Let’s be fair, it took a full-team effort to lift the Baltimore Ravens over the Tennessee Titans in the wild-card playoffs, but it’s awfully hard to slight the lifeblood of this team, quarterback Lamar Jackson. With his first playoff win under his belt, Jackson is deserving of our Player of the Game award this week.
While it took the Ravens much of the first half to get into a rhythm offensively (you could even argue that they never truly found their stride), Jackson’s ability to conjure big plays out of the cold Nashville air ultimately turned the tide in this game. Though the Titans managed to keep Baltimore’s elite rushing attack in relative check through the afternoon, Jackson still found room to run, leading the charge with 136 yards on the ground and what was probably the most electric touchdown in these playoffs so far. His odds-defying 48-yard scoring scramble late in the second quarter reiterated just how lethal the young quarterback can be when plays break down and reveal even the slimmest open field.
Aside from an early interception, Jackson also remained relatively efficient through the air. He finished completing 17-of-24 (70.8%) passes for 179 passing yards, no touchdowns, and an interception. And even with those modest passing numbers, it still felt like the Ravens threw the ball more than they needed to at times.
Either way, Jackson finally has a planet-sized weight off his shoulders. He’s officially earned his first playoff victory, which hopefully vaults him into even more success and hopefully — as promised — a Super Bowl.
Among the other Ravens we considered for this honor were wide receiver Marquise Brown, outside linebacker Pernell McPhee, and really anyone on Baltimore’s defensive line who helped limit Titan’s running back Derrick Henry to an abysmal 40 rushing yards on 18 attempts. Brown had a top performance of his own, much to the delight of coaches and fans alike, finishing the day with over 100 yards receiving and a pair of solid rushing attempts. The Ravens will need more of that from him if they plan on continuing their playoff run.
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