The Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans faced off in the AFC Divisional Round. Ultimately, Lamar Jackson and the Ravens won 34-10, advancing to a home AFC Championship Game. The loss also marked the end for rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud.
Following the game, Jackson and Stroud met up and shared words. What did Jackson have to say to Stroud?
Lamar Jackson Shares Message With C.J. Stroud
In the game, Jackson had one of his best performances. He went 16 of 22 for 152 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Additionally, he had 11 carries for 100 yards and two more touchdowns. He is one of just five players to record multiple passing touchdowns and multiple rushing touchdowns in a playoff game.
Stroud, on the other hand, didn’t have his best day. He finished the day going 19 of 33 for 175 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. He was coming off an impressive playoff debut, one in which he went 16 of 21 for 274 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions.
“Go win it all,” Stroud said to Jackson following the game. Jackson, however, gave Stroud a message to remember: “It’s the beginning for you, cuz. You feel me? You gonna be there,” Jackson said. “Keep balling, bro.”
"It's just the beginning for you."@Lj_era8 with an awesome message for @CJ7STROUD 🙏 pic.twitter.com/CWl0i2GfiI
— NFL Films (@NFLFilms) January 22, 2024
Jackson is the heavy favorite to win the MVP award this season. According to FOX Sports, Jackson has -10000 odds, with the next closest being Dak Prescott with +1800 odds. If he wins the award, it will be his second. Additionally, he is playing in his first AFC Championship Game and looking for his first Super Bowl victory.
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In 2023, Jackson passed for 3,678 yards, 24 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He also rushed for 821 yards and five touchdowns on 148 attempts. The Ravens won 13 games under his lead.
Stroud, on the other hand, was taken with the second overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. In his rookie season, he’s accumulated 4,108 passing yards, 23 touchdowns, and five interceptions in 15 games. He also rushed for 167 yards and three more touchdowns. The Texans finished the season 10-7.
Stroud’s impressive rookie season has him as the heavy-betting favorite to win Offensive Rookie of the Year. According to FOX Sports, he has -900 odds, a clear favorite over a second-place Puka Nacua, who carries +400 odds.
The Ravens are set to face the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game. The Chiefs finished the season 11-6 and have defeated the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills on their path to the conference title matchup with the Ravens. The game will kick off at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, Jan. 28, and will be shown on CBS.
Want to predict the results of the 2023 NFL postseason with our FREE NFL Playoff Predictor? How about looking into in-depth breakdowns of team depth charts or the NFL playoff schedule? Pro Football Network has you covered with all that and more!