The Baltimore Ravens were expected to make a run at Super Bowl LIV but were stunned by the Tennessee Titans in the divisional round. People assigned blame to certain players or on the extended rest the team got ahead of their playoff game, but according to Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, it was because they overlooked the Titans.
“Take it one game at a time, not peeking ahead,” Jackson said on Complex’s “Load Management” podcast when asked about how he was going to get better this season. “That’s what happened in the playoffs, and we ended up losing to the team people had us favored over. But it’s any given Sunday, you can’t underestimate any team or any opponent.”
That answer really shouldn’t shock too many people given how the game played out. Tennessee was fresh off a close win over the New England Patriots but was figured to be the lesser team when compared to Baltimore, who came into the postseason as hot as anyone in the NFL. With the AFC Championship Game up the following week, it makes some sense that the Ravens were looking ahead and underestimated the Titans.
While overlooking Tennessee was clearly a big factor in Baltimore’s loss, the injury to running back Mark Ingram didn’t help either. In spite of resting for several weeks leading up to the game, the Ravens were a little banged up in the worst spots. When combined with not matching the intensity of the Titans, Baltimore got behind early and just couldn’t recover.
As Jackson continues to develop and mature as both a passer and as a leader, these are the experiences that will make him a better player. Jackson and the Ravens learned a big one that day: “Don’t underestimate your opponents.”
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