Since entering the league in 2018, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has been under a microscope. He brought a different style of play to the position as a lethal dual-threat quarterback, and the league has quickly caught onto the trend. However, while he has proved himself as an elite passer over the last few seasons, he still faces criticism each year. Much of that criticism falls within his lack of playoff success.
It is no secret Jackson has had his fair share of playoff struggles. He cannot shake the turnover bug that bites him every postseason. While recent years have seen him showcase winning play, the team fell short again in the 2024 Divisional Round against the Buffalo Bills. In 2025, it is time for Jackson and the Ravens to get past the AFC and reach the Super Bowl finally.
ESPN analyst Kimberly A. Martin critiqued Jackson on this troubling area and offered an honest review of what Baltimore’s season would be if they failed to reach the Super Bowl.
“The conversation would be that Lamar’s season is a failure, and he should see it that way. I hate that word, but every single year the Ravens find themselves in this position,” Martin said. “If they continue not to finish, it would be a failure because they literally have the best roster. They should win it, and each year they figure out a way how to lose.”
2025 is Super Bowl or bust for Lamar Jackson and the Ravens
While the criticism is brutal, it is the truth. Baltimore needs a Super Bowl appearance and should be hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in February, and the time for that is now. There are no more excuses. Every year, they find a way to shoot themselves in the foot, but now each of their stars has the necessary playoff experience. Their nerves should be gone by the time playoff football rolls around this year, and the expectations at the very least should be an AFC Championship win.
The AFC is tough. The conference is far deeper than the NFC, and the gauntlet of superstar quarterbacks the Ravens will have to run through is insane. Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, and Joe Burrow are all top-five quarterbacks leading some of the NFL’s most elite offenses, and it will be a battle to conquer each of them. However, they have shown the capability to do so in the regular season; they just need it to translate into postseason success.
Jackson’s numbers in the playoff atmosphere are not pretty. He has an alarmingly high turnover rate and makes questionable decisions at times. His teammates' play has also been inconsistent.
In the 2024 AFC Championship game, wide receiver Zay Flowers fumbled at the goal line to cap off an ugly offensive performance. In the 2025 Divisional game with the Bills, tight end Mark Andrews fumbled on a drive with points written all over it and dropped the game-tying two-point conversion try. In both games, Jackson also had moments of cracking under pressure. This season, though, it sounds like the Ravens are ready to break the playoff curse, and if they cannot, it should be considered a failure of a season.