Lamar Jackson has made a habit of silencing critics and dismantling narratives during his NFL career. As he prepares for the Ravens’ Divisional Round showdown with the Buffalo Bills, pundits believe he’s on the verge of crushing yet another narrative before it gains traction.

Two Narratives Destroyed in Wild Card Victory

In the Ravens’ 28-14 Wild Card win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, Jackson put two longstanding narratives to rest:

1. The Steelers’ “Dominance” Over the Ravens:
   Pittsburgh had won eight of the last ten matchups in the series, with Jackson holding a 2-4 record against them. That streak ended decisively with back-to-back victories, including one for the AFC North title and another in the playoffs. As Glenn Clark of Press Box noted, “Two decisive wins … have flipped the script.”
2. Lamar Jackson Isn’t a Playoff Performer:
   Jackson’s postseason performance has been unfairly scrutinized for years. However, he’s now 2-1 in his last three playoff games, during which he’s completed 65% of his passes, amassed 834 total yards, and accounted for seven touchdowns with just one turnover. Clark highlighted that the criticisms were based on early-career results and unfortunate injuries, and Jackson has since proven he can rise to the occasion.

A New Challenge: The Allen/Mahomes Narrative

Sunday’s game against the Bills provides Jackson an opportunity to preemptively squash another potential narrative: the idea that he can’t beat elite quarterbacks like Josh Allen or Patrick Mahomes in the postseason. Clark warns that if the Ravens lose—even if Jackson plays brilliantly—critics might seize on his playoff record against those two as evidence of a supposed shortcoming.

“Josh Allen doesn’t have any sort of upper hand over Jackson at this point in their careers,” Clark wrote. “But … it will be all too easy to create a more specific narrative that points out how the potential three-time MVP will then be 0-3 all-time in playoff games against Allen and Patrick Mahomes.”

Jackson can stop that storyline before it starts with a win in Buffalo.

Brilliant Against Pittsburgh, Ready for Buffalo

Jackson was electric against the Steelers, posting a 132.0 passer rating and showcasing his mastery of the zone-read game, which doesn’t fully reflect in traditional stats. With his combination of precision passing, dynamic rushing ability, and excellent decision-making, Jackson has consistently proven to be one of the most complete quarterbacks in the NFL.

The matchup against Josh Allen is about more than just quarterbacks, but Jackson knows what’s at stake: advancing the Ravens and solidifying his legacy as a playoff winner.

The Final Word

Lamar Jackson has already rewritten so much of his narrative. With a win against the Bills, he can not only lead the Ravens one step closer to the Super Bowl but also nip in the bud any future debates about his ability to compete—and win—against the NFL’s elite.

What do you think, Ravens fans? Will Lamar silence the critics once again? Let us know in the comments!