The Baltimore Ravens once again fell short in their quest for a Super Bowl, losing 27-25 to the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Divisional Round on Sunday night.
Despite making the playoffs six times in the last seven seasons with Lamar Jackson at the helm, Baltimore’s postseason heartbreak continued in a game defined by turnovers and missed opportunities.
“It’s the same thing every year,” Jackson said after the game. “I’m tired of this sh*t.”
The Ravens’ struggles centered on protecting the football.
Jackson threw a critical interception and fumbled during a sack, setting up a Bills touchdown.
Tight end Mark Andrews compounded the issues with a late-game fumble that led to a Buffalo field goal and then dropped a potential game-tying two-point conversion.
Head coach John Harbaugh, who has led the Ravens to the playoffs 14 times since taking over in 2008, was quick to defend his players.
“We’re not going to point fingers,” Harbaugh said. “We win as a team, and we lose as a team. Mark [Andrews] has made plays for us all season, and Lamar’s carried us on his back. We’ll get better.”
While Baltimore wrestled with familiar woes, Buffalo is poised for its own redemption.
Led by quarterback Josh Allen, who has played at an MVP-level all season, the Bills are eager to erase the sting of previous playoff disappointments.
“This is what we’ve worked for,” Allen said. “We know what it takes to get past Kansas City, and we’ll be ready next week.”
The loss marked a missed opportunity for the Ravens, who haven’t reached the Super Bowl since the 2012 season when Joe Flacco led them to a championship.
Despite Jackson’s regular-season dominance, including two MVP awards, Baltimore has struggled mightily in the postseason.
The team is now 3-6 in playoff games with Jackson as the starter.
Jackson, who just turned 28 – the same age Flacco was during his Super Bowl-winning run – remains optimistic. However, the frustration of failing in the postseason is clearly starting to build.
Turnovers continue to be a major flaw for Jackson in the playoffs.
With Allen, Patrick Mahomes, and Joe Burrow all about to enter their primes, some fans are wondering if Jackson will ever be able to reach a Super Bowl, let alone win one.
To his credit, Jackson took full accountability after the game and made it clear that he has full confidence in the team going forward.
“I have to get over this, because we’re right there,” Jackson said. “I’m tired of being right there, we need to punch it in. We need to punch in that ticket. We have to get right in the offseason.”
Much like Jackson, Allen is facing supreme pressure to get over the hump himself.
The next task for he and the Bills will be a tough one as they will head to Kansas City to take on the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs.
As for Jackson, what is your take on all of the criticism he is facing for yet another playoff failure???
