Lamar Jackson Changed The Course Of His Career With A Profanity-Laced Tirade At Halftime Against The Texans

Much has been made of Lamar Jackson's postseason failures. I wrote about it at length pregame yesterday. 

Losing a game like yesterday's would've set the take machine ablaze. Sure, the following year Lamar probably would have had another opportunity to reverse the narrative, but sometimes those types of things reach a critical mass where it takes on a life of its own. The elephant in the room becomes so big that disbelief truly takes root in one's confidence and becomes self-fulfilling.

In the first half last night, the Baltimore Ravens were the better football team. They were the only team whose offense put together any real measure of success and were able to get the ball into the end zone. They mostly dominated on defense and made life hell for CJ Stroud.

With that said... a game they looked to be in early control of sputtered out with three consecutive 3-and-outs in the 2nd quarter where Lamar was constantly pressured and put on the ground, much to his frustration. On top of that... a special teams TD late in the half equalized the game for the Texans. We had all the ingredients for a shocking and freakish loss, and the anxiety in the building was palpable.

The Ravens desperately needed somebody to take the bull by the balls and refuse to lose.

Enter #8.

That face as he headed into the locker room says it all, and the reports of his halftime tirade just might be the stuff of legends when it's all said and done.

Lamar Jackson is a lot of things and garners a ton of high praise. Most of that centers around his athleticism, but you don't hear too much about his leadership skills. He's certainly well liked and respected by his teammates, but it's not often you hear much about him being the classic vocal leader at the QB position. If anything he's a "lead by example" type. 

I don't know that you need to be that guy to be a great QB. But I think it's a skillset that Lamar has slowly developed over the years, and it's become more and more evident this season. Halftime yesterday was where that quality was needed most, and he delivered in a big way. He did it behind closed doors and whatever he said certainly struck a chord because the team we saw in the 2nd half is a team that nobody is beating if they show up.

More than anything, Lamar saw doomsday on the horizon and turned the fucking car around. He didn't press, he didn't panic, but he did something about it and said enough is enough.

Now he's got a cock full of confidence and the AFC Championship game coming to his building. Everything he's always talked and dreamed about ("They're gonna get a Super Bowl out of me… belee dat") is right there in front of him. All he's gotta do is continue to be the big badass on the block that we all already know that he is, and he's going to deliver.