“Something will inevitably go wrong”- Analyst pours cold water on Lamar Jackson' Ravens going past regular-season glory

The Baltimore Ravens showed they weren't done making additions yet this offseason, adding another star veteran to their roster. On Wednesday, two-time MVP Lamar Jackson shared his excitement after the front office brought in his former college teammate and two-time All-Pro, Jaire Alexander.

Less than a day after Baltimore's secondary-bolstering move, NFL analyst Joe Fortenbaugh put a halt to Lamar Jackson's celebration. On Thursday's episode of "First Take," Fortenbaugh questioned the Ravens' ceiling with Alexander, pointing the finger at the team's inability to get over the hump in the AFC.

"The Ravens are a wonderful regular season team, but that's where it ends," Fortenbaugh said. "Lamar Jackson might be the greatest regular-season quarterback of all time, but that's where it ends. You want to win a Super Bowl, you've got to win a minimum of three, maximum of four consecutive games against good teams."

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He went on to offer a bleak prediction for Baltimore's season, citing the team's history of postseason struggles.

"It'll be a fun season, probably win 12 games. There will be a lot of hype and excitement, and then we'll get to the playoffs, and something will inevitably go wrong because that's what Baltimore does."

Last season, Baltimore suffered a 27-25 loss to the Buffalo Bills in the divisional round, failing to avenge their AFC Championship loss versus the Kansas City Chiefs in 2023.

Lamar Jackson defends Mark Andrews from criticism after failed 2-point conversion

After fighting back from a 21-10 deficit in their divisional round loss versus Buffalo, the Ravens had an opportunity to tie the game at 27-27 following a touchdown in the fourth quarter. Lamar Jackson connected with Isaiah Likely for a 24-yard score with 1:33 on the clock.

Needing a two-point conversion, Jackson looked to his trusted target, Mark Andrews. In a shocking turn, Andrews dropped the pass at the goal line, resulting in the team's playoff loss. After facing criticism for much of the offseason, Jackson defended his tight end earlier this week, telling reporters:

"I've been seeing my guy be getting talked about and I really don't like that because he's done so much for us. Mark is still Mark, for sure, no doubt."

Andrews caught 55 passes during the regular season in 2024, racking up 673 receiving yards and a career-high 11 touchdowns.

Edited by Alvin Amansec