If you're waking up today, January 16, 2026, looking for a channel to watch No. 8 do his thing, I’ve got some pretty rough news.
Lamar Jackson is not playing today. In fact, he won't be playing again until next September.
It’s a bitter pill for the Ravens Flock. Usually, mid-January is when Baltimore is deep in the playoff mud, grinding out wins in the cold. But today? The locker rooms at Under Armour Performance Center are quiet. The season ended on a freezing night in Pittsburgh about two weeks ago, and honestly, the way it went down is still haunting the fan base.
The Heartbreak in Pittsburgh
The Ravens didn’t just miss the playoffs; they missed them by the width of a goalpost.
On January 4, Jackson dragged a beat-up Baltimore team into Acrisure Stadium for a "win-and-in" scenario. It was basically a playoff game before the actual playoffs. Jackson was coming off a back injury that had sidelined him, but he looked like his vintage self in the fourth quarter. He threw two massive touchdowns to Zay Flowers—one for 50 yards and another for 64.
He did everything. Literally everything.
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But then, the defense couldn't hold a lead against Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers. Even after that, Lamar put the team in position for a game-winning 44-yard field goal. Tyler Loop missed it. Just like that, an 8-9 season was in the books.
So, while the Buffalo Bills and Denver Broncos are gearing up for their Divisional Round matchup tomorrow, Lamar is likely at home in South Florida or back in Baltimore, already looking at 2026.
What Lamar Jackson Play Today Actually Looks Like
Even though there's no game on the schedule, the "play" of Lamar Jackson is under a microscope right now. People are arguing about whether he’s still that same guy who won two MVPs.
The stats from 2025 are weirdly polarizing.
On one hand, he had some of the most clutch moments of his career. On the other, the rushing numbers were the lowest we've ever seen. He finished the year with 2,549 passing yards and 21 touchdowns. But the rushing? Only 349 yards.
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That’s a massive shift from the 1,000-yard seasons we got used to.
Part of that was the injury bug. He dealt with a hamstring issue early on, then an ankle, and finally that back contusion that kept him out of a critical game against the Packers. When he was on the field, the offensive line was a revolving door. He got sacked four times in just three quarters against Cleveland. You can’t expect a guy to be a human highlight reel when he's constantly picking himself up off the turf.
The Rushing Decline: Concern or Evolution?
There's a vocal group of analysts—and plenty of fans on Twitter—who think the "Lamar Era" is hitting a wall. They see the 349 rushing yards and think he’s lost his burst.
I don't think it's that simple.
Todd Monken’s offense has clearly tried to move Lamar into a more traditional "distributor" role to extend his career. It works when the receivers are healthy. But when you’re missing Rashod Bateman for chunks of time and the protection is shaky, that "evolution" looks more like a limitation.
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- Injury Management: He missed four games total this year.
- The Big Plays: He’s still the only QB in NFL history with two lead-changing 50-plus yard TDs in a single 4th quarter.
- Consistency: The "hero ball" moments are there, but the week-to-week efficiency dropped.
What's Next for No. 8?
The Ravens have already finalized their 2026 opponents. It’s going to be a gauntlet. They’ve got road trips to Dallas, Houston, and Buffalo.
The front office has some soul-searching to do. Do they double down on the Derrick Henry/Lamar duo, or do they need to completely overhaul the pass protection? Most experts believe the priority has to be the interior offensive line. If Lamar isn't going to run for 80 yards a game anymore, he needs a pocket that doesn't collapse in two seconds.
He’s 29 now. That’s not old for a quarterback, but for a dual-threat guy with his mileage, the clock is ticking.
Moving Forward: What to Watch
Since there’s no game today, the best thing you can do is keep an eye on the injury reports and off-season moves starting in March.
- Monitor the Coaching Staff: There’s always talk about whether Monken’s system truly fits Lamar's strengths.
- Draft Focus: Look for the Ravens to target offensive line and secondary depth in the first two rounds.
- Recovery: This is the first time in a while Lamar has had a full January and February to just heal. That might be the silver lining in missing the playoffs.
You can't watch him play today, but the work he puts in over the next six months will determine if the 2026 season ends in another heartbreak or a deep playoff run.