Lamar Jackson has established himself as one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL since entering the league as a first-round pick in 2018. However, he is only at his best when it comes to the regular season and has folded like a cheap suit in the postseason. Not once, but six times.
While ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith doesn’t entirely blame Jackson for the Baltimore Ravens’ lack of playoff success, he named two major roadblocks that have kept him away from a Super Bowl appearance and could continue to keep him away.
Stephen A. Smith Names Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen As Key Roadblocks For Lamar Jackson
Appearing on ESPN’s NFL coverage, Smith discussed the Ravens’ chances of winning the AFC Championship in 2025. He named Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes and Buffalo Bills’ QB Josh Allen as two major roadblocks for Jackson to reach the Super Bowl, stressing that he and the Ravens need to be more than just a regular-season team.
“In the end, they have a superstar at the quarterback position in Lamar Jackson, who has to get it done, period!” Smith said. “He has not one but two roadblocks standing in his way in the immediate mind when it comes to Patrick Mahomes and when it comes to Josh Allen. So he’s got some obstacles standing in his way… They got to stop being more than just a regular season team.”
Smith isn’t wrong either. Jackson and the Ravens have repeatedly fallen to the Bills and Chiefs in the playoffs, including last season in the Divisional playoffs against the former. While Jackson threw for 254 yards and two touchdowns, Baltimore came two points short in the end.
Earlier in 2023-24, Jackson made his first AFC Championship game appearance, and it was against the Chiefs and Mahomes. The Ravens came up short yet again and lost 10-17, with Jackson throwing for 272 yards and a touchdown.
In 2020, Jackson was again the victim of the Bills and had his worst playoff performance. The Ravens only scored three points in that game, and Jackson threw a game-changing, 101-yard pick-six in the second half.
Overall, in the playoffs, Jackson has played in eight games and has gone 3-5. He’s completed 60.6% of his passes for 1,753 yards, 10 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He also has 94 carries for 641 yards and three touchdowns on the ground.
However, during the regular season, Jackson is 70-24 all-time as a starting quarterback. He’s completed 64.9% of his passes for 20,059 yards, 166 touchdowns, and 49 interceptions. He’s also added 1,014 carries for 6,173 yards and 33 touchdowns as a runner.
As is clear, Jackson has been a fantastic player in the regular season with his two MVP awards, three-time first-team All-Pro nods, a QB+ grade of 99.8 (best in the league in 2024-25), and four Pro Bowl appearances. However, he has yet to deliver in a big way for the Ravens in the playoffs, and with each passing year, the pressure is mounting on him.