Getty Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson
When Lamar Jackson takes the field for the Baltimore Ravens in the 2019 NFL Playoffs Sunday, he has a chance to break an NFL record. Technically, it’s another record, as the rookie quarterback will set a new bar as soon as he steps off the sidelines at the start of the team’s first drive.
Jackson, who’s 21 years old currently, is set to become the youngest player to start a playoff game on Sunday. But a record that’s surely far more important to him, the Ravens and their fanbase is the chance for him to surpass Michael Vick as the youngest player to ever win a postseason game.
While Jackson’s birthday is on Monday, at 21 years and 364 days old, he has the chance to top Vick by 193 days to take the record.
Michael Vick’s Record & Rookie QB Playoff Struggles
Vick, who was then with the Atlanta Falcons, broke the record during the 2003 NFL Playoffs at the age of 22 years and 192 days old. The victory came in impressive fashion as well, with the quarterback leading his team into Lambeau Field on January 4, 2003, to knock off the Green Bay Packers.
And while Vick’s record will be tough to break, it’s even harder when you consider how rookie quarterbacks have fared in recent years. As the Ravens official website revealed, the last five rookies to start a playoff game have lost. Along with that, the only two victories since 2010 (2-7 overall record), came when two first-year players faced off.
The first matchup came in 2011 when Andy Dalton and T.J. Yates played and the second was a matchup between Russell Wilson and Robert Griffin III in 2012. There’s no question winning in the postseason is a tall task for a young player, but it’s been especially tough in recent years.
Lamar Jackson’s Impressive Rookie Season
Arguably the stat which stands out most from Jackson’s rookie campaign is the fact he led the Ravens to a 6-1 record and the division title. The former Louisville Cardinals star was drafted No. 32 overall in the 2018 NFL Draft after Baltimore traded up to make sure they were able to get him.
Jackson has averaged 79.4 rushing yards over the seven-game span as a starter, totaling 695 yards and five touchdowns on the ground for the year. He’s thrown for 1,201 yards with six touchdowns as well, with just three interceptions on the season. Although Jackson has struggled with accuracy from time-to-time, he was excellent at avoiding turnovers down the final stretch of the year.
The Ravens’ new starter threw three interceptions over his first two starts, but in the five games since has scored seven combined touchdowns without being picked off once. Over that same span, he also posted a quarterback rating of 91.0 or better on three occasions.
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