Lamar Jackon’s struggles in the playoffs and against the Pittsburgh Steelers are arguably the only knocks on what’s already a stellar resume for the Baltimore Ravens quarterback.
The Ravens star got to exorcise both demons in a dominant 28-14 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Wild Card round on Saturday at M&T Bank Stadium. Jackson tallied 236 total yards and two touchdowns in the win.
Even with the long list of accomplishments and jaw-dropping plays the two-time MVP has made, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh is still left in awe with both Jackson’s ability as a football player and who he is as a human being.
“I continue to be amazed with is just who he is as a person,” Harbaugh said. “I mean, of course, the plays he makes and how tough he is. I mean, just, you can’t get over about how tough he is – how physically tough he is [and] how mentally tough he is. I mean, he’s in there running the ball, [and] he’s getting hit, and he’s taking shots, and he gets back up, and then he steps up, and makes a play, runs around and throws a touchdown pass.”
Jackson completed 16 of 21 passes for 175 yards and two touchdowns without his top target, Zay Flowers, who was out with a knee injury. The Ravens quarterback was also his typically dynamic self on the ground, running for 81 yards.
Jackson wasn’t the only player to shred the Steelers’ normally stout run defense. Running back Derrick Henry ran the ball 26 times for 186 yards and two touchdowns, including a pivotal 44-yard run into the end zone that extended Baltimore’s lead back to 21 points in the third quarter.
As a team, Baltimore out-gain Pittsburgh on the ground 299 yards to 29. Harbaugh noted his team’s performance running the ball against the Steelers was one that came out of his father Jack Harbaugh’s playbook and made him proud.
“Jack Harbaugh’s proud right now,” the Ravens coach said. “He likes to pound the rock, and that’s what we did. I mean, Derrick Henry was running hard – hard [and] physical. Lamar [Jackson] started it off. I mean, Lamar carried the ball different times in the first drive or two.”
