2. Lamar Jackson’s 1st start:
No matter what you think about it, his start against the Cincinnati Bengals was the start of the Lamar Jackson era. There was an electricity about the day. The Ravens beat the Bengals 26-24 in what was an impressive debut for the rookie quarterback. He made more of an impact as a runner, getting 119 yards of production on the ground. However he was an efficient 13-19 for 150 yard passing. Jackson was far from flawless, yet he showed how dynamic of a play-maker he could be. Jackson’s first win as a starter came against a team that has had the Ravens number for a while.
1. Beating the Chargers in week 16:
The playoff game didn’t go so well, but the Ravens first meeting with the Chargers was a triumphant one. The Ravens faced a must win week 16 game on a short week and a west coast trip. The Ravens were underdogs and the Chargers were the hottest team in the National Football League. John Harbaugh and company were facing a top 10 offense and a top 10 defense.
The Ravens won the battle 22-10. On the first play from scrimmage, Brandon Carr picked off Phillip Rivers. Gus Edwards caught fire early with a big run to set up an opening field goal. Woes in scoring position kept the Chargers in the game, however the defense was dominant. Phillip Rivers was held to 181 yards passing. Every time the Ravens needed a big stop, the number one defense stepped up. The biggest highlight of this game was Mark Andrews catching a pass from Jackson and taking it 68 yards for the touchdown.
These were the top moments from a great season of Ravens football. It got off to a fast start, saw a stumbling middle portion of the season and ended with a 6-1 stretch. Baltimore may have been one and done in the playoffs, but they were the only team in the AFC North with a playoff game. In September, if I told you that this season would give the Ravens a division title, you’d be pretty excited. Baltimore should be excited for the next season. We’ll keep you covered all offseason long.