John Harbaugh betting on Lamar Jackson to get team to the playoffs

John Harbaugh has announced that the starting quarterback against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be Lamar Jackson:

John Harbaugh told the media today that Lamar Jackson would be the starting quarterback against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He could have let this decision stay up in the air, mess with the Buccaneers and keep us all in debate mode, but Harbaugh made this important announcement today.

Harbaugh is very much in a must win situation. The Ravens head coach has been here for 11 years and his seat has never been warmer than it got this season. The Ravens sit at 7-6 and have a shot to win the AFC North and sit in good position for a wild card spot.

Today, we also learned through his press conference that Flacco is healthy. Instead of going back to his quarterback that he’s had his entire tenure, Harbaugh is going with Jackson.

It’s hard to deny that Jackson changed everything for the Ravens. The Ravens were going through a three game losing streak but Jackson won three games in a row. Jackson couldn’t lift the Ravens past the Chiefs, but the loss in overtime didn’t erase the fact that it was an amazing game.

There is much debate whether Jackson is what’s best for the team, but the head coach seems pretty confident in his decision. This may go down in Ravens’ history as the biggest choice that Harbaugh ever made. One way or another, this will define the Ravens season. The Ravens can’t stumble in the final three weeks of the season.

The decision to go with Jackson is a decision to stick with what feels like a surge of momentum. That momentum has completely changed the Ravens outlook for the postseason. When Jackson recorded his first start, the Ravens were looking like another 8-8 team destined to come up short. Following each week, the Ravens have noticeably gained confidence. They didn’t leave Kansas City sulking, they left wanting another shot at the Chiefs in the playoffs.

Jackson is a hard quarterback to evaluate because he does it in such a different way than Flacco. The only thing the Ravens have known since 2008 is Flacco under center. Now the Ravens have a quarterback who is more comfortable making plays with his legs than his arm.

Now the Ravens have a quarterback who will put up 200-300 yards but a large chunk of that will be as a runner. One thing is for sure, the Ravens have been a more energized team and they have certainly been more entertaining in Jackson’s 3-1 stretch as a starting quarterback.

Whatever Ravens fans think of this news, they want the same thing. They want a win and a playoff spot. Let’s see how it turns out.