Lamar Jackson, Ravens cannot afford a lost season

While the Texans are an extremely beatable team whose offense scares nobody, an already struggling Ravens lineup that's gotten even more depleted will be in for a tough challenge on Sunday. 

Lamar Jackson's outlook for Baltimore Ravens

At 28 years old, Lamar Jackson still has lots of superstar-level football in him. Nobody is questioning that. 

But at the same time, this is Jackson's eight years as the starting quarterback in Baltimore, and all that's come of it is one AFC Championship Game appearance (2023-24), which obviously didn't go well in a 17-10 loss to the Chiefs.

Even if the Ravens tread water without Jackson and then hit the ground running upon his return, will it be enough to get to a Super Bowl in 2025-26? It's hard to see that happening as of right now.

It makes you wonder: When is one of the most electrifying, talented players we've seen going to break through and have his moment? 

He has time to get there, but time is also ticking, and it can't be overstated how important a year this was supposed to be for the Ravens. It's another year of wear and tear on the core players, with potentially nothing having been gained from it all. 

For Jackson in particular, a quarterback who's built on his incredible athleticism and dynamic dual-threat abilities under center, age could play more of a factor than it would for a traditional pocket passer. You could point to his latest injury as an example.

All of that to say, each and every year that passes by without Jackson and the Ravens reaching a Super Bowl sees their window shrink and the importance of the next season multiply. And while 2025-26 is far from over, it couldn't have started any worse for the team and its fans, and that's not something it could afford to have happen.