The Ravens Have Withered Into Mediocrity

It's silly to pretend that some otherworldly deity is determining the fates of your favorite sports teams, but what else am I supposed to believe when Lamar Jackson, who had been sidelined with a vaguely described ankle sprain for three games, finally makes it back on the field against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, only to immediately jam his thumb and leave after one play on offense? The Baltimore Ravens quarterback is most likely out for the rest of the season, as the injury to his throwing hand will require surgery and a trip to the IR. Watching Jackson leave the game, which the Ravens lost 36-10 after also losing backup QB Tyler Huntley to injury, felt similar to when Aaron Rodgers, fresh from carrying the American flag onto the field as a New York Jet for the first time, was taken out for the season on his first drive. That moment marked the beginning of the end for Rodgers and the Jets, as they never captured the magic they hoped to create (Rodgers went 5-12 as the starter the following season). Will it be the same for Lamar Jackson? I've been a fan of Jackson since 2016, when I watched him completely dismantle my school, Florida State, while he was at Louisville on his way to winning the Heisman. He's been one of the most exciting players in football for the past decade. Today, though, I can't help but return to the feeling I had in January 2025, when I watched Mark Andrews drop a pass for a two-point conversion in the divisional round of the playoffs against the Bills, a play which could've sent the game to overtime. In that moment, I felt in my bones that it was over for this version of the Ravens. Not necessarily for Jackson, who was playing his best ball at that point, but for the rest of the team.

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