Ravens' Lamar Jackson Named Best QB in Playoffs

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has heard no shortage of criticism for his performances in the playoffs, and to be fair, some of it is justified.

In six career playoff games, Jackson has completed 57.4 percent of his passes for 1,324 yards, six touchdowns and six interceptions, plus 154 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. More importantly, the Ravens have a record of 2-4 in those games, which is really the main point of criticism.

If there was ever a time for Jackson to break that narrative, then it's now. He just completed one of the best regular seasons by any quarterback ever, earning his third first-team All-Pro selection in the process, and the talent around him is probably the best he's ever been.

Before Jackson and the Ravens kick off the playoffs against the rival Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday night, The 33rd Team ranked him as the best quarterback in the postseason, showing just how special he's been recently.

"Lamar Jackson is either going to win his third MVP and second in two seasons or come incredibly close. Whether he wins or not, he improved as a player during his 2023 season," The 33rd Team's Dan Pizzuta wrote. "He was better in the pocket and eliminated nearly every weakness. One of those was his play against the blitz. During the regular season, he finished first in EPA per play and success rate when blitzed.

"There will be some dumb and unwarranted narratives around 'Can he do it in the playoffs,' but he’s improved so much that there is no one way to try to defend him. Even potentially without Zay Flowers, the Baltimore offensive structure is so much better that Jackson won’t single-handedly have to carry the offense — but he’s now more well-equipped than ever to do so."

Interestingly, Pizzuta declared Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson as the worst signal-caller in the playoffs, which will surely stir up some discussion across the league.

"When Russell Wilson first came in as Pittsburgh’s starter, he rode some explosive downfield throws to victory," Pizzuta wrote. "But in recent games without George Pickens on the field, those disappeared. Then, when Pickens returned against the Ravens in Week 18, they did not reappear."

The Ravens have arguably the most pressure of any team this postseason, and Jackson has the weight of the world on his shoulders as well.

Make sure you bookmark Baltimore Ravens on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!