Raven’s Lamar Jackson ‘Angry’ After Another Playoff Loss

Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens were knocked out of the playoffs after their 17-7 loss to the Chiefs in the AFC Championship. Though it was the farthest the team has reached in the playoffs with Jackson at quarterback, it was their fifth playoff loss in six years. As a team that has found much success in the regular season, they haven’t gotten over the hump in January, bringing Jackson’s all-time playoff record to 2-4.

“I’m angry about losing. We are a game away from the Super Bowl. We’ve been waiting all this time, all these moments for an opportunity like this and we fell short,” Jackson said. “But I feel like our team, we going to build this offseason, going to get right, get better grind and try to be in this position again – but on the other side of victory.”

In the game, which was the Ravens’ first time hosting the AFC Championship, Jackson made 20 of his 37 passes for 272 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Though he is the presumed MVP winner for this season, Jackson didn’t match his season statistics in the AFC Championship, resulting in the team matching their season low in scoring for the year with seven points. The Ravens averaged more than 28 points and 370 yards per game in the regular season, but couldn’t make anything work against the defending champion Chiefs. Jackson was sacked a total of four times and only converted one of six third-down attempts. When he threw the interception that all but closed out the game, Jackson took off his helmet and slammed it on the ground in frustration.

“Offense, we didn’t put nothing on the board. We scored once. That’s not like us,” Jackson said. “We drove the ball down the field. That’s cool. But we got to put points on the board. But I feel like my team just angry, not frustrated, we just angry. We know how hard we worked to get here.”

Jackson and the Ravens have made the playoffs as the No. 1 seed twice, but have yet to see the same success they’ve managed in the regular season. In his four career playoff losses, Jackson has thrown four touchdowns and eight interceptions, resulting in only 10.5 points per game. Though poised to win his second league MVP, the quarterback from Louisville still has hurdles to get over to find true success in the playoffs for himself and his team.

“There’s certain moments that define you, and this is just one that’ll be in his career,” Ravens wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. said. “The greats have all been through tough times and I don’t think this is going to stop him from wanting to get to his ultimate goal. If anything, he’s going to work even harder.”