Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry were unstoppable as the Baltimore Ravens beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 28-14 in their Wild Card Round game at M&T Bank Stadium on Saturday. The Steelers defense had no answer as Jackson racked up 171 passing yards, while Henry rushed for 186 yards. And the icing: they had two touchdowns each. Reflecting on the Ravens’ win, Shannon Sharpe lauded Lamar’s MVP-level performance while expressing concerns about the team’s pass coverage.
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Sharpe also explored the possibility of an AFC Divisional Round rematch against the Texans, depending on other playoff outcomes, while speaking on the Nightcap podcast with co-host Chad Johnson.
“I am still a bit concerned about their pass coverage on the back end, Ocho. Because the teams that could potentially face… If Buffalo [Bills] wins tomorrow, we’re gonna get a rematch. Buffalo, Houston [Texans], and Kansas City [Chiefs] are all teams to watch. But, Ocho, Ravens, Lamar Jackson, I believe he is going to win the MVP. You believe he’s gonna win the MVP. He showed tonight that he should be the MVP,” Sharpe said.
Sharpe remained confident that Jackson has locked up the MVP. However, if Josh Allen has a standout game against the Denver Broncos, that will spark a debate among fans and analysts at the most, felt Shannon, reiterating that Lamar’s case for the award is hard to deny.
“If Josh Allen has one of those games he had against the Rams—three touchdowns—or one of those where he rushes for four, it might spark debate. But Lamar Jackson looked extremely well tonight. He ran the ball very well,” Shannon added.
Sharpe then asked Johnson to present the factors that led to the Ravens’ victory. Johnson pointed to a lack of creativity in the Steelers’ play-calling, which hurt their chances.
“For the Ravens, they dominated from the start. I said it before the game: in order for Pittsburgh to have a chance, you’ve gotta counter Lamar Jackson, you’ve gotta counter Derrick Henry, and the production they bring. Arthur Smith had to call a different type of game to keep them in it, and that didn’t happen,” Johnson explained.
The Wild Card Round win reiterated the Ravens’ position as a genuine contender for the Super Bowl this season.
The ongoing struggles for the Steelers were also highlighted in the game. Analysts have noted a troubling pattern in Pittsburgh’s playoff performances — they’ve consistently allowed 20-plus points in the first half. Their defense has faltered when things matter the most.
