it to the Super Bowl. But many quarterbacks have.
Aaron Rodgers and Brett Favre didn’t reach their first Super Bowl until they were 27 years old. Jackson turned 28 on Tuesday.
Peyton Manning and Drew Brees are now 30 years old and in their ninth seasons making it to their first Super Bowl. Manning won two NFL MVP awards before reaching his first Super Bowl.
“Experience is important in a lot of situations and he has a lot of experience in the playoffs right now,” said Marty Monhinweg, Jackson’s first offensive coordinator in Baltimore. “Playoff games are different than regular season games, so he’s had that experience, and I expect Lamar and the Baltimore Ravens to win a few Super Bowls in the near future.”
Before this season began, Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta felt a “sense of urgency” from Jackson. DeCosta said Jackson is in tune with his teammates and coaches in practice.
“You can really feel that this guy is very focused on this season and really trying to win a ring,” DeCosta said last August.
At the start of training camp, Jackson recalled what Baltimore said when it selected him with the last pick of the first round of the 2018 draft. “They will take the Super Bowl away from me, believe me.”
“I said that, and I meant it,” Jackson said. “This is the highest level of the game we play. You have to be a champion. That’s what I want to be classified as a champion (I’m not) here. I want to be classified as an MVP. And I want to be a champion.”
