I remember when the In-N-Out craze was all the rage on the app known as Twitter. Everyone on the West Coast was promoting this place like it was a five-star fine dining restaurant served on a tray you use to eat like an animal in your car. And then more and more people tried In-N-Out and said “Actually, it’s pretty mediocre, I don’t see the hype.”
Well, that’s what I think about the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens – and their quarterback – have become the NFL’s overrated burger chain that has lost its luster.
Now, I know everyone is raising their metaphorical pitchforks and aiming them at me because I dared to name Lamar Jackson in vain, so let me make a few things clear: Lamar Jackson is an incredibly talented football player. A great football player. He is not a great thrower of the football, nor is he clutch. The Ravens also lost a ton This might be their best chance to reach a Super Bowl in the near future, after which they will be chipping away at their game piecemeal this offseason.
So today, let’s talk about the Ravens; who they lost, what they’re missing, and why their fascination with Lamar Jackson has grown a little too much.
The Lost Pieces of the Baltimore Ravens
While everyone puts the Buffalo Bills under the microscope for the players they lost, it amazes me that almost no one brought up the incredible losses the Ravens had in the offseason. Star linebacker Patrick Queen signed with the division-rival Pittsburgh Steelers. Safety Geno Stone also stayed in the division by signing with the Cincinnati Bengals. In addition, the Ravens lost Kevin Zeitler and John Simpson and can never count on Ronnie Stanley staying healthy. Other notable losses include pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney, cornerback Ronald Darby, running back Gus Edwards and receiver Odell Beckham Jr.
The biggest loss, however, is defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald leaving to become the head coach of the Seattle Seahawks. The Ravens lost the mastermind behind their incredible defense from a year ago, as well as several stars and role players on that side of the ball, which will certainly lead to a decline in Baltimore’s defensive capabilities.
Offensively, who scares you on that roster other than Zay Flowers as a receiver? Rashod Bateman? Respectfully, no. Mark Andrews is fantastic, but we saw injuries start to take a toll on him a year ago, causing him to miss seven games. And even with Flowers, he’s not among the top 20 receivers in the league. He might not even be among the top 32 receivers in the league and the Ravens don’t have a No. 2 to prove he can complement them.
Now, let’s talk about Mr. Jackson.
Drawbacks of Lamar Jackson
I can sense a disturbance in the Force, which means a very large number of people in Maryland are rushing to type “two-time MVP.” And sure, good for him. The MVP he won in 2019 was fully deserved. The one he won last season? (Insert Tony Romo’s voice) I don’t know, Jim.
Jackson put up pedestrian numbers. His 24 touchdown passes were fewer than Baker Mayfield and Russell Wilson, and he threw for fewer yards than Derek Carr and Sam Howell. And I know box scores don’t tell the whole story, but his advanced stats were also just… meh.
Among all quarterbacks who play at least 200 snaps in 2023, Jackson ranked 11th in adjusted EPA per play, 10th in CPOE, and 11th in big-time throws. Jackson wasn’t bad by any means, but he wasn’t MVP-level great either.
And with Lamar, we have to discuss his lack of big wins. He is 2-4 in the playoffs in his career, and 0-4 when his opponent scores more than 13 points in the postseason. To date, his biggest win is a divisional round playoff game against a rookie quarterback who had a viable receiver on the field and was playing his first playoff game. His second-biggest win was against Ryan Tannehill and the Titans, who beat Baltimore last year in the playoffs.
In his two biggest games — against the Bills in the 2020-21 divisional round and against the Chiefs in the 2023-24 AFC Championship Game, Lamar threw two of the worst interceptions you’ll ever see. Trailing 10-3 with a chance to tie the game, he threw a pick to the Bills’ Taron Johnson in the end zone and it was returned 101 yards for a touchdown. The Bills won and advanced to the AFC Championship Game. And against Kansas City last January, with a chance to make it a one-score game with less than seven minutes to play, Jackson threw a pass into triple coverage in the end zone that Deon Bush intercepted. And if he didn’t catch it, several other Chiefs running backs would have had a chance to do so. In both playoff games combined, Jackson went 34-of-61 for 434 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions and a passer rating of 68.5. Additionally, according to ESPN, Jackson leads all quarterbacks in turnovers in the fourth quarter and overtime in one-possession games over the last three seasons.
There’s no denying that Jackson is a great talent – he definitely is. But we can also admit that he’s overrated and not on the same level as Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, or Joe Burrow.