Stephen A. Smith doesn’t want to hear excuses from Lamar Jackson after Zay Flowers’ injury before playoffs: “Enough’s enough”
Stephen A. Smith wants to see Lamar Jackson step up and elevate his game despite losing Zay Flowers in the Wild Card Round.
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Stephen A. Smith and Lamar Jackson (Image Credits: L-via ESPN, R-via IMAGO)
It has been a remarkable year for Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens. The 12-5 team is headed to the playoffs and are considered as a serious contender to win the Super Bowl this season. However, as Baltimore gears up to face the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wild Card round, the team faces a setback as Pro Bowler Zay Flowers has been ruled out of the game due to a knee injury.
While Zay Flowers’ absence will impact Baltimore’s offense, Stephen A. Smith believes it does not give Lamar Jackson a reason to struggle against their divisional rivals. The analyst came out all-guns-blazing on First Take as he iterated the importance of winning this game for the quarterback’s legacy.
Smith believes a two-time NFL MVP should be able to manage without his top receiver. The analyst was not criticizing the quarterback but is merely stating that his talent and ability should suffice to be able to beat the Steelers.
I believe in Lamar Jackson, he is an MVP candidate (but) he better not struggle. He better not struggle, I don’t want to hear that…You better not struggle. Enough’s enough, two-time league MVP, nine people in the NFL history have won two league MVPs and every single one of them is a Super Bowl champion but Lamar Jackson…I don’t care because Lamar Jackson has got Derrick Henry.
Stephen A. Smith said
.@stephenasmith says Lamar Jackson "better not struggle" without Zay Flowers against the Steelers ?
— First Take (@FirstTake) January 10, 2025
"Enough's enough. This is a two-time league MVP. … It's because of his greatness that we need the expectations met." pic.twitter.com/Sqme7US0su
Lamar Jackson’s Baltimore Ravens have the best offense in the NFL this season
Flowers’ absence is a setback as he had a good season and etched his name into the team’s history books by making the Pro Bowl. However, Baltimore’s offense is stacked with talent, and quarterback Lamar Jackson himself is having a remarkable season with 4,172 yards and 41 touchdowns but the team’s new addition at running back, Derrick Henry has been brilliant as well.
The running back came close to having yet another 2,000-yard rushing season. With 1,921 yards and 16 touchdowns, his achievements this season have not been appreciated as much because of Saquon Barkley’s dominant season. This duo is the heart and soul of the Ravens’ offense but the team has other stars too such as tight end Mark Andrews and Rashod Bateman who step up when needed and do their job well.
There is a reason why the Ravens rank atop the NFL’s offensive rankings this season. They have multiple options to fall back on and fortunately, the team’s defense has been looking dangerous in recent weeks. This team is complete in all spheres of the game and surprisingly, more dangerous than Baltimore was last year. With this in mind, Stephen A. Smith is right to affirm that Lamar Jackson should not be struggling against the Steelers despite losing Zay Flowers.
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Sumedh Joshi
(2235 Articles Published)