Looks Like Lamar Jackson And The Ravens Won Christmas Yet AGAIN
Tim Warner. Getty Images.BANG.
Two Christmases in a row where Lamar Jackson and the Ravens flex their muscles in front of a national TV audience and stake a claim to an MVP trophy.
Between the Steelers getting bullied for the 2nd time in 5 days to the Ravens dominating a division winner, today was a dream result for Baltimore. They got out of the gates slow this season and played below their potential, leaving them looking up at the Steelers up until this point. What we've just watched is cream rising. By every metric the Ravens are the superior team in the AFC North and one of the best in the entire league. Finally they've taken control of their destiny and simply need a win against the lowly Cleveland Browns at home next week to win the AFC North.
As for the game tonight… buddy. That was a shitpumping if I ever saw one. Birds came out of the gate ramming it right down the Texans throat with a healthy dose of Derrick Henry. It is Tractorcito szn in a big way. Seemingly every time he took the ball the first 2 drives, he was shot out of a cannon up the middle and got an extra 5 yards after first contact. The 10-0 lead is one they wouldn't look back on.
The safety was weird (and one where it feels like benefit of the doubt on forward progress is usually given, but by letter of the law it was probably a safety) … but safeties are just part of the Christmas formula for the Ravens these days. Last year it was Lamar avoiding a sack and running smack into a ref that had no business being there that resulted in a safety. Sprinkle in a Kyle Hamilton INT and it was basically the same dominant win they had last year against the 49ers.
Lamar was special tonight, despite only throwing 15 times. He got unleashed in the run game, picking up 87 on only 4 carries too.
He made a bundle of highlight plays, most of which only he could pull off. I'll just dump em here.
That last touchdown run is the type of play that keeps defensive coordinators up at night and why he is 1 of 1.
Fear alone of that play is why he's the most valuable player in football. The Ravens have feasted off defenses playing to contain that run at the expense of defending so many other things Lamar and the offense does on a weekly basis. Most weeks he throws the ball all over the yard. This wasn't necessarily one of those days, but you saw the result when the Ravens had their way on the ground. They dominated possession and the clock and the Texas got blown the fuck out - much like so many teams did in 2019. Teams seemed to choose this type of poison back then… and so so many of them got blown out.
Teams have gotten wiser… they're still losing to Lamar and the Ravens regularly with him dicing them up through the air… but it's good to put another game on tape reminding opponents that they are truly helpless against #8 and this offense.
And oh yeah… he became the all-time rushing yards leader by a QB tonight.
On the MVP race… man… I get it that Josh Allen has had a special season and his is one that warrants an MVP award in most years - including last year and debatably Lamar's 2019 MVP.
But Lamar is playing bar none the best year of football in his career and one of the best seasons of football that's ever been played. I think it's crazy to be declarative and say this race is over for one side or the other, but the stats lean Lamar's way and winning the division next week should (in my opinion) tilt the scales in his favor. Of course, voter fatigue and a weak narrative of "he's doing more with less!" with JA17 has won over public opinion over the last month, but it'll be fascinating to see where things shake out next month.
All in all… the Ravens are finally right where they should have been all along - alone on top of the AFC North and positioning themselves to go on a playoff run. I like our chances on the road against Buffalo and/or KC in the playoffs… but first things first.
Smoke Cleveland and go get a t-shirt.
Merry Christmas bitches. Go Vens.