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Jamison Hensley, ESPN Workers Author
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — In a season when it feels as if Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has had all of the solutions, the reigning NFL Most Invaluable Participant was stumped Wednesday.
Heading into Sunday’s street showdown in opposition to the Steelers, Jackson primarily shrugged his shoulders when requested why he struggles in opposition to Pittsburgh greater than another staff.
“I do not know what it’s, man,” he mentioned. “Final yr, we [were] presupposed to [beat] them, however issues simply did not go our means; the soccer gods weren’t on our facet. Nevertheless it’s a complete different yr, it is a new yr, [and] I am wanting ahead to the sport.”
Jackson is 1-3 in opposition to the Steelers and 17-5 in opposition to the opposite AFC North groups (Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns). Pittsburgh is the one staff in opposition to which he has thrown extra interceptions (seven) than landing passes (4).
In Jackson’s solely recreation in opposition to Pittsburgh final season, the most important problem was holding onto the ball. The Ravens had a handful of dropped passes, together with two in the long run zone, in a 17-10 street loss at Pittsburgh in October 2023.
“We do not dwell previously recreation; we do not dwell previously report,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh mentioned. “None of that issues. It is the following recreation. However we’ll take a look at it scientifically; you return and watch all of the video games and attempt to make it possible for we’re doing the issues that we have to do to win this explicit recreation.”
On the subject of rivalries, Jackson talked about how he hated dropping to the Lauderdale Lakes Vikings in youth soccer in South Florida. However Jackson mentioned he does not really feel otherwise in regards to the Steelers than another staff on Baltimore’s schedule regardless of Pittsburgh profitable seven of the previous eight conferences.
“I hate each staff within the league after I’m going in opposition to them,” Jackson mentioned. “I haven’t got [any] coronary heart for a staff after I’m going in opposition to them — I am making an attempt to win — as a result of they do not have a coronary heart for me, once they’re going in opposition to me. In all probability, after the sport, it is all love, however on that discipline, no.”
Jackson is quarterbacking an offense that ranks first in complete yards (440.2) and factors (31.8), which is why he is the front-runner for an additional MVP award. In his previous eight video games, he has thrown 22 touchdowns and one interception.
By relying extra on his arm than his legs, Jackson has performed otherwise than previously. He says he believes everybody should wait till Sunday to see if that produces a special consequence in opposition to Pittsburgh.
“We now have completely different guys who convey various things to the desk for us to assist us out on the offensive facet of the ball,” Jackson mentioned. “However I can not name it.”