3 NFL quarterbacks that should be benched in Week 18

1. Ravens should bench Lamar Jackson to celebrate MVP coronation

The Baltimore Ravens stomped the Miami Dolphins, 56-19, on Sunday. It was a resounding statement from the AFC's No. 1 seed. John Harbaugh's squad has clinched the top seed in next month's playoffs, and it's hard to locate another contender on Baltimore's level in the AFC. Miami doesn't have the defense. The Chiefs, strangely enough, don't have the offense. The Browns are cool, but is Joe Flacco really going to the Super Bowl in his age-38 season? Probably not.

Sunday was also Lamar Jackson's unofficial MVP coronation. Jackson leapfrogged Brock Purdy and Dak Prescott in the odds after the Ravens' Week 16 victory over San Francisco. Week 17 served as the finishing touch. Jackson completed 18-of-21 passes for 321 yards and five touchdowns. He scrambled for another 35 yards. You will struggle to find a better QB performance this season, and Jackson did it against arguably the Ravens' biggest postseason threat.

He essentially has the MVP award locked up. There's still a case to be made for Purdy or Prescott. If we want to get a little more adventurous — and dare I say, we should — Christian McCaffrey or Tyreek Hill are viable candidates. But, in the end, the award will go to Jackson. The second of his career, and well-deserved. It hasn't been a perfect campaign, but Jackson has guided the NFL's best team while clowning every franchise that refused to even engage with the idea of paying him max money in the offseason. The Falcons are probably going to start Desmond Ridder next week, lest we forget.

Baltimore has won the NFC North and clinched the No. 1 seed. Next week is a time for celebration and reflection — as well as preservation. There's no reason to let Jackson out there against a feisty, potentially desperate Steelers defense with nothing to gain. Baltimore should let Tyler Huntley finish out the season and let Jackson rest up for the playoffs.