How well you perform in the face of adversity makes you great. For the Ravens and Lamar Jackson, that adversity is Patrick Mahomes. The Chiefs, led by their number 15, have made it difficult for Baltimore to reach the Super Bowl, let alone win it, in the Lamar era. That’s what this ESPN analyst noted.
Speaking on ESPN’s Get Up, on September 2nd, Marcus Spears put it out there that saying Lamar Jackson could have been great if Patrick Mahomes had not been there is like saying Kevin Durant would be the NBA champ if LeBron James hadn’t existed. In both cases, ‘woulda’, ‘coulda’, and ‘shoulda’ are the commonalities. Rest, it’s the fact that “Patrick Mahomes, in this era, is costing a lot of really good players opportunities to win Super Bowls who normally would.” And that’s where Lamar’s Ravens are right now.
Since Patrick took up the starter role in 2018, the Chiefs have reached the Super Bowl 4 times. Winning it thrice. Now, all eyes are on them again. The bookmakers are hedging their bets on KC to reach the championship yet again in the 2024 season, and then maybe do the unprecedented—the 3-peat. So, if we look at it like that, Marcus’s words couldn’t have been truer. This is not a roadblock, it’s a dead-end it seems. And it’s the same for Lamar Jackson. The analyst said, “You have to go through the number 15 to win the Super Bowl.”
So much for Purple Pain. The receiving of it seems more than inflicting upon their opposition. Especially when it comes to facing the Chiefs. Forget Lamar’s 1-4 record against Patrick’s Kansas. It’s not even about that. Take last season, for instance. In the 2024 AFC Championship game, the Chiefs defeated the Ravens 17-10. This victory proved to be a massive dent for the Ravens from advancing to the Super Bowl, despite being favorites to make it on the grand stage for the first time in the Lamar Jackson era.
Guess what? Majorly, it was the Patrick ‘Showtime’ Mahomes again causing ‘pain’ in the purple defense. He and his teammate Travis Kelce quashed the Ravens Flock’s dreams by halftime alone as the Chiefs were 17-7 up. From there on, all Baltimore could muster were the 3 consolation points. Could it be different this time? Lamar Jackson wants it to be.
Lamar Jackson is ‘ready’ for Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in Week 1!
In an interview for the team’s official website ahead of the Week 1 clash against the Chiefs, Lamar noted that he’s ready to test himself against the opposition after grinding in the preseason against his teammates. “It’s time to go against somebody else.” Ah, yes! Too cheeky to say that 3 days before the game against an opposition who has caused you so many sleepless nights. The game is on!
One would think that the game would be more of a revenge than just a regular season opener. But Jackson is above it. He’s not picking any favorite oppositions, all are rivals when the season will set off. “Any game I play in, I feel like it’s a revenge game. Anybody we play, no matter if we’ve beaten them or lost to them in previous years, I just want to win.”
Sure, it’s for all and not just for ONE. But you can bet that beating Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in Week 1 would be in the top 3 on Lamar’s list. It’s here. We are back to square one. Arrowhead Stadium is the location. Will the Ravens leave with all feathers intact or will the Chiefs bask in the opening-day victory?
