After another tough NFL postseason loss, the Baltimore Ravens remain confident that it’s only a matter of time before quarterback Lamar Jackson leads them to a Super Bowl victory.
“It’s inevitable,” said Pro Bowl fullback Patrick Ricard on Monday. “He’s going to win a Super Bowl, and I want to be a part of it. It just sucks that it hasn’t happened yet.”
Jackson, the only two-time NFL MVP who has yet to win a Super Bowl, saw his postseason record fall to 3-5 after Sunday, the Ravens’ 27-25 loss to the Buffalo Bills. The game marked another disappointing season-ending where Jackson had an impressive statistical performance but couldn’t get his team past the divisional round.
Jackson struggled early on Sunday, throwing an interception in the first quarter and losing a fumble in the second. However, after halftime, he nearly engineered a dramatic comeback. He connected with tight end Isaiah Likely on a 24-yard touchdown pass, cutting the Ravens’ deficit to 27-25 with just over a minute left in the game. On the ensuing 2-point conversion attempt, Jackson’s pass to Mark Andrews was dropped, sealing the loss for Baltimore.
Ricard, who has played alongside Jackson for years, expressed deep sympathy for his quarterback’s continued playoff misfortune.
“I personally feel bad for him because he deserves it just because of how great of a player he is,” Ricard said. “He deserves to be considered one of the best quarterbacks. He already is, but I know everyone considers championships as the standard, and he’ll get it one day.”
The comparison between Jackson and Peyton Manning, who faced similar postseason struggles early in his career, isn’t lost on Ricard. Manning, who won multiple MVPs before claiming two Super Bowl titles, faced criticism in his first seven seasons but ultimately succeeded on the biggest stage.
“There’s still time,” Ricard said. “He’s still young. He’s definitely going to [get] one at some point.”
Jackson, at 28, could make history by becoming the youngest player to win the MVP three times when the award is announced at the NFL Honors on Feb. 6. This season, Jackson threw for 41 touchdowns and just four interceptions, marking the first time in NFL history a player had more than 40 touchdown passes and fewer than five interceptions in a season.
Despite his individual success, Jackson has yet to win consecutive playoff games during his career, and since entering the league in 2018, his 11 playoff turnovers are the most in the NFL over that span.
Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers also acknowledged Jackson’s frustration, emphasizing that the team knows the only thing standing in their way of success is their own mistakes.
“Oh, he’s mad. He’s mad for sure,” Flowers said. “We know our team. We know what we’re supposed to do and we know the only way that we can’t do what we want to is what we did yesterday. So I already know how he’s feeling.”
As Lamar Jackson continues his quest for a championship, the Baltimore Ravens are optimistic that his eventual breakthrough is imminent—despite the setbacks.
