What did Lamar Jackson say at halftime that motivated the Ravens? Why did QB’s emotional address energize Baltimore?
Jackson wasn’t happy at halftime during the Ravens’ overwhelming victory.
Baltimore — Lamar Jackson was not happy as the Baltimore Ravens entered the locker room at halftime. Given the circumstances, it’s hard to blame the captain.
The Ravens were in a dogfight with the Houston Texans after 30 minutes. The game was close, it was frigid, and the Ravens hadn’t decimated opponents all season. They appeared to be another Baltimore squad headed for an early playoff exit.
Whatever Jackson said energized the locker room. Enough to make Isaiah Likely smile when his halftime address was mentioned.
“When the leader talks,” Likely stated. “You listen.”
Jackson’s halftime speech inspired the Ravens to outscore the Texans by 24 points in the second half, leading to a 34-10 victory at M&T Bank Stadium. The Texans had no chance coming out of the locker room, as Jackson led the way, going 9 of 11 for 100 yards and a touchdown in the last 30 minutes. Jackson also had five carries for 50 yards and two scores in the second half, including an 8-yard touchdown run with 6:20 remaining, prompting him to rush into the tunnel to declare the game.
The Ravens built a 21-point lead when Jackson rushed for his second touchdown of the night, and Baltimore will host the conference championship game for the first time since 1971.
“I don’t know what led me to it,” Jackson stated. “I just saw it and was off to the races.”
So, what did Jackson say to rile up the Ravens? Baltimore only outgained Houston 234-68 in the second half, outrushing them 134-24 and preventing the Texans from getting past the Ravens’ 39-yard line.
“It’d be inappropriate if I said it,” Jackson smiled. “We weren’t doing anything for that defense. They were playing fantastic, and so was the offense, but we weren’t doing our job. We scored points in the second half. We started moving the ball, moving the chains, and starting to look like us.”
Tyler Linderbaum used a G-rated version of what Jackson said to rally the squad.
“Just stay locked in,” Linderbaum remarked about Jackson’s advice. “We are a better team than what we showed in the first half. We have 30 minutes left in the game. I believe we played a little differently — and better — in the second half.
Most likely told the same version while omitting the gory sections.
“(We) understand that it was a 0-0 game at halftime and we had another 30 minutes,” he likely remarked. “So we only had to focus on the small elements that we had overlooked. We simply had to execute from there.”
The Ravens have become accustomed to playoff defeats since winning Super Bowl XLVII 11 years ago. After winning the Super Bowl, Baltimore went 2-5 in the postseason, losing every playoff game at home. The Ravens went 1-2 in postseason games that Jackson started, failing to score more than 20 points in each of them.
Forgive the club with the greatest record in football, who defeated an NFL record 10 winning teams this season, for getting frustrated at halftime. The Ravens were not going to let the ghosts of playoff past haunt them.
“Everyone seemed a little on edge. “We were all a little on edge,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh admitted. “We were edgy and angry. We’ve got a lot to prove. Everyone just took a long breath and said, “Okay, it’s 0-0.” It’s our game to win, and we have to go get it.”
The Ravens proved to be the best football team in the second half, putting an end to the Texans’ Cinderella narrative. They have one more game to go before reaching the Super Bowl.
The myth that Jackson can’t go deep in the playoffs is no more.
“I don’t have to hear it; I can see it,” Jackson stated. “But that’s what it is. I don’t really care what others say. Every time I step onto the field, I strive to win. I’m attempting to play to the best of my abilities.
