(Editor’s note: Due to NSFW language, we’ve chosen not to share video of Jackson’s response. For readers who would like to see it, the response can be viewed here.)
It’s Groundhog Day for Lamar Jackson and the Ravens, and he’s tired of it.
Year seven ended in familiar fashion for Jackson – with a loss. The Ravens were knocked out of the playoffs on Sunday night with a heartbreaking loss to the Buffalo Bills. Mark Andrews dropped what would’ve been the game-tying two-point conversion, but that was just the final nail in Baltimore’s coffin.
The Ravens lost this game long before Andrews’ drop. They beat themselves all night long and Jackson knows it.
He acknowledged that when meeting with the press after the game, voicing plenty of frustration with another disappointing end to another season.
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‘Turnovers play a factor,’ Jackson said. ‘Penalties play a factor. Tonight the turnovers. Can’t have that (expletive). That’s why we lost the game.’
His frustration only continued, especially with his own performance on Sunday.
‘As you can see, we are moving the ball, wonderfully,’ Jackson said. ‘Hold onto the (expletive) ball. Sorry for my language but this (expletive) annoying. I’m tired of this (expletive).’
Jackson was referencing his costly first-half fumble that Von Miller recovered, leading to an eventual Bills’ touchdown.
The Ravens turned the ball over three times, leading to 10 Buffalo points. Two came from Jackson in the first half, while the third was an Andrews fumble in the fourth.
More importantly, Buffalo didn’t commit any unforced errors, only further highlighting the Baltimore miscues.
Jackson said this is a ‘get-right’ offseason for the Ravens, who he believes are close to getting over the hump.
‘We are right there,’ Jackson said. ‘I’m tired of being right there. We need to punch it in. We need to punch in that ticket.’
The Ravens will have plenty of time to figure it out during the long offseason, as the franchise’s Super Bowl XLVII victory in 2012 becomes nothing more than a distant memory.
For now, they’ll have to hope this year’s failure helps produce next year’s triumph.