Jackson and Ravens can't sustain regular season success

Lamar Jackson who ran with abandon and w 36 touchdown passes for best team in league failed to show up in playoffs — again.

During his marvelous second season in NFL, Jackson was an All-Pro quarterback who carried Baltimore Ravens to best record in league. Jackson amassed most yards rushing by a quarterback in league history and was catalyst of an offense that led NFL in scoring.

All of that — as well as Baltimore's 12-game winning streak and home-field advant — was irrelevant against Tennessee Titans on Saturday night.

Coming off a three-week break and looking appropriately rusty in doing so, an error-prone Jackson threw two interceptions, lost a fumble and didn't get Ravens into end zone until fourth quarter of a 28-12 defeat.

All season long, Jackson was intent upon erasing memory of his rookie season, when he guided Baltimore to a 6-1 finish before faltering in postseason opener at home against Los Angeles Chargers. Jackson went 2 of 8 for 17 yards and an interception in first half, and Ravens trailed 23-3 in a one-and-out playoff performance.

It was Super Bowl or bust this time around, and Baltimore sure looked capable of making that happen. Jackson and Ravens were virtually unstoppable over final three months, slapping aside some of best teams in league with surprising ease.

That's what made this game so darn surprising. Jackson did man to rush for 143 yards, but most of that came in two chunks, a 30-yarder in third quarter and a 27-yarder during Baltimore's lone touchdown drive.

But twice he failed to convert fourth-and-1 runs, stuffed at line of scrimm on each occasion. Both times, Titans went or way for touchdowns.

Before this game, Baltimore was 8 for 8 on fourth-and-1 this season. n again, very little that occurred during regular season for Ravens went right on this night.

Jackson's 50th pass of night, on fourth down in Tennessee territory with just over 4 minutes left, hit ground with a thud. So, in fact, did Baltimore's season.

He finished 31 for 59 for 365 yards. main number, however, was 12 points — Baltimore's lowest output of year.

Jackson doesn't deserve all blame for collapse. Heck, Ravens twice were penalized on punt returns without even getting ir hands on ball. And ar All-Pro selection, Marcus Peters, was burned badly by Kalif Raymond on a 45-yard touchdown pass immediately after Jackson failed to gain yards necessary to maintain possession.

As Ravens entered ir bye week, veteran guard Marshal Yanda spoke prophetically about relevance of Baltimore's magical season in relation to playoffs.

“It only takes turning ball over one or two times, a penalty here and a penalty re. All it takes is one loss and we’re done,” Yanda said. “That 14-2 stuff does t matter.”

How very true.