Lamar Jackson’s ‘Dichotomy’ Hurts John Harbaugh’s Vision, as Nick Wright Slams Ravens’ SB Odds With 8th Best Verdict

John Harbaugh might be laughing in the corner somewhere after inciting the soon-to-be GOAT QB debate. He thinks Lamar Jackson is the best quarterback in the league and different talk show hosts can’t just let this comment slip by. While Joy Taylor thinks that the 2x MVP should strive for greatness, others like Nick Wright would even hesitate to place Lamar in the 2 position in their Mt. Rushmore list of quarterbacks.

The host of First Things First pointed out where Lamar Jackson in his opinion is going wrong. The narrative surrounding him isn’t alien—playoff success matters and Lamar Jackson doesn’t have a lot of it. Jackson is 2-4 in the playoffs and has a habit of not being able to perform his best when it potentially matters the most.

“The problem is the dichotomy between them,” said Wright. He further added, “Because over the course of a regular season, other than Mahomes you could say Lamar is the clear-cut number one draft pick. But over the course of a postseason, I think there’s a third of a league you’d rather have.” Sidelined by a third of a league? That’s got to sting for Lamar Jackson!

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Jan 28, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) throws the ball as Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Drue Tranquill (23) defends during the first half in the AFC Championship football game at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Poll of the dayDo you agree with Nick Wright’s harsh critique of the Ravens’ Super Bowl chances?

Lamar is up there with Mt. Rushmore of NFL QBs like Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes, and Joe Montana in the regular season with the win percentage he has to show besides his name (.753). Bear in mind that this data is for the first 6 years as a starter. He’s even got 2 MVPs in this time frame. But the matters turn against him at the biggest stage of playoffs.

In the first 6 years of his career, while Jackson trails with a 2-4 record in playoff games, Mahomes (15-3), Brady (12-2), and Joe Montana (7-2) are way ahead of him. Hence, the questions surrounding his best QB status emerge in broad daylight. This “dichotomy” is a serious dent in John Harbaugh’s hopes of seeing Lamar Jackson as the top NFL QB.

So, if a Super Bowl win stands against Lamar Jackson’s “GOAT” dreams, it’s legit to know where the Baltimore Ravens stand this year.

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Kevin Wildes on the show gave his Super Bowl predictions with the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers tied to +600 at the top, followed by the Baltimore Ravens with the odds of +950, then the Detroit Lions (+1,300). The list finally boiled down to the Cincinnati Bengals and the Philadelphia Eagles being tied at the 5 position with the odds of +1,400. Wright severely disagreed with Wildes’ predisposition and had his own opinions when it came to Jackson and his team.

USA Today via Reuters

“I think they are too high meaning I don’t think they should be third. I think they should be closer to seventh or eighth,” said Wright as he pointed out, “So, they lost two key offensive linemen. They lost multiple members of a great defense and their defensive coordinator. They are in the toughest division in the sport and a schedule that is harder than really imaginable.”

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The Ravens moved on from their Pro Bowl LB Patrick Queen, then they lost O-Linemen’s Kevin Zeitler, John Simpson, and Morgan Moses. To add to their woes, they also let go of perhaps their most productive edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney as well. But that’s not even the slightest of their problems.

The team will open its regular season against the Chiefs, then play against the Raiders, the Cowboys, the Bills, and the Bengals in that order. Yes, they signed Derrick Henry who is supposed to ease Jackson’s job. But how far can he go alone? Per First Things First’s assessment, all the arrows are pointing toward a decline for the team. If Lamar Jackson is really a soon-to-be GOAT QB, then the time to prove it is right now.