OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Eight months in the past in a 17-10 loss within the AFC Championship Sport, Lamar Jackson was so infuriated after throwing a fourth-quarter interception ultimately zone that the Baltimore Ravens quarterback ripped off his helmet and slammed it to the bottom whereas strolling to the sideline.
The reigning NFL Most Useful Participant has constructed a fame for irritating defenses along with his elusiveness and unpredictability. But, on the subject of his clashes with Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs, Jackson has normally been the one left annoyed.
Heading into Thursday evening’s rematch with the Chiefs (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC), Jackson cannot even the rating by beating the two-time defending Tremendous Bowl champions. However a victory within the season opener for Jackson may begin to change the narrative that Mahomes has change into his roadblock.
Jackson is 1-4 in opposition to Mahomes, which is tied for the fifth most lopsided rivalry between MVP award-winning quarterbacks who’ve performed one another a minimum of 5 instances.
“I am not simply going to take a look at this sport prefer it’s a revenge sport,” Jackson mentioned. “Anyone we have performed, regardless of if we have beat them or misplaced to them in earlier years, I simply need to win.”
The success of Mahomes and Jackson has led some to assume this may very well be the subsequent Brady-Manning rivalry. At this stage, Mahomes vs. Jackson has been extra uneven than epic.
Jackson’s 4 losses in opposition to Kansas Metropolis are his most in opposition to any workforce. Apart from Mahomes, no quarterback has overwhelmed Jackson greater than twice.
“I am certain [that] any time you lose in opposition to anybody, there’s going to be further motivation,” Ravens center linebacker Roquan Smith mentioned. “I’ve all my religion in Lamar. He is the chief of this workforce, and [we know] that he’ll lead us precisely the place we need to go, on the finish of the day, and all we are able to do is proceed to assist him.”
Jackson has been probably the most profitable quarterbacks within the NFL, surpassing Mahomes in February to change into the youngest two-time MVP (age 27) for the reason that merger. As a dual-threat playmaker, Jackson has led the Ravens to one of the best regular-season report within the league twice in his first six seasons (14-2 in 2019, 13-4 in 2023).
When competing in opposition to different prime quarterbacks, Jackson has normally come out on prime. He received each of his conferences in opposition to Tom Brady. He is overwhelmed Joe Burrow 4 out of 5 instances.
However he is struggled to outduel Mahomes. Jackson’s first loss as a starter was a 27-24 defeat in Kansas Metropolis in Week 14 of the 2018 season, when he was knocked out of the sport in extra time with an ankle damage. In 2020, after Jackson’s third straight loss to the Chiefs, he referred to as them “our kryptonite.”
In January, Jackson was stopped one sport wanting reaching his first Tremendous Bowl when the Chiefs held him to 10 factors or much less for simply the fourth time in his 83-game profession.
“At any time when anyone loses to anyone — it would not matter who it’s — you form of need to get again at that particular person and need to show [that], ‘We will beat them, too,'” Ravens security Kyle Hamilton mentioned. “I feel Lamar has the identical mindset that I’ve [and] that everyone within the constructing has — we’re attempting to go in there on Thursday and get a win.”
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN Mahomes and Jackson may be measured by the smallest of margins.
Mahomes set the tone within the AFC Championship Sport within the first quarter: He accomplished an unbelievable back-shoulder 19-yard landing move to tight finish Travis Kelce, who had a half-yard separation on Hamilton, for the primary rating of the sport.
“No person does it like Patrick Mahomes does it by way of the fashion of it,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh mentioned. “He’s his personal man by way of the way in which he performs. How fast the ball comes out on those on the get-it-outs and the way lengthy he’ll take — so long as crucial — to attempt to discover a completion.”
TRAVIS KELCE BACK-SHOULDER TD 😱
(by way of @chiefs)pic.twitter.com/gdF4ix8pX8
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 28, 2024
Thursday can be marketed as a historic evening of famous person quarterbacks. This can mark the primary showdown between gamers with a number of MVP awards underneath the age of 30.
Towards Kansas Metropolis, Jackson has stumbled to create performs in opposition to a protection that unleashes heavy blitzes and takes away his prime goal in tight finish Mark Andrews. He has recorded 5 passing touchdowns and three interceptions for a 53 QBR in opposition to the Chiefs.
Mahomes, in the meantime, makes use of his accuracy to search out cracks in Baltimore’s protection. There have been completely positioned lengthy throws to the tip zone and off-balance exact passes in opposition to the grain. Mahomes has thrown 13 touchdowns and two interceptions for a 86.2 QBR in opposition to the Ravens, who in 2023 turned the primary workforce in historical past to guide the league in fewest factors allowed (16.5), most sacks (60) and most takeaways (tied for first at 31) in the identical season.
“He is a fantastic quarterback,” Jackson mentioned. “I’ll say that. He is a fantastic quarterback. He has the accolades to show it, and he is made issues occur on the sector that makes his workforce profitable.”
To alter his fortune in opposition to Mahomes, Jackson can look to a different historic rivalry.
“They’re positively two of the highest quarterbacks on this league,” Ravens fullback Pat Ricard mentioned. “It is form of a Brady-Manning kind of deal.”
Peyton Manning misplaced his first six head-to-head conferences in opposition to Brady earlier than profitable the subsequent three. He defeated Brady twice in 2006 — in Week 9 and the AFC Championship Sport — on his technique to his first Tremendous Bowl. Brady completed with a 11-6 report in opposition to Manning, however Manning received six of the final 11 matchups.
“I feel greater than athletic capability and talent to throw is the way in which he competes,” Mahomes mentioned about Jackson. “I imply, he is a man that competes each single week. You’ll be able to inform he cares. You’ll be able to inform he desires to go on the market and win and he desires to place it on his shoulders to take his workforce to the place they’ll win as many video games as attainable. And I feel that is one thing that is actually what it actually takes to be a fantastic quarterback on this league.
“It isn’t at all times about expertise. It is about are you able to go on the market and compete each single week and discover methods to, each time you do not have your greatest stuff, your workforce would not have your greatest stuff, you discover methods to win soccer video games that method.”
IN THE AFC Championship Sport, Jackson dazzled the soccer world by finishing a 13-yard move — to himself. After his throw was tipped on the line of scrimmage, Jackson ran underneath it and had a path to the tip zone.
It was a second that led Jackson to profitable an ESPY for “Finest Play.” However Jackson did not just like the play.
He was tackled from behind by Chiefs linebacker Drue Tranquill, turning what may have been an 82-yard landing right into a modest achieve. It precipitated Jackson to drop 15 kilos this offseason.
“My eyes could also be deceiving me, however I consider I appeared a bit slower to me,” Jackson mentioned, “however not now.”
LAMAR JACKSON DID IT ALL ON THIS PLAY 🔥 @Lj_era8 wins the ESPYS Finest Play along with his outstanding second vs. the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs 🙌 pic.twitter.com/kMNdosrCej
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) July 12, 2024
Since changing into the Ravens’ starter halfway via the 2018 season, Jackson is tied with Mahomes for one of the best win share within the common season. Jackson is 58-19 (.753), and Mahomes is 64-21 (.753).
The distinction comes within the postseason. Mahomes is 15-3 within the playoffs, profitable three Tremendous Bowls. Jackson is 2-4 within the postseason and has by no means reached a Tremendous Bowl.
“We now have to enter each sport attempting to make the playoffs,” Jackson mentioned. “Playoffs are on our thoughts, however on the identical time, we now have to win this sport that is forward of us.”
The Ravens have undergone change for the reason that AFC Championship Sport. Jackson will line up behind a revamped offensive line, which options three new starters. Baltimore signed operating again Derrick Henry, changing into the primary All-Professional to share the backfield with Jackson.
However, if Jackson desires to succeed in his final aim of profitable a Tremendous Bowl, he’ll possible want to determine a technique to get via Mahomes and the Chiefs.
“He is at all times discovering a technique to elevate himself and his sport,” Andrews mentioned. “It is only a full package deal of taking management of this offense [and] telling everyone what he desires to be performed. He is been extraordinarily vocal about that, which I feel has been superb for everyone, and that goes again to all of us being on the identical web page. He is bought that down actually, rather well proper now, and guys are purchased in. So, we will be examined [Thursday], and I hope it exhibits.”
ESPN reporter Adam Teicher contributed to this report.
