Unfortunately, the year ended when the Ravens lost 17-10 to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship, a game that continues to stay with Jackson roughly a year later.

“The only one I do think about is the AFC Championship. That’s probably the only playoff game I do think about. It was right there. But I’m focused now, though. It is what it is, at this point.”

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With 10:35 left in the fourth quarter, the Ravens began a drive at their 1-yard line. Jackson led Baltimore 74 yards on the next 12 plays. However, with 6:54 remaining in the game, Jackson threw a ball into the end zone intended for Zay Flowers. Jackson had a clean pocket around him yet delivered the ball into triple coverage and was intercepted by Chiefs defensive back Deon Bush for a touchback.

The Ravens got the ball back with five minutes left in the game and scored a field goal on their next drive. Unfortunately, that was their final possession, as the Chiefs held on to win the game and eventually win Super Bowl LVIII against the San Francisco 49ers.

Ravens QB Lamar Jackson during AFC Championship introductions

© Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

In hindsight, Jackson forced this pass, and the blame fell squarely on his shoulders. What the box score doesn’t lay out, though, is the war of attrition. This game was a defensive battle.

The Ravens scored a touchdown on their second drive but did nothing with the ball for the entire second and third quarters. With an offense predicated on ball control, Baltimore only had a time of possession of 22:30.

On the drive before the interception, the Ravens drove the ball to the Chiefs’ 9-yard line before Flowers fumbled it, which Kansas City recovered.

Jackson likely wanted Flowers to redeem himself and bit off more than he could chew with that costly interception.

Baltimore hosts the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC wild-card round on January 11.