Ravens Champion Lamar Jackson is Held Accountable by Shannon Sharpe.
Shannon Sharpe hasn’t held back when criticizing the elite quarterbacks in the NFL today—even those who play for his old employers aren’t above reproach. This offseason, depressing talking points are expected to trail Lamar Jackson. The starting quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens will have plenty of time to polish his second league MVP trophy, but many will question if he can win the Vince Lombardi Trophy after a lackluster performance in the AFC title game against the eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.
Count Sharpe among them, as the Hall of Fame tight end-turned-media personality feels Jackson should take more of the blame for the Ravens’ postseason failures. “This is Lamar’s second MVP win. However, when do we begin to hold him responsible and declare that to be below par? Chad Johnson was questioned by Sharpe regarding their online series “Nightcap.” “You had the best defense, you had the best rushing attack, you had the best set of receivers that you’ve had since you’ve been in Baltimore.”
In contrast to Patrick Mahomes, the recently restored MVP of the championship, Sharpe, one of the Ravens’ original champions from the 2000–01 team that won Super Bowl XXXV, implied that Jackson was not capable of “big game hunting.” In their postseason matchup with the champion Chiefs, the Baltimore defense held Mahomes in relative check (241 yards and a score), but Jackson was unable to muster much offensive momentum in a 17-10 loss.
When the Ravens essentially gave up on their run game and only allowed Gus Edwards and Justice Hill to have three carries apiece, their difficulties were even more apparent. Although Jackson has solidified his position as one of the NFL’s best passers, at least a year remains until atonement. Jackson’s absence from the conference championship game prompted awkward inquiries about his postseason ability—or lack thereof. Jackson has the second-worst passer rating (among the 14 quarterbacks who have played in at least five playoff games) since entering the NFL in 2018.
