Lamar Jackson is undeniably one of the best Quarterbacks in the NFL currently. His accolades and performances each year are incredible but it all goes for a toss when you don’t have a trophy to show for. Fans have rightly been disappointed with the Ravens and Lamar for this and thus NFL analyst Joe Fortenbaugh feels that the QB’s constant failures on the big stage have made fans give up on him and his team.
Advertisement
In the latest edition of ESPN’s First Take, Fortenbaugh compared the Ravens with the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers and said that fans have now made peace with the fact that Lamar & Co. aren’t winning a Super Bowl anytime soon. The analyst noted that the Ravens and Lamar Jackson have been on every pundit’s list as the Super Bowl favourites for the last six years. But every season, the QB has failed to take his team ahead of the finish line in the knockout games.
Fortenbaugh gave the most recent example of the Ravens vs Chiefs knockout match where the former entered as the favorites. But as the game progressed, Lamar and the offense were completely absent and Mahomes led his team to an eventual Super Bowl. The analyst argued that after six years of failures, people now know that the Ravens and Lamar choke when it matters and it’s futile to expect much from Baltimore.
“People understand after six seasons that this is who he is and this is who they are.”
While Joe went on a rant, the panellists were shell-shocked at the boldness of the statement. But as the mask of uncomfortableness fades, the statement gains more veracity in thinking.
Lamar Jackson And The Ravens Have Some Self-Reflection To Do
Since 2018, the Baltimore Ravens have won the AFC North Division titles thrice – 2018, 2019, and 2023. But the problem comes when it falls apart where it really matters. The economic dynamic and riches of NFL teams are such that money isn’t a matter at all for most teams.
Championships and playoff appearance money doesn’t matter. Nor does the money from winning the Super Bowl. What matters today is the silverware, the legacy attached to the Lombardi trophy, and the potential to increase sponsorship and exposure with the win. While this might come across as a capitalistic view, it also is the truth.
The Ravens and Lamar have been set up to win for the past six seasons. While they do fulfil their potential by almost always making postseason appearances, their ability to disappear when it matters the most is disappointing. Their last Super Bowl victory came in 2012 with a team that has no remnants in the current team. Thus it’s on Lamar & Co. to live up to their predecessors’ accomplishments.
There surely is no empirical evidence to Joe’s claims, the comments from Ravens fans to the clip prove that they believe it. But does this mean the Ravens would never win the Super Bowl? Absolutely not. As the famous adage goes, luck is being ready when the opportunity comes. For Ravens fans, it’s better to see the failures with this view.
Baltimore’s consistent run in the regular season shows that they are a well-oiled machinery. Now with less pressure and maybe a hint of the right opportunity coming their way, it wouldn’t be surprising to see this being finally their silverware draught ending season. Safe to say, an exciting season lies ahead of us.
