Baltimore Ravens vs. Titans: Grading Lamar Jackson in first playoff win

Lamar Jackson got his first playoff win against the Tennessee Titans. What’s a fair grade for his performance though:

The Baltimore Ravens beat the Tennessee Titans 20-13 and got Lamar Jackson his first postseason victory. Jackson finished the day 17-24 passing for 179 yards. He also had 136 yards on the ground on 16 attempts. Put it all together and it was a vintage day for Action Jackson. While he had an awful interception he put up a total of 314 yards.

Jackson and the offense got off to a slow start. In doing so, the Ravens got some proving things out of the way. Jackson in particular showed that he could come from behind. Doing it in the playoffs was a big moment for Jackson. He got his first win in the postseason, avoiding another offseason where playoff disappointment rules all discussion of his play.

Let’s get to the grade book now.

Special stuff:

Jackson’s touchdown run was off the charts. It was a moment that you’ll remember forever. Long after Jackson’s career is over, this run will still be one of the most defining plays of his career. Jackson dropped back to pass, trying to prevent another stalled drive. Jackson saw what only he could see on the play.

There isn’t another quarterback in the NFL who would have seen a rushing lane for a touchdown. The beautiful thing about this play is that I am convinced Jackson knew it was six points when he took off. That is special.

Not Forcing it:

Jackson took what the defense gave him in this game. He connected with Marquise Brown seven times for 109 yards. He got four passes to Mark Andrews. Jackson had to make the offense happen. He attacked the Titans the way that only he could. If Jackson didn’t create so many things with his running ability, this would have been a much different game.

The Bad:

Jackson threw an inaccurate pass in the first quarter that was intercepted. His footwork and accuracy as a passer were problematic at times. This is where it made Baltimore pay for it. On the play in question, his foot was pointed too far out and it carried inward, instead of outside to Boykin. This is the kind of thing Jackson has to keep working on. Jackson had a very frustrating two-minute drill before the end of the first half. That’s normally his wheelhouse but it was brutal to watch in this game.

Final notes:

The Baltimore Ravens leaned heavily on their quarterback. If you compare the box score to other quarterbacks it may not seem like he had such a stellar day. In actuality, he put the offense on his shoulders.

It wasn’t mistake-free or unblemished play. Jackson stepped up and made the plays that put the Ravens over the top. This is just a notch under a full A.