Dave Portnoy's Lamar Jackson rant proves how clueless the criticism has become

After the Baltimore Ravens’ encouraging win over the Green Bay Packers on Saturday night, they find themselves right back in the thick of the playoff race. The Pittsburgh Steelers lost their Week 17 matchup, paving the way for a winner-takes-all showdown between the two AFC North foes in Week 18.

The Ravens’ offense looked really strong in Green Bay. While the defense struggled, the offense exploded for 41 points and 414 total yards, including 307 on the ground. While the leading factor in that dominance was running back Derrick Henry, it got many people talking about Huntley’s success in Offensive Coordinator Todd Monken’s offense this year.

Week 17 was the first time since Week 8 that Baltimore scored 30 or more points. Ironically enough, that was the last time Huntley made a start, where two-time MVP Lamar Jackson sat due to a hamstring injury. Of course, this got a lot of speculation going about where the Ravens could go at quarterback against Pittsburgh.

Head Coach John Harbaugh shut all that down on Monday in his press conference.

Huntley’s success and the recent discourse around Jackson’s future in Charm City also got some people talking about whether Jackson’s time with the Ravens should be up, and if they should look to move him.

Dave Portnoy keeps confusing the fire around Lamar Jackson situation burning

Founder of Barstool Sports, Dave Portnoy, had a rant regarding Jackson’s situation on Wake Up Barstool on Monday that was both outrageous and factually incorrect.

“I’ve never been the biggest Lamar guy; he’s won one playoff game in his career,” Portnoy said. “Quarterback’s the most important piece of any team, but at what point are you like maybe this isn’t the guy you win with. I don’t think it would be the craziest thing to make a move if the return was right.”

Portnoy didn’t stop there:

“The style of quarterback that he is has tended to bog down in the playoffs, and he’s not a pure passer…How many years can you let this guy go without winning a playoff game, where you’re like maybe it’s time to move on?”

First off, Jackson has three playoff wins, which still isn’t a lot, but he has started to break through that wall with a win in each of the last two postseasons. The playoff criticism has followed Jackson throughout his entire career, but he has started to play far better in the big moments.

Also, you could make the case that the 28-year-old has developed into a pure passer. The threat to run remains a part of his game, but he has been one of the best passers over the past several seasons. He completed nearly 67% of his attempts in 2023 and 2024, and in that 2024 season, he threw 41 touchdowns and just four interceptions.

While his ability to use his legs has faded this year, that has largely been due to injuries. Before getting injured in Week 4, he was still dynamic on the ground, accumulating a strong166 rushing yards in those first four games. Those numbers aren’t your prime scrambling Jackson numbers, but it’s because he doesn’t have to be that guy anymore. He is an elite passer.

Jackson is simply too good to lose. You don’t trade a two-time MVP quarterback that is still among the top-five signal callers in the NFL. If he had a stronger offensive line and wasn’t enduring hit after hit that had led to injury after injury, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.

Before taking that knee to the back in Week 16, Jackson finally looked healthy again. In Week 15, he led an efficient offense, throwing for 150 yards and two touchdowns on just 12 passing attempts. He also had 26 yards on the ground on two attempts. In Week 16,  he went 7-for-10 through the air for 101 yards and had Baltimore poised to take over the game before leaving with a back contusion.

Obviously, the injuries are a concern, but given the horrendous offensive line, it shouldn’t come as a shock to see Jackson get banged up. He is a once-in-a-lifetime quarterback, and General Manager Eric DeCosta shouldn’t even contemplate trading him.