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Jamison Hensley, ESPN writer
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — In a season where it feels like Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has all the answers, the reigning NFL MVP was left stumped Wednesday.
Heading into Sunday’s matchup against the Steelers, Jackson essentially shrugged his shoulders when asked why he struggles against Pittsburgh more than any other team.
“I don’t know what it is, man,” he said. “Last year, we [were] it’s supposed to [beat] them, but things just didn’t go the way we wanted; The football gods were not on our side. But it’s a completely different year, it’s a new year, [and] “I’m looking forward to the game.”
Jackson is 1-3 against the Steelers and 17-5 against the other AFC North teams (Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns). Pittsburgh is the only team against whom he has thrown more interceptions (seven) than touchdown passes (four).
In Jackson’s only game against Pittsburgh last season, the biggest problem was holding the ball. The Ravens dropped a handful of passes, including two in the end zone, in a 17-10 road loss at Pittsburgh in October 2023.
“We don’t live off the past game; we don’t live off the past record,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “None of that matters. It’s the next game. But we’ll look at it scientifically; you go back and watch all the games and try to make sure we’re doing the things we need to do to win this particular game.”
When it comes to rivalries, Jackson talked about how much he hated losing to the Lauderdale Lakes Vikings in South Florida youth football. But Jackson said he doesn’t feel any different about the Steelers than any other team on Baltimore’s schedule even though Pittsburgh has won seven of the last eight games.
“I hate every team in the league when I go against them,” Jackson said. “Don’t have [any] heart for a team when I go against them, I’m trying to win, because they don’t have heart for me when they go against me. “Probably, after the game, everything will be love, but on that field, no.”
Jackson is the quarterback of an offense that ranks first in total yards (440.2) and points (31.8), which is why he is the favorite for another MVP award. In his last eight games, he threw 22 touchdowns and one interception.
Relying more on his arm than his legs, Jackson has played differently than in the past. He says he thinks everyone will have to wait until Sunday to see if that produces a different result against Pittsburgh.
“We have different guys that bring different things to the table to help us on the offensive side of the ball,” Jackson said. “But I can’t call him.”
