Each year, Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens enter the season as Super Bowl favorites. But by the time they reach the playoffs, John Harbaugh’s team somehow forgets how to play. This was again the case in Sunday’s Divisional Round, where the Bills built a 21-10 lead against Baltimore in the first half alone. Jackson did his best in the second half, but it wasn’t enough — a reality that left Cowboys star Micah Parsons both disappointed and feeling for the quarterback.
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Hours after the Bills narrowly edged out the Ravens 27-25, Parsons turned to “X” to express his frustration. Like countless Ravens fans and NFL enthusiasts, Parsons was disheartened to see Lamar‘s playoff run end so soon — one round earlier than last year.
“Damn bruh, I hate that for Lamar!!” wrote the Cowboys pass rusher. “Def made some mistakes early, but damn, he played good enough to win in the second half!!”
Dammm bruh I hate that for Lamar!! Def made some mistakes early but damm he played good enough to win in the second half!!
— Micah Parsons (@MicahhParsons11) January 20, 2025
While we can’t say for certain if Jackson did enough to secure the win, what we do know is that he did enough to tie the game — only for Mark Andrews to fumble the ball after a big gain in the fourth quarter, with the score at 19-24.
The fumble occurred in the Bills’ 45-yard territory, within range for a field goal, and possibly even a touchdown that could have changed the outcome of the game. This is the same argument most netizens made under Micah’s post.
Good enough to tie…
Maybe wouldn’t have been in that position if LJ didn’t have two turnovers.
— BitMonk (@BitMonk5060) January 20, 2025
Josh Allen fans, meanwhile, wondered when somebody on the internet would finally be happy for their QB. They argued that as tough as it is for Jackson fans to digest the loss, the Ravens star wasn’t consistent throughout the matchup. His one successful two-point conversion out of the two failed attempts (in the second half) could have tied the game. But the QB missed both.
Allen, on the other hand, had a stellar outing as he capitalized on the turnovers with 2 rushing TDs, 20 rushing yards, and 127 passing yards. It was a thorough performance by the Bills QB, while Lamar mainly used the second half to make up for his two first-half fumbles.
Everyone hates it for Lamar, but is anybody happy for Josh Allen?
— Cash Money Goulah (@CashMoneyGoulah) January 20, 2025
Can’t play only good for one half and beat Allen
— Bub (@buffalobub1234) January 20, 2025
There were also a few who sided with Micah. In their eyes, Lamar outplayed his counterpart and deserved to go to the AFC Championship.
Don’t want to hear any more criticism that Lamar can’t get it done in the Playoffs. He played good enough to win tonight
— MrRef2u (@ref2u) January 20, 2025
Just like life, nothing is handed to you in football. Everything has to be earned. And even with hard work, things at times don’t go in the players’ favor. But this was not the case with Lamar Jackson.
While Mark Andrews will be the scapegoat until the Ravens get ousted in the playoffs again next year, pretending Lamar had a pitch-perfect game is quite wrong. The Ravens star was simply not at his best. Even he admitted in the post-game conference how his fumbles and the overall turnovers cost the Ravens the game.
“Turnovers play a factor… Penalties play a factor. Tonight the turnovers. Can’t have that (expletive). That’s why we lost the game.”
In reality, the team that got its game plan right played to its strengths, executed the fundamentals perfectly, and won. From failing to run the ball to making too many errors, it just wasn’t Lamar & Co.’s day.
