With speed and endurance, defender Lamar Jackson, the Baltimore Ravens defender, demanded revenge in the post-season and silenced those who doubted he could win when it mattered most.
In Ravens’ wild card triumph in Tennessee, Jackson won the first game of his playoff career and offered rewards for last year’s upset losses to the Titans.
The current NFL MVP changed the game with a 48-yard touchdown fight at the end of the second quarter, the second longest post-season touchdown led by a defender and returned from an early interception. to record the highest return in his career. Jackson collected the Ravens from a 10-0 deficit after being 0-6 in his career, when he followed with two figures.
“It feels great,” Jackson told ESPN’s Lisa Salters. “I’m glad I made it.”
The Ravens must now wait for Sunday night’s game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cleveland Browns to see where they head for the AFC divisional round. If the Steelers win, Baltimore plays the Kansas City Chiefs, the defending champions of the Super Bowl. If the Browns win, the Ravens will visit the No. 2 Buffalo Bills.
Jackson’s failures in the postseason were the major story that entered this game. He was 0-2 in the playoffs after an upset 28-12 loss to the Titans last year, when Baltimore was the AFC’s top seed and a 10-point favorite.
Then, Jackson and Ravens fell behind 10-0 in the first quarter, after a weak throw from the field led to an interception, setting up a titanium goal. Unlike last season – when early mistakes prevailed – Jackson came back going 16-of-21 for 178 meters the rest of the way.
“We stayed focused. We weren’t shaken. My coaches weren’t shaken,” Jackson told Salters. “I threw a stupid – I’m sorry – stupid interception. But we kept fighting and we succeeded.”
With 136 rushing yards, Jackson became the second Super Bowl defender to total 100 rushing yards and a hurried touchdown in a playoff game, joining Colin Kaepernick.
Jackson produced one of the most memorable beginnings of a career in the NFL. He was the youngest defender to win the NFL MVP last season. He became the fastest defender to win 30 games in NFL history when he won a playoff spot at the end of the season (game 37).
Now he finally has a victory in the postseason.