BALTIMORE – NFL reigning MVP Lamar Jackson questioned the Baltimore Ravens’ effort after the Tennessee Titans took an 11-point lead in a 30-24 overtime loss.
“It seemed like that team wanted more than us,” Jackson said. “They were physically playing. When we went upstairs I felt like we just put a foot out of the gas. But we have to keep it for the team.”
Jackson and Ravens were once the NFL’s best closeers, 10 or more points ahead when they won their first 21 starts. Now, Baltimore has lost two of its last three games in which it had a double-digit lead.
On Sunday, the Ravens took a 21-10 advantage at the end of the fourth quarter and early in the third quarter before the overtime cut. Baltimore were suddenly in control of 2-18 with 24-21 when three defenders (Chuck Clark, Marcus Peters and Marlon Humphrey) missed tack calls on AJ Brown’s 14-yard touchdown catch. Ravens lost in overtime when Derrick Henry ran 29 yards in the middle of his defense for a touchdown.
Asked about Jackson’s comment that when the Titans want to win more than Ravens, the Baltimore Rookie J.K. Dobbins ran back and said: “We always try our best, but today was … they tried harder than we did. We just have to fix it.”
Frustrations continue to build on a team that was once a former Bounce Super Bowl favorite. After a 23-17 defeat in New England last week, Jackson said the team was “ticked off” and other players admitted the Patriots were more physical than they were. Ravens put on the pads on Wednesday to set a more physical tone, but the results on Sunday were all too familiar.
Baltimore has lost three of four games for the first time under Jackson and dropped consecutive games for the first time since September 2019. Defending two-time AFC North champions Ravens (6-4) finished third in the division. .
The biggest difference between last season and this has been the games against better teams in the NFL. In 2019, Jackson had a winning record of 6 wickets against teams. This year, it’s 1-3 against them.
What can Jackson tell his teammates?
“Just focus and keep your head up,” said Jackson, who completed 17 of 29 passes for 186 yards with a touchdown and an interception. “We were in a bad situation my fraud year [when the Ravens started 4-5 in 2018]. We turned the season around and people were on us at the time. I think people want us to lose.
The Ravens have a quick four-day turnaround on Thanksgiving Night and play at the unbeaten Pittsburgh Steelers (10-0).
.
