Lamar Jackson finally gets chance to dethrone Patrick Mahomes in Chiefs-Ravens showdown
BALTIMORE This will be the first true legacy game for Lamar Jackson, eyeball-to-eyeball with Patrick Mahomes for a berth in Super Bowl LVIII.
Mahomes has twice taken the Chiefs to the top of the football mountain, and now defends the crown that Jackson desperately wants and needs to be King, after all these years as Prince of Baltimore.
Dan Marino didnt need to win a Super Bowl to glide into the Hall of Fame, and with Jackson eyeing his second NFL MVP, he may not either.
But for these three hours beginning Sunday at 3 p.m., Jackson will have this dream chance to knock Mahomes off his throne for the next dream chance to hoist the Lombardi Trophy for the first time, Feb. 11 inside Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
Game of thrones.
Mahomes, still young enough and great enough at 28 to aspire to chase down Tom Bradys seven Super Bowl championships, has had his moments.
5Lamar Jackson sits 60 minutes away from his first Super Bowl appearance. AP
5Patrick Mahomes has already won two Super Bowls at 28 years old. APThis is Lamar Jacksons moment.
This is his first time standing 60 minutes from a Super Bowl, against the wondrous improvisational gunslinger who knows no fear in enemy territory, when an entire city is against him the way it will be on this afternoon.
This Lamar Jackson can thread the needle over defenseless critics with his arm as well as eluding them with his legs.
This is the Lamar Jackson that former NFL quarterback and current Fox Sports NFL analyst Michael Vick envisioned when he first saw him at Louisville.
I was always looking for that next guy who looked like me, Vick told The Post, and when I seen Lamar, I instantly felt like that was it when I watched him when he was at Louisville.
5Patrick Mahomes enters Sunday’s AFC Championship game with a 3-1 record against Lamar Jackson. APThe arrival of offensive coordinator Todd Monken and additions of rookie Zay Flowers, and fellow wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Nelson Agholor has made for the perfect storm, and Jackson is the eye of that ragin Ravens tempest.
I think Patrick Mahomes has the same style as Lamar Jackson, Vick said. I just think Lamar Jackson might run a faster 40-yard dash, can get in and out of traffic a little faster than Patrick. But Patrick can turn the jets on when its time to turn em on, and he can run and get away from guys when he needs to.
You take a bathroom break at the risk of witnessing magic. … a no-look pass from Mahomes, or a Houdini escape from the pocket … a great escape from Jackson followed by a tackle-me-if-you-can romp … or the kind of precision throw that misguided doubters who viewed him as a receiver coming out of college didnt believe he had in his repertoire.
5Lamar Jackson has thrived while playing alongside new offensive coordinator Todd Monken. API always knew he had the ability to pass the football, Vick said. Its good to see him doing it at a high level, because hes preserving his body and getting everybody around him the ball.
A 60-minute star war. Mahomes won their first three showdowns before Jackson prevailed 36-35 at home in 2021.
Vick was a human highlight reel who followed Randall Cunningham and is proud that he helped be a pioneer who paved the way for the dual-threat quarterback.
The evolution of the position, you see things that I thought I would never see when I was fighting to be a mobile quarterback and a dual threat quarterback, Vick said. If you go back and look at magazines from 2005, I was on the cover of Sports Illustrated saying, I am a quarterback, and I was fighting for this moment. You look at these guys who can do it all now, man, and it just makes the game more exciting.
Keep up with the most important sports news
Sign up for Starting Lineup for the biggest stories.
Thanks for signing up
Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address.
By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Never miss a story.
Check out more newslettersMarty Mornhinweg, who coached Vick under Andy Reid in Philadelphia, was the Ravens offensive coordinator from 2016-18.
He told me before the draft that he was going to take Lamar if he was sitting at 32 in the draft, Vick said.
The Ravens traded up for the Eagles 32nd pick for Jackson. And I told him he probably would never regret that, or that organization, Vick said, and now you see what they got.
Vick is looking forward to reconnecting with the 27-year-old MVP quarterback he helped mentor.
I cant say he was upset, he never said he was upset, but I just know when I wanted him to get back out there and play last year when his knee was hurt, which I felt he could win on one leg versus anybody, Vick said. We havent really spoke since then. Its no friction or animosity. Thats my little brother, so Im excited to watch him play this weekend.
5Lamar Jackson accounted for four total touchdowns in the Ravens’ win against the Texans in the divisional round. APIt was in November of Jacksons 2019 MVP season when coach John Harbaugh crouched down to his Lamarvelous quarterback seated on the bench during an explosion against the Bengals and told him:
You changed the game, man. You know how many little kids in this country are going to be wearing No. 8 playing quarterback for the next 20 years?
And Jackson responded:
I cant wait to see it. When I get older. … But right now I got to get to the Super Bowl.
Right now he has to get to the Super Bowl, because it would be a rightful homage to his greatness.
I cant wait to watch it, Vick said. You got the best versus the best.
Game of thrones.
How many decks are used in poker?
In most popular poker variants, such as Texas Hold'em and Omaha, a standard deck of 52 playing cards is used. Each deck contains four suits (hearts, diamonds, clubs, and spades) and consists of 13 ranks (Ace, 2 through 10, and the face cards: Jack, Queen, and King).
What is the bonus code for WPT Global Poker 2023?
The best bonus code for WPT Global is WPT777. By entering the bonus code, players will get a welcome bonus 100% up to $1,200 on the first deposit. The minimum deposit is $20.
What is the best WPT Global bonus code?
Use the WPT Global bonus code WPT777 when registering to get a 100% deposit bonus up to $1200 plus a $100 No Deposit poker bonus.
