Lamar Jackson is ‘anxious’ to take the field ahead of Baltimore’s first playoff game this season after spending the bye week trying to figure out the Ravens’ AFC Divisional round opponents, the Houston Texans.
The 27-year-old quarterback missed his team’s final regular-season game (a 17-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers) to be fresh and ready for the postseason. He hasn’t played since a 56-19 drubbing of the Miami Dolphins on Dec. 31.
“We had some time off to regroup and reconnect,” Jackson said of the Ravens’ preparations before Saturday’s game at M&T Bank Stadium. ‘I’m excited. Antsy.’
Jackson’s Baltimore team posted the NFL’s best record during the regular season at 13-4, but one loss would end the Ravens’ season. Jackson himself is 1-3 in the playoffs as a starter, and there is a feeling that now is the time for a breakthrough.
Excitement, nerves – maybe even a little boredom from the goodbye. One thing seems clear: He will be extremely motivated when Baltimore hosts Houston this weekend.
Lamar Jackson seemed excited and optimistic before Sunday’s AFC Divisional game against Houston
“Just keeping my mind on the assignment,” Jackson said Wednesday. “I don’t let anything come into my head that would confuse my thoughts for the game.”
Jackson wasn’t aloof as he answered questions from reporters, but his curt answers suggested he was eager to finish all the pregame routines and just play.
Does he feel better prepared for the playoffs than in the past? ‘Yes I believe that. I believe so,” Jackson said.
What would it mean to reach the AFC title game for the first time? ‘It would be great. It would be great, Jackson said. “But we’re just going to take everything day by day.”
How confident is he that Baltimore’s offense – which has never scored more than 20 points in a postseason game during his career – can produce enough this time?
‘Very confident. Very, very confident. Extremely confident,” Jackson said without hesitation.
Jackson hasn’t played for the Ravens since the last day of 2023 when he played against Pittsburgh
Jackson seems to understand that, as always, his performance on the field will be more important than anything he says beforehand. The Ravens have had Super Bowl hopes since he arrived in 2018 and quickly became one of the league’s top quarterbacks. But the road through the AFC was daunting.
Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City have hosted the past five AFC championship games. Baltimore hasn’t even gotten that far, falling on the road to Buffalo and Cincinnati in its most recent two outings, the latter of which came when Jackson was injured.
This season, it was Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow who went down with a significant injury, and the Chiefs haven’t looked nearly as threatening offensively. Buffalo has made a late season run, but if the Ravens take on the Bills, the game would be in Baltimore this time.
With Jackson healthy and a candidate to win his second MVP, this could be the year the stars align for the Ravens. However, that makes these play-offs even more urgent.
“Lamar is ready to go. The boys are ready to go. They have worked hard for this opportunity, to get to this point and compete in such a big game against such a worthy opponent,” coach John Harbaugh said. ‘We are playing against a very good football team and we have our hands full. We hope to put our best foot forward.’
The Ravens have home field advantage in these playoffs after finishing the season No. 1 in AFC
In Jackson’s postseason debut as a rookie, the Ravens lost at home to the Los Angeles Chargers. The following season, 2019, they went 14-2 but lost their playoff opener at home. Jackson accounted for about 500 yards in that game against Tennessee, but he also turned the ball over three times.
This season, Jackson set career highs in several passing categories, but in some ways his stats aren’t as eye-popping as they were when he won his first MVP in 2019. However, the Ravens have been a complete team. and Jackson has led them to quite a bit of success without having to carry them.
Now, three years shy of turning 30, Jackson has both the ability and experience to accomplish something special in the coming month.
“In my six years, I’ve just seen a lot,” Jackson said. “I would say that’s where I’ve grown the most.”