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Throwing three touchdowns and posing a rating of 115.4 against one of the NFL’s best defenses wasn’t good enough for Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, who is still angry about his performance during the 34-17 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 16.
Jackson spoke with reporters after the game at M&T Bank Stadium on Saturday, December 21. He was frank in admitting, “I feel like I could’ve played better. That interception, it really got me mad.”
Those words aren’t just mildly surprising, they rate as a shock after what Jackson did to a tough and resourceful Steelers defense. He’s playing the best football of his career and taking his game up a level each week, but Jackson’s quest for perfection won’t allow for even a single mistake.
Lamar Jackson’s Quest for Perfection Undone by Single Error
The isolated gaffe that still has Jackson annoyed was a critical pick thrown to Steelers All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick in the fourth quarter. Pittsburgh trailed by just seven points at the time.
As Jackson pointed out, “we don’t turn the ball over, almost any game, we win the game.” Jackson had put the chances of another victory in jeopardy, but his blushes were spared by cornerback Marlon Humphrey’s 37-yard interception return for a touchdown two plays later.
Baltimore’s QB1 was more than grateful, saying “shout out to Marlo and the defense, ’cause those guys played lights out all game. Definitely.”
The defense was big in the clutch, but it was Jackson’s arm talent that truly undid the Steelers. He was helped by a few factors, including Derrick Henry rushing for 162 yards, another prolific output for a Ravens skill player who, like Jackson, has rarely been satisfied by his performances this season.
Jackson also received excellent pass protection and he took full advantage of clean pockets, according to Pro Football Focus.
Lamar Jackson from a clean pocket in the first half
🐦⬛ 9/12
🐦⬛ 90 yards
🐦⬛ 2 TDs
Numbers like these prove Jackson’s solved his biggest problem against the Steelers. He’s striving for perfection during a season when the two-time league MVP could win a third award, but what he really wants is a maiden Super Bowl title.
That’s the motivation pushing Jackson to never be satisfied. It’s also why the Ravens were able to finally get one over on the Steelers, who had won eight of the last nine meetings between the two AFC North rivals.
Ravens Ended Steelers Jinx
It took a team effort to finally overcome the Steelers, but the Ravens produced one when they simply had to have it against an opponent determined to thwart their title ambitions. The Steelers couldn’t do it because they couldn’t stop Henry on early downs, nor pressure Jackson in obvious passing situations.
Those failings meant the Ravens were always able to put together a drive and earn points when they needed them. One of the better examples was a six-minute march from their own eight-yard line that ended with a 23-yard field goal by Justin Tucker.
Those three points put the game beyond the reach of the Steelers, who faced a deficit of three scores with a mere three minutes and 10 seconds remaining. The drive was a reflection of how the Jackson-led offense controlled the game.
Jackson and Henry continuing to reset standards higher each week not only can move the Ravens ahead of the Steelers. It can also lift the Ravens above the final hurdle toward claiming that elusive Lombardi Trophy.
