'Get Better!': Ravens QB Lamar Jackson Makes Promise After AFC Championship Game Loss
Every year, 31 NFL teams experience the harsh reality of sports, there can be only one champion.
For the Baltimore Ravens, this year's dose of reality hurt much more than usual. The Ravens seemingly had everything going for them, finishing with the best record in the NFL at 13-4 to earn home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs. After a dominant win over the Houston Texans in the Divisional Round, many were convinced that this was the Ravens' year as they welcomed the reigning champion Kansas City Chiefs to town.
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Alas, it was not meant to be. Baltimore's offense sputtered and shot itself in the foot throughout the game, leading to a brutal 17-10 loss in Sunday's AFC Championship Game.
As such, the Chiefs, the NFL's version of the Empire that even has their version of Darth Vader in quarterback Patrick Mahomes, advanced to their fourth Super Bowl in five years.
While many Ravens fans are understandably upset about the loss, quarterback Lamar Jackson is still holding his head high. Jackson, who is favored to win his second MVP award, is certainly disappointed, but he believes the best is still yet to come.
"I'm not frustrated at all. I'm angry about losing. We were a game away from the Super Bowl. We've been waiting all this time, all these moments for an opportunity like this and we fell short," Jackson told reporters. "We're going to build. You know, this offseason we're going to get right, get better, grind and try to be in this position again next year, but on the other side."
Jackson's mentality is certainly commendable, but getting back to this point, let alone further, is a lot easier said than done. The AFC is a gauntlet year in and year out, and very few teams can find consistent success. After all, there's a reason why the NFL often is interpreted as "Not For Long."
As the Ravens once again enter the offseason on a sour note, Jackson is still appreciative of what his team accomplished this year.
"Very proud of my team," Jackson said. "Adversity at the beginning of the season, you know we wasn't playing well, people don't know what the Ravens' offense or defense is going to look like, and we made it all the way to this point. We made it here but we just gotta finish next time, but I'm very proud of my team in all phases."
