Lamar Jackson Posts Hilarious IG Photo of Himself After Ravens' Loss to Eagles
Dec 3, 2024
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - DECEMBER 01: Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens warms up prior to a game against the Philadelphia Eagles at M&T Bank Stadium on December 01, 2024 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)
Lamar Jackson is apparently going through it after the Baltimore Ravens' loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.
The star quarterback posted a hilariously altered photo of himself on Instagram that shows him looking stressed out and seemingly exhausted. It's unclear what exactly he means by the post—that's up for the fans to decide.
The Ravens lost to the Eagles 24-19 despite a strong performance from Jackson, who had 237 passing yards and two touchdowns along with 79 yards on the ground on eight carries. The 2023 MVP is having another MVP-caliber season with 3,290 passing yards and 29 passing touchdowns, both of which are the second-best marks in the league. He's added 678 rushing yards and three touchdowns on the ground.
While Jackson seems to be stressed about the loss, the Ravens are still in the playoff mix at 8-5 and should have no trouble securing a spot in the postseason with a relatively manageable schedule coming up. Baltimore will face the New York Giants in two weeks after its bye week.
John Harbaugh Gives Cryptic Answer About Diontae Johnson's Future with Ravens
Dec 2, 2024
INGLEWOOD, CA - NOVEMBER 25: Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Diontae Johnson (18) leaves the football field after the NFL game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Los Angeles Chargers on November 25, 2024, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA. (Photo by Jordon Kelly/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh offered a fairly vague answer Monday while discussing why Diontae Johnson didn't see the field against the Philadelphia Eagles during Sunday's 24-19 loss.
"At this time, I'm going to have to wait just to clarify it," he told reporters. "There's some moving parts there that we're going to have to figure out and explore and just see where we're at. I know that's not the answer you want, but that's the best I can do in fairness to everybody right now."
The Ravens traded a fifth-round pick to the Carolina Panthers for Johnson and a sixth-round selection on Oct. 29, but in four games with the Ravens, he's managed just one catch for six yards. He's so far down the pecking order that he didn't even see action on Sunday after starter Rashod Bateman left the game in the third quarter with a knee injury.
Ravens snap counts in loss to Eagles: Diontae Johnson doesn’t get on field on a day where Wallace and Agholor play 40 snaps each. Oweh plays just 15 snaps while Tavius Robinson nearly goes the distance. Board outsnaps Simpson. pic.twitter.com/FePJKsjXkM
In the past three games, he's played a grand total of 17 snaps and has been targeted just three times with no catches, leaving his future in Baltimore up in the air as the team heads into its bye.
"We'll just work it out [and] see where we're at over the next few days this week," Harbaugh said when asked if Johnson would remain with the Ravens.
The Ravens have a number of mouths to feed, with quarterback Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry proving a major threat in the run game and Zay Flowers, Bateman, Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely headlining the passing game.
Johnson has clearly not been able to break through, even ceding snaps to the inconsistent Nelson Agholor, and Harbaugh's comments on Monday made it seem as though a release could be an option, potentially one even requested by Johnson behind closed doors.
Despite that fact, Lamar Jackson has said he wants the veteran receiver to stick around.
"We want him out there," Jackson said. "He's a great receiver. We didn't get him from the Panthers for nothing."
Maybe not, but it doesn't feel like Johnson has a future in Baltimore.
Ravens Won't Replace Justin Tucker Despite Missed FGs, PAT vs. Eagles, Harbaugh Says
Dec 2, 2024
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - DECEMBER 01: Justin Tucker #9 of the Baltimore Ravens reacts during the third quarter after missing his third kick of the night against the Philadelphia Eagles at M&T Bank Stadium on December 01, 2024 in Baltimore, Maryland. Philadelphia defeated Baltimore 24-19. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)
Justin Tucker will remain at the top of the Baltimore Ravens depth chart.
Despite Tucker's struggles during the Ravens' 24-19 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, head coach John Harbaugh confirmed that he isn't considering a change at kicker.
"If you're asking me are we going to move on from Justin Tucker, I'm not really planning on doing that right now," Harbaugh told reporters after the game. "I don't think that would be wise. He'll be the first to tell you he needs to make as many kicks as he can."
John Harbaugh said there are no plans to move on from kicker Justin Tucker, who has struggled with two missed FGs and an extra point Sunday pic.twitter.com/9YASmb0gEi
Tucker missed two of his four field-goal attempts as well as an extra point during the defeat.
Both of his misses occurred after halftime, failing to hit from 47 yards away with just over eight minutes remaining in the third quarter and missing a 53-yarder before the end of the third.
Tucker's issues were present at an especially poor time, with the Ravens trailing by just two points on both occasions. Harbaugh was seen consoling the seven-time Pro Bowl kicker after his second miss.
It's been a rough season for Tucker, who has the most made field goals among all active players.
He entered Sunday's contest with a 73.9 field-goal percentage during the 2024 season. His previous career-low for a season was 82.5 percent.
Tucker has especially struggled with long-range kicking over the past two seasons, which continued against Philadelphia. Since the start of the 2023 season, he's connected on just four of his 12 attempts from at least 50 yards.
The Ravens have been able to remain successful despite their special teams woes, sitting at 8-5 through 13 games in 2024. Tucker may still be searching for answers, but Harbaugh isn't considering benching his All-Pro kicker.
Derrick Henry Responds to Khalil Mack's Comments on Ravens RB: 'We Won'
Nov 27, 2024
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORINA - NOVEMBER 25: Derrick Henry #22 of the Baltimore Ravens runs during an NFL Football game against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium on November 25, 2024 in Inglewood, Califorina. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)
Baltimore Ravens star running back Derrick Henry wasn't moved by Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Khalil Mack's comments about him following Monday night's game.
When asked about Mack saying, "I don't think it's hard to play against that guy," Henry simply told reporters, "We won."
If Henry wasn't hard to play against, it sure didn't look that way in Monday night's game. The 30-year-old rushed for 140 yards on 24 carries to help lead the Ravens to a 30-23 win that ended the Chargers' four-game win streak. While he didn't score a touchdown, he registered his fourth-highest rushing total of the season and averaged 5.8 yards per carry.
While Henry wasn't able to find the end zone, Baltimore's rushing attack didn't face many problems. Star quarterback Lamar Jackson scored the team's first touchdown on a 10-yard run. Backup running back Justice Hill scampered for a 51-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. In total, the Ravens racked up 212 yards on the ground.
Mack finished with four tackles in the loss, which dropped the Chargers' record to 7-4. Monday's game marked the first time that Los Angeles allowed an opponent to score 30 points this season.
Both the Chargers and the Ravens are hoping to contend for the chance to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl, so there's a chance that Mack gets his wish of the two teams meeting again later this year. The 33-year-old and the rest of the Los Angeles defense would need to be much better about stopping the run if it faces Baltimore in the postseason.
Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Khalil Mack said it wasn't "hard" facing four-time Pro Bowl running back Derrick Henry during Monday's 30-23 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
"That's the thing, man. I don't think it's hard to play against that guy, and hopefully we see this team again," Mack said on Monday, per NFL Network's Bridget Condon. "That's all."
Mack continued, per ESPN's Kris Rhim: "It's not hard for me to play against that guy. I love playing against the greats and this was no different."
When a reporter clarified if it was "challenging" to face Henry, Mack answered, "Absolutely."
"When I say hard, I mean in a sense of playing against him," Mack said, per BaltimoreRavens.com's Matt Ryan. "If I'm on the field, I know, if he comes to my side, I got him."
Henry recorded 24 carries for a game-high 140 rushing yards in the Ravens win, while Mack made four tackles.
Henry gave the Chargers' defense credit when speaking to reporters after the Ravens victory.
"I still think they are a solid defense from top to bottom," Henry said, according to the team's official transcript. "They did a great job today. We were the better team, but still respect to those guys; They play hard, they play physical and I think they'll still be in the playoff picture. They're a good team."
When asked if he could tell when he was wearing down defenses, Henry answered, "I don't think I pay attention to the wear down part. I just can tell when we're in a rhythm... Like I said, this is a great defense, so the offensive line and everybody blocking did a great job for us to have success in the run game."
The Chargers allowed a season-high 212 rushing yards against during the loss. That's nothing new for the Ravens, who have now surpassed 200 yards on the ground in four games this season.
The Chargers and Ravens could potentially meet again this season, but the reunion would have to take place during the AFC Championship game.
Both the Chargers, who trail the Kansas City Chiefs for the AFC West lead, and Ravens, who are behind the Pittsburgh Steelers for the top of the AFC North, are currently set to enter the playoff picture as Wild Card teams. Should both teams make it past the divisional round, Mack could get the rematch with Henry he's looking for.
Derrick Henry Told Andrews 'I'm Going to Push the S--t Out of You' on 4th-Down Play
Nov 26, 2024
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 25: Derrick Henry #22 of the Baltimore Ravens runs with the ball against the Los Angeles Chargers during the fourth quarter in the game at SoFi Stadium on November 25, 2024 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry made sure that Mark Andrews knew he was going to do everything in his power to help his teammate convert a fourth-and-1 play from their own 16-yard line late in the first half of Monday's 30-23 win over the Los Angeles Chargers.
Henry told reporters after the game he approached Andrews before the sneak play and told him "I'm going to push the s--t out of you" to ensure they would get the yard they needed.
It wasn't initially clear that the Ravens were going for it on fourth down. They lined up with the clock running down to the two-minute warning, hoping to draw the Chargers offside.
The two-minute warning allowed Ravens head coach John Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Todd Monken time to come up with a play they felt confident would pick up the yard.
Andrews lined up under center with Henry and Patrick Ricard directly behind him for the push. The play was well defended by the Chargers, to the point that it could have easily been stopped if the additional 547 combined pounds of Henry (247 pounds) and Ricard (300 pounds) weren't there to provide a boost.
The play proved to be crucial because the Ravens would end the drive with a score on Lamar Jackson's 40-yard touchdown pass to Rashod Bateman that gave them a 14-10 lead.
Per ESPN Stats and Info (h/t ESPN's Jamison Hensley), the Ravens are the first team to convert a fourth down that deep in their own territory in the first half of a game since 2012.
If the play had backfired, the Chargers would have had a very short field to potentially take a 17-7 lead before halftime. The Chargers were able to get a field goal on their final possession before the intermission, but the Ravens still held a 14-13 lead.
Bateman's touchdown came amid a streak of five consecutive scoring drives for the Ravens. Their 30 points were the most allowed by the Chargers in a game this season.
When Henry wasn't using his strength to shove Andrews forward, he was barreling through the Chargers defense. He ran for 140 yards on 24 carries, bringing his season total to 1,325 rushing yards in 12 games.
The win allowed the Ravens to keep pace with the Pittsburgh Steelers (8-3) in the race for the top spot in the AFC North. The Ravens remain one game behind the Steelers in the loss column.
Baltimore plays another marquee game in Week 13 when it hosts the Philadelphia Eagles at M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET.
Lamar Jackson, Ravens Impress NFL Fans in Win vs. Herbert, Chargers in Harbaugh Bowl
Nov 26, 2024
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - SEPTEMBER 15: Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens and head coach John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens share a moment prior to an NFL football game against the Las Vegas Raiders at M&T Bank Stadium on September 15, 2024 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)
Lamar Jackson and John Harbaugh emerged victorious on Monday night in the Harbaugh Bowl.
Jackson, John and the Ravens impressed fans with a decisive win over Justin Herbert, Jim Harbaugh and the Chargers, defeating them 30-23 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
A great win for the team and a big victory for the older Harbaugh brother.
Baltimore improved to 8-4 on the season, while Los Angeles dropped to 7-4. The victory pushed Baltimore half a game ahead of the Chargers in the playoff race, claiming the No. 1 Wild Card spot from them.
The Ravens dominated the second half, out-scoring the Chargers 16-10 after holding just a one point lead at halftime.
Jackson completed 16-of-20 passes for 177 yards, adding three touchdowns, including a 10-yard rushing score. Running back Derrick Henry added 24 carries for 140 yards.
Henry was surpassed by Saquon Barkley in total rushing yards last nigh with 1,392, as Barkley set an Eagles single-game record with 255 rushing yards against the Los Angeles Rams.
After tonight's game, the Ravens' running back sits in second place with 1,362 total rushing yards.
On the other side of the ball, Herbert completed 21-of-36 passes for 218 yards, with one rushing touchdown.
The Ravens and Jackson earned fans' approval on Monday night as they sit narrowly in second place in the AFC North, trailing the 8-3 Pittsburgh Steelers.
John Harbaugh remains undefeated over his brother Jim. Lamar Jackson has another memorable Monday Night. And the Ravens (8-4) move to within a half-game of the Steelers (8-3) for first place in the AFC North.
If there is any dramatic improvement from Lamar Jackson this year compared to previous years it's sack avoidance. He's been damn near impossible to sack this season.
On Sunday, the Ravens will aim for the No. 1 spot in the AFC North as they host the 9-2 Philadelphia Eagles and Barkley.
Fantasy News: Ravens' Diontae Johnson Might Be 'Insurance Policy' amid Low Usage
Nov 20, 2024
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - NOVEMBER 7: Diontae Johnson #18 of the Baltimore Ravens completes a catch prior to an NFL Football game against the Cincinnati Bengals at M&T Bank Stadium on November 07, 2024 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)
Fantasy football managers who were expecting to see veteran wide receiver Diontae Johnson take a leap after being acquired by the Baltimore Ravens have been left disappointed, and it sounds like his role isn't changing anytime soon.
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler explained that Johnson's slow start with the Ravens after being traded from the Carolina Panthers indicates that he "might just be a veteran insurance policy in case something happens to top wideout Zay Flowers."
After Baltimore offensive coordinator Todd Monken acknowledged last week that the team has struggled to get Johnson involved in the offense, Fowler determined that the team saw Johnson as "too good a player to pass up at the price Carolina was asking" and he "offered them a chance to use more three-receiver sets than they usually do, should they want to go that route."
In three games with the Ravens, Johnson has just one catch for six yards on four targets. Still, Fowler pointed out that he could end up playing a major role for Baltimore later this year as the team chases a spot in the Super Bowl, which doesn't do much for fantasy football managers.
"Remember, the [Los Angeles] Rams added Odell Beckham Jr. as an extraneous-looking player the season they won the Super Bowl, and he ended up playing a larger role than anticipated once Robert Woods sustained a season-ending injury," Fowler noted. "It's not the news Johnson fantasy managers want to hear, but this might be a case of a team just deciding you can never have too many playmakers."
Lamar Jackson Says Ravens 'Can't Be Beating Ourselves' After Narrow Loss to Steelers
Nov 17, 2024
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - NOVEMBER 17: Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens scrambles in the first quarter of a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
The Pittsburgh Steelers handed the Baltimore Ravens their fourth loss of the season on Sunday, a game in which self-inflicted wounds were the story for the Ravens.
Baltimore turned the ball over three times—an interception from quarterback Lamar Jackson and fumbles from Derrick Henry and Isaiah Likely—and had 12 penalties. After the loss, Jackson said mistakes like those that came on Sunday have become a theme this year.
"Absolutely. It's been that way ever since last year I believe," Jackson said in his postgame press conference, via Pro Football Talk's Josh Alper. "Going back to the AFC Championship Game, we killed ourselves. Chiefs game — the opener — killed ourselves. Raiders, we killed ourselves, and today same thing. We can't be beating ourselves in these type of games. We gotta find a way to fix that."
Coming into Sunday's game, the Ravens had fumbled the ball just four times and had just two interceptions on the season, the second-lowest mark in the league. Baltimore set the tone for its unfortunate game early as Henry fumbled on the second play and the Steelers capitalized with a field goal.
Likely's fumble came late in the second quarter and allowed Pittsburgh to take the lead on a field goal in the final seconds of the first half. The Steelers had another made field goal after Jackson's interception.
Turnovers weren't the only issue for Baltimore, though. Veteran kicker Justin Tucker made just one of his three field goal attempts which cost the Ravens six points off misses. Had he made the 47-yarder and the 50-yarder, the outcome of the game could have been much different.
Jackson, who has dominated the rest of the AFC North his entire career, now has a 1-4 record against Pittsburgh. He hasn't beaten the Steelers since 2019 and has thrown more interceptions than touchdowns in his matchups against Pittsburgh, adding to his pick total on Sunday.
The win also put the Steelers in the driver's seat in the AFC North, though there is still plenty of time for Baltimore to retake the lead in the division.
The two teams will face off again in December, where Jackson will look to finally find success against the Ravens' rival.
Lamar Jackson Disappoints NFL Fans, Hurts MVP Case as Wilson, Steelers Beat Ravens
Nov 17, 2024
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - NOVEMBER 17: Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens scrambles in the first quarter of a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
Lamar Jackson has struggled in his career against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He didn't change that narrative on Sunday.
The Baltimore Ravens' quarterback threw for just 207 yards, one touchdown and an interception in his team's 18-16 loss against Pittsburgh in a crucial AFC North showdown. It was not exactly an MVP-level performance.
He led the Ravens to a late touchdown drive with just over a minute remaining, but the Ravens failed to convert the two-point conversion and the Steelers killed the clock from there, securing the win.
The loss moved the Ravens to 7-4 on the season, while the Steelers now hold a commanding lead in the division with an 8-2 mark.
Jackson—who also rushed for 46 yards—wasn't alone in his struggles. Derrick Henry was bottled up for much of the game (65 rushing yards, one touchdown) and lost a fumble. Isaiah Likely lost a fumble as well. Justin Tucker missed a pair of crucial field goals in the first half. And the Ravens struggled with discipline and were penalized 12 times for 80 yards.
But Jackson's struggles against the Steelers were a storyline coming into the game, and the reaction on social media after the contest further amplified that talking point. His teammates and Baltimore's coaches weren't safe from criticism either:
As long as he’s not playing the Chiefs (dynasty of his era), the Steelers (his team’s hated rival), or in the playoffs, Lamar is as good as any QB ever.
Unfortunately, in those spots (4-12 record, 75 rating, more turnovers than TDs) he’s simply bad.
The song remains the same. The @steelers have won 8 of the last 9 meetings against the @Ravens Lamar falls to 1-4 all time against Pittsburgh and his numbers against the Steelers D continue to be the worst against any team in his career
Jackson is now 1-4 in his career against the Steelers, with five touchdowns and eight interceptions in those games. He's lost four straight starts against them and has been sacked 22 times in those contests.
And while it seems like a small amount of total games against a divisional opponents, he's missed six contests against the Steelers because of either injury, illness or twice due to late-season rest after the Ravens clinched the top overall seed in the AFC.
Jackson has been brilliant both this season and in his career. But the Steelers remain his bogeyman, and the MVP conversation just got a lot more interesting in the process.
