Ravens, Lamar Jackson Looking to 'Finish' the Season Strong
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson wore a shirt emblazoned with the word "Finish" when he met with the media this week.
Baltimore needs to end the season strongly to make the playoffs for a third consecutive year. The Ravens led at the half in two of their five losses this season, and they can't afford to squander those types of leads over the next two weeks.
"There were certain times throughout this year [that] we would go into a game, [and] we’ll be winning the game in the first half," Jackson said. "And then, some way, [in the] second half, we just hit a hump and we wouldn’t finish. We would just end up losing the game somehow.
"And Coach [John Harbaugh] was talking to us a lot about that, and they came up with the shirts. It’s about finishing for us right now. [If] we go into the game hot, we finish hot until the game clock says 0:00, and us with the most points. And that’s just what it is for us right now.”
The Ravens (9-5) are currently ranked eighth in the seven-team AFC playoff race. Baltimore needs the Browns (10-4), Colts (10-4), or Dolphins (9-5), to lose one of their remaining two games to make the postseason.
Jackson is simply focused on taking care of his own business and is not worried about the other postseason scenarios.
The Ravens typically play their best football over the final month of the season.
Since 2018, Baltimore is 12-2 in the month of December, the best mark in the NFL. The Ravens have outscored their opponents 398 to 261 over that stretch, averaging 210.2 yards rushing per game.
Over this past month, a short-handed Baltimore lost to Pittsburgh (19-14) but bounced back with victories over Dallas (34-17), Cleveland (47-42), and Jacksonville (40-14).
“Being honest, in 2018, we were fighting to get into the playoffs," Jackson said. "The world was doubting us at that time. We were pretty much fighting each and every week to get into the playoffs, and every game was a playoff game for us. That’s just what it was. So, we went into December knowing … Coach [John Harbaugh] was talking about us being 4-0 going into December, and that’s what it was.
"And last year, we were just hot. We hit a 12-game win streak and we were just rolling. And this year, it’s kind of like 2018 with a better record, but similar, because there’s a lot of great teams ahead of us right now in the AFC.
The Ravens close out the season at home against the New York Giants and on the road a Cincinnati, a team they beat 27-3 in Week 5.
The stakes are high and Baltimore is showing a sense of urgency.
"Everyone is fighting for their spots, and some teams are trying to get in, some teams are already in but still trying to fight to keep their position," Jackson said. "And right now, we’re in the hunt, but we’re out of the playoffs. So, each and every week is a playoff week for us. That’s the mindset we have to have, and that’s just what it is.”
