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Jamison Hensley
A day after one of the most challenging seasons for quarterback Lamar Jackson ended, the Baltimore Ravens backed their two-time NFL Most Valuable Player moving forward.
«I think as long as we have Lamar Jackson, I feel like this team can win a Super Bowl,» Pro Bowl fullback Patrick Ricard said during the Ravens’ locker clean-out on Monday. «I guess the biggest thing is he makes this thing go.»
In an injury-filled season in which he missed four games, Jackson finished with a losing record (6-7) for the first time in his eight-year career, totaling his fewest passing yards (2,549) and touchdown passes (21) since 2022. He also recorded a career-low 349 yards rushing.
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But, in Sunday night’s 26-24 loss at the Pittsburgh Steelers, Jackson nearly carried Baltimore to the AFC North title with a comeback victory. He became the second player in NFL history to throw two go-ahead touchdowns of 50-plus yards in the fourth quarter, joining the Jaguars’ David Garrard in 2010.
Jackson and the Ravens were ultimately eliminated from the postseason when Tyler Loop’s 44-yard field goal sailed wide right as time expired.
«Right before we went out [in the fourth quarter] and he’s like, ‘Let’s be legendary,'» Ravens offensive tackle Roger Rosengarten said. «That’s exactly what he did. He’s the best in the NFL.»
Through the first three quarters, Jackson was 5-of-10 for 66 yards with one touchdown and one interception. In the fourth quarter, he completed 6-of-8 passes for 172 yards with touchdown throws of 64 and 50 yards to wide receiver Zay Flowers.
On that 50-yard touchdown pass, Jackson slipped past unblocked nose tackle Keeanu Benton and outside linebacker Alex Highsmith and found a wide-open Flowers.
«He’s the most electrifying player there is in this game,» center Tyler Linderbaum said. «Shoot, I cut a nose guard loose and he somehow slipped out of it and threw the ball 80 yards for a touchdown. That’s the kind of ability he has.»
The Ravens have work to do with Jackson this offseason. His salary-cap figure soars to $74.5 million, which accounts for 25% of Baltimore’s 2016 salary cap. Baltimore will likely need to get a new contract with Jackson to reduce that cap hit.
Asked if he feels he will remain with the Ravens amid looming contract talks, Jackson said, «We just lost a game — a divisional game — a game to put us in the playoffs. I’m not even thinking about that right now, to be honest with you. I’m still caught up in what just happened. That’s not my focus right now.»
