Lamar Jackson is expected to be the runaway winner for his second NFL MVP award but he didn’t play up to that level on Sunday against the Chiefs. The Baltimore Ravens quarterback threw for 272 yards with one touchdown and one costly interception while rushing for 54 yards.
Andrew Fillipponi of the Audacy original podcast “1st & Pod” sounded off on how Lamar Jackson is treated compared to other quarterbacks in similar positions around the NFL.
“I’m going to be so pissed off (Monday) when I watch these shows – and I tweeted this too. You think he’s going to get treated like Dak Prescott tomorrow? I don’t, but he should, “Fillipponi said of Jackson (35:10 in player above). “He absolutely should.”
“That interception was terrible,” co-host Danny Parkins chimed in.
“He played a terrible game,” Fillipponi exclaimed. “Why can’t people say that?”
Fillipponi then referenced the below tweet by Shannon Sharpe.
Jackson became a bit of a sympathetic figure, and for good reason, after unnecessary shots were taken at him early on in his career. He then won MVP in his second season and has the Ravens on a great path once again.
But he shouldn’t be exempt from criticism.
“There’s this whole kid gloves thing with Lamar because of what idiots like Bill Polian said when he got drafted,” Fillipponi continued. “So right from the beginning, the conversation was contaminated with toxic waste right from the very beginning, and it’s polluted every conversation we’ve had about the guy since.
If Aaron Rodgers did that in the AFC Championship Game people would be smoking cigars on TV the next day in line to make fun of him. It’s true! So why can’t we be consistent about it? That’s all I’m asking for.”