Fansided

Ravens loss may hurt Lamar Jackson and John Harbaugh for years

By Matt Verderame

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - JANUARY 11: Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens reacts during the first half against the Tennessee Titans in the AFC Divisional Playoff game at M&T Bank Stadium on January 11, 2020 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - JANUARY 11: Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens reacts during the first half against the Tennessee Titans in the AFC Divisional Playoff game at M&T Bank Stadium on January 11, 2020 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /
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The Baltimore Ravens saw everything line up this year. Somehow, their 14-2 season rings hollow after losing to the Tennessee Titans.

Work harder. Nobody cares.

These the four words typically adorning Lamar Jackson’s postgame press conference shirts this season.

Play better. Nobody cares.

The four words most pundits and opposing fans will say about Jackson and his Baltimore Ravens following a shocking 28-12 spanking from the Tennessee Titans on Saturday night.

Jackson and the Ravens entered the evening on a 12-game winning streak. Analytical models had them among the greatest teams ever. Jackson is a sure bet to win NFL MVP and no fewer than a dozen Ravens were invited to the Pro Bowl. In the AFC Wild Card round, the New England Patriots, three-time defending conference champs, lost. The Kansas City Chiefs may lose on Sunday to the Houston Texans, but even with a win, were headed to Baltimore.

It’s rare everything lines up. Everything did for the Ravens. And they blew it.

The notion their contention window is wide open both rings true and yet tell lies. No team in the NFL has a massive title window. Not the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes. Not the San Francisco 49ers and Jimmy Garoppolo. Nobody. Injuries are commonplace, the rules are set up for parity and so forth. This isn’t the NBA where dynasties are a regular occurrence.

Baltimore had its golden opportunity and lost. Last year, it was the Chiefs sealing their first trip to the Super Bowl in 49 years with a Charvarius Ward interception. It was called back on Dee Ford’s penalty, and Kansas City lost. Perhaps the Chiefs become a dynasty. Perhaps Mahomes and head coach Andy Reid never see a Super Bowl.

The Ravens had a wondrous shot to win it all. Now they start from scratch with key free agents to re-sign and teams spending all offseason going to school on how to stop Jackson. Earl Thomas, Jimmy Smith and Brandon Carr are a year older. Matthew Judon is about to be expensive. So on and so forth.

None of this is to suggest Baltimore is finished. Anybody saying such a thing is foolish. The Ravens are in great position, but to believe they’ll certainly be back in this position many times against is equally foolish. Ask Dan Marino. Ask Dan Fouts, the man sitting in the press box watching Jackson commit three costly turnovers.

This long will sting for weeks if not months in Charm City. The Ravens drew the sixth-seed and a quarterback yet to throw for 200 yards combined this postseason. They would have been welcoming in Kansas City or Houston next week. They would have been favorites.

Now they’re left to wonder what happened. They’re left to work harder, hoping it’ll give them another shot at glory.

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