The Baltimore Ravens cannot afford to lose their next game.
Their chances of making the playoffs with a 0-3 start are quite slim, and they would still have the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals on deck.
Schedule-makers didn’t do them any favors, but blowing a double-digit lead late to Gardner Minshew and the Las Vegas Raiders didn’t do much to help their case either.
However, there could be much more at stake here.
Former NFL player Emmanuel Acho believes we might be witnessing the beginning of Lamar Jackson’s plateau or downfall.
Talking on The Facility, he pointed out how mobile and running quarterbacks have a tendency to peak early.
“If the Ravens start 0-3 and you change the coaching staff again…I believe we’ve seen a peak in Lamar’s career.”
— @EmmanuelAcho pic.twitter.com/1tBREBHC31
— The Facility (@TheFacilityFS1) September 19, 2024
So, if the Ravens were to start 0-3 and eventually change the coaching staff, chances are that we’d already have seen the best from Jackson.
Granted, he still believes he could be better than the likes of Kyler Murray, Robert Griffin III, Cam Newton, Russell Wilson, or Michael Vick, but previous data suggests that he could have reached his peak already.
Whatever the case, the Ravens must approach their next three games as win-or-go-home matchups.
The Dallas Cowboys are up next, and they’re hurt and thirsty for revenge after a blowout home loss to the New Orleans Saints.
The Ravens have played better than their 0-2 record reflects, and they’ve lost both games by one possession.
But at the end of the day, all that matters is that win-loss record, and they desperately need to turn things around if they want to get back to the playoffs.
NEXT: Lamar Jackson Has Honest Admission About 0-2 Start
