'Just Trying to Win!' Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson Was Unaware of Clinched Playoff Berth Following Win vs. Jaguars
The Baltimore Ravens are officially playoff-bound after Sunday night's 23-7 road win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, but that wasn't on the mind of the franchise quarterback during the game. In fact, he wasn't even aware that a spot had been clinched.
Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson was made available to the media following his team's win on "Sunday Night Football," and as his team pushes for the No. 1 seed in the AFC (and he makes his case for league MVP), the eyes of the NFL are on the playoff race. For him, however, it's about simply winning, so much so that he wasn't aware that Baltimore had officially sealed a spot in the postseason after taking down Jacksonville.
"I didn't know we clinched the playoffs," Jackson said. "I'm just trying to win, trying to get there. Trying to win a game at a time, but I'm grateful for it. Grateful for the opportunity."
![Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) throws the ball during the third quarter of a regular season NFL football matchup Sunday, Dec. 17, 2023 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Baltimore Ravens defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars 23-7. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]](https://www.si.com/.image/c_limit%2Ccs_srgb%2Cfl_progressive%2Cq_auto:good%2Cw_700/MjAyOTk5MjMzOTk1ODc1MzQw/usatsi_22129525.jpg)
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) throws the ball during the third quarter of a regular season NFL football matchup Sunday, Dec. 17, 2023 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Baltimore Ravens defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars 23-7. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
© Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Unio / USA TODAY NETWORK
Baltimore is the only team in the AFC to have officially clinched a playoff berth after Week 15, and the focus now shifts to continuing to win so that it can hold onto the top spot in the AFC, thus securing home-field advantage throughout the postseason. On the heels of the 11-3 Ravens are the Miami Dolphins (10-4) and Kansas City Chiefs (9-5) along with the Jaguars who are now 8-6 after Sunday's loss.
The Ravens have a difficult final three weeks of the regular season standing between them and the top seed, including next week's massive showdown against the San Francisco 49ers in Santa Clara. Baltimore will then play host to the Miami Dolphins and Pittsburgh Steelers in their final contests before the playoffs begin.
Kickoff on Monday between the Ravens and 49ers is set for 8:15 p.m. ET, and the game will be televised on ABC.
