2x Patriots Super Bowl champion rips Lamar Jackson for costly errors in devastating playoff exit vs. Bills

In the aftermath of the Baltimore Ravens’ narrow 27-25 defeat to the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Divisional Round, two-time Super Bowl champion and former New England Patriots star Damien Woody lambasted quarterback Lamar Jackson’s display on Sunday night.

Speaking on ESPN’s Get Up, Woody emphasized the critical nature of game-deciding plays, stating:

“I go back to this, ultimately, at the end of the day, did you make the game-winning plays? That’s all I care about. He had two turnovers. That’s the bottom line.”

The critical moments came in the first half when Jackson’s fumble under wet conditions set up a Buffalo scoring drive. Woody didn’t hold back in pointing out the significance of the error.

“When you’re in games and you’re so closely matched, you have to make the plays that are there to be made. You can’t have the fumble in those conditions. It led to the Bills scoring points, and ultimately you lose the game,” he said.

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Lamar Jackson’s second-half heroics not enough to guide Ravens past Bills

Despite putting up a stunning second-half effort showcasing his dual-threat capabilities, Jackson's push just wasn’t enough to overshadow the earlier mistakes.

“Second half, Lamar Jackson was unbelievable,” Woody acknowledged. “But if you want to beat the Buffalo Bills or the Kansas City Chiefs, you can’t make those types of mistakes.”

Jackson’s overall performance was mixed, with 254 passing yards, two touchdowns, and two turnovers.

The Ravens’ defeat on Sunday night was further compounded by a pivotal moment late in the game. Trailing by two points, Jackson orchestrated a potential game-tying drive, culminating in a two-point conversion attempt. Tight end Mark Andrews found himself open but failed to secure Jackson’s pass, a miscue that dashed the Ravens’ hopes of forcing overtime.

While many were quick to fault Andrews, NBC analyst Chris Simms offered a different perspective, suggesting that Jackson’s throw lacked precision. Simms commented:

“Lamar Jackson is making $55 million a year. That ball needs to be on time and it was not accurate. Mark Andrews needs to catch it, don’t get me wrong. But… he double-clutched it and threw it like a dart.”

This playoff exit adds another chapter to Jackson’s postseason narrative. Despite regular-season accolades, including multiple MVP awards, his playoff record stands at 3-5, with only one AFC Championship appearance.

In the locker room, a visibly frustrated Jackson addressed the media, expressing his exasperation with the recurring issues that have plagued the team.

“I’m tired of this s**t. Turnovers, penalties, same old story. We beat ourselves,” he said.

As the Ravens enter the offseason, the focus will undoubtedly shift to addressing these critical errors and refining their execution in high-stakes situations.

For Jackson, the challenge remains to translate his regular-season consistency and run of form into postseason triumphs.