Lamar Jackson's ‘vengeance' warning will strike fear in AFC opponents
Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens are still feeling the sting of their playoff exit from last season. The star quarterback made that pretty clear on Tuesday at the Ravens mandatory minicamp as he reflected on the tough 27-25 loss to the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Divisional Round. 'When we come back, I feel like we're going to have vengeance on our mind,' Jackson told reporters, turning that frustration into fuel for the 2025 season.
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That postseason defeat still hurts. Jackson had a rough first half, turning the ball over twice, while tight end Mark Andrews faced his struggles with a costly fumble and a dropped two-point conversion that could have tied the game in the final moments. Despite the backlash from fans and analysts, Jackson stood firmly by Andrews: 'He's done so much for us. He's still Mark, for sure,' he said.
The bond between Jackson and Andrews is as strong as ever after seven seasons together, with both earning multiple Pro Bowl nods and All-Pro selections. While the Buffalo game revealed some weaknesses, Jackson chose to focus on growth rather than blaming anyone. He took the time to review all six of the team's losses from 2024 during the offseason, and he's determined to cut down on turnovers in an effort to raise the Ravens' postseason potential.
Lamar Jackson has an impressive regular-season track record—70-24 as a starter and two MVP awards—but his playoff performance (3-5) continues to be a topic of discussion. He's thrown 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions in his postseason career, which is a stark contrast to his regular-season TD-INT ratio of 166:49. Right now, he's all about eliminating those costly mistakes when the pressure is on.
Baltimore's roster still gives fans plenty of reasons to be optimistic. Andrews remains one of Jackson's favorite targets, and on Tuesday, they connected on several long completions during practice. New addition DeAndre Hopkins also made a splash, fulfilling a long-held wish of Jackson's.
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Jackson was not one to hold back when it came to asking for more. When the topic of reuniting with his old college buddy, cornerback Jaire Alexander, came up, Jackson didn't hesitate to share that he's been trying to bring the former Packer on board. 'Go get him, Eric,' he joked, with a hint of seriousness.
The 2025 season kicks off with a bit of poetry: a return to Buffalo in Week 1 for Sunday Night Football. For Lamar Jackson and the Ravens, there might not be a better way to start rewriting their postseason story.
Related: Ravens sign Jaire Alexander right after Lamar Jackson's demand
Related: Ravens' DeAndre Hopkins talks forming chemistry with Lamar Jackson
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