Lamar Jackson: Will the Baltimore Ravens quarterback overcome the NFL playoff struggle against the Pittsburgh Steelers?

Lamar Jackson has won the same number of playoff games as NFL MVP awards: two.

The lack of postseason victories continues to be a problem for the Ravens star quarterback, who looks to change the narrative when AFC No. 3 seed Baltimore hosts the No. 6 Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wild Card round on Saturday night – live on Sky Sports NFL from 1 am, Sunday morning.

Jackson is 2-4 in the playoffs, having thrown six interceptions and fumbled six times (three recovered by the opposition) in the postseason. He has thrown six touchdowns and run for three scores in his playoff career.

The 28-year-old has admitted he needs to calm down. “I'm just excited, that's all. Too old,” Jackson told reporters this week about his struggles.

“This is a statement until it goes away,” Sky Sports' Neil Reynolds said, addressing Jackson's comments on the show's final episode Inside The Huddle Podcast.

“He is 2-4 in the playoffs, with a quarterback rating of 75.7, and his regular season rating for his career is 101.9. And now he's basically admitted that he's gotten a bit in over his head. very early in this game.”

Phoebe Schecter, a former NFL assistant coach with the Buffalo Bills, said: “These clips will be played at Steelers meetings this week, showing 'look, he's scared.'

“He's messed something up there, because that's going to be ammo for the Steelers team, and he's also missing his star receiver in Zay Flowers, who is a big part of this.”

One player who could come to the rescue for the Ravens is star running back Derrick Henry.

In his first season with the team, Henry rushed for 1,921 yards, second in the NFL, and 16 touchdowns, tied for first. He has played in seven postseason games, helping the Tennessee Titans reach the AFC Championship Game in the 2019 season before losing to the Kansas City Chiefs.

How the Steelers defense holds up against Jackson and Henry could be at the heart of the contest.

“The Steelers are doing a really good job of bringing Lamar in,” Schecter said. “They have very disciplined guys on the defensive line, a big veteran presence.

“They understand what they have to do to keep him in the pocket and, if they can do that, they can limit what Derrick Henry can do to you, because the linebackers they have that physicality that can bring them down and play. in space.”

The meeting on Saturday will be the fifth time ever in the post season between the teams. Pittsburgh has won three of the previous four, but the Ravens had the upper hand in the most recent playoff game, 30-17 in the Wild Card about 10 years ago.

This season, the Ravens (12-5) and Steelers (10-7) split their two regular season meetings, with each team winning at home.

Pittsburgh took the first game 18-16 behind six touchdowns from Chris Boswell on November 17. In the rematch on December 21, Jackson threw three touchdown passes and Henry rushed for 162 yards in Baltimore's 34- 17, which was part of Pittsburgh's four-game losing streak to end the season.

“Besides, this game is punishment for the Steelers for losing four in a row, going to Baltimore,” Reynolds said. “But it's also a team on are they very familiar and have already beaten him this season.

“Even the game Baltimore won right before Christmas, it was 17-17 very late in the second half before Baltimore pulled away.

“I think Baltimore will win this game, but I'm not sure it's as simple as the seeds and recent form would suggest.

Watch the Baltimore Ravens host the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wild Card round of the NFL postseason, live on Sky Sports NFL at 1am, Sunday morning; stream with NIS.

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