Lamar Jackson loves being the underdog. Curiously, the Baltimore Ravens quarterback remains a polarising figure, but has long been a master of proving people wrong.

As a motivational strategy it is not unique. But if critics weren’t respecting Jackson and the Ravens, they are now.

At 12-3, Baltimore have the NFL’s best record after their brutal 33-19 Christmas Day dismantling of San Francisco, who were previously hailed as the NFL’s most complete team.

The Ravens – who went into the game as 6.5-point underdogs – shattered that illusion with Jackson completing 23 of 35 passes for 252 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for a team-high 45 yards, including a trademark 30-yard scramble.

‘I believe we’ve got a bunch of guys who’ve been doubted, a bunch of guys who’ve got things to prove – on our team – on both sides of the ball,’ Jackson said on Wednesday. ‘So, I believe, anytime we’re the underdogs, we’re going to always rise to the occasion. But we’ve got to stay locked in to do that.’

Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens are dreaming of Super Bowl glory this season

Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens are dreaming of Super Bowl glory this season

Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens are dreaming of Super Bowl glory this season

A demolition job on the San Francisco 49ers has Jackson (right) leading the NFL's MVP race

A demolition job on the San Francisco 49ers has Jackson (right) leading the NFL's MVP race

A demolition job on the San Francisco 49ers has Jackson (right) leading the NFL’s MVP race

After five wins in a row, it does not get any easier. The Ravens can clinch a vital bye and home-field advantage through the playoffs with victory over the Miami Dolphins (11-4) on Sunday.

But it helps that Jackson is in the form of his life and looks the complete player. While both Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen are dynamic improvisers, the ever elusive and utterly unpredictable Jackson leads all quarterbacks this season with 786 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns.

Jackson is a joy to watch but a nightmare for opposing defences, such is his unerring ability to elude tackles, extend plays and make downfield throws.

Yet he has become used to his unfair share of criticism.

In 2016 he became the youngest-ever recipient of the Heisman Trophy – the annual award handed out to the outstanding player in college football – at Louisville.

Two years later, he headed to Baltimore as the final pick of the first round in the 2018 NFL draft.

‘They’re gonna get a Super Bowl out of me. Believe that,’ Jackson told Deion Sanders that night.

Critics quickly leapt on Lamar, with some even saying he should switch to wide receiver. They haven’t got off his back since.

In his second year in the NFL, Jackson was unanimously voted the League’s MVP as the Ravens romped to a 14-2 record, securing home-field advantage and a precious first-round bye.

But it counted for little as the Ravens fell at the first hurdle, losing 28-12 against the Tennessee Titans in the divisional round.

Jackson was picked up by Baltimore as the final pick of the first round in the 2018 NFL draft

Jackson was picked up by Baltimore as the final pick of the first round in the 2018 NFL draft

Jackson was picked up by Baltimore as the final pick of the first round in the 2018 NFL draft

Critics suggested he should transform into a wide receiver but he has excelled at quarterback

Critics suggested he should transform into a wide receiver but he has excelled at quarterback

Critics suggested he should transform into a wide receiver but he has excelled at quarterback

‘We just need to keep going, keep staying locked in and keep staying focused, because we know what it was in 2019 when we were playing against teams like this and winning regular season games,’ Jackson said after the win in San Francisco.

‘When the time came, we didn’t finish the season. We’re just going to keep taking it a day at a time, a practice at a time and a game at a time. That’s all I’m focused on right now.’

It seems like a world away, but Jackson and the Ravens began the season at an impasse.

In his first four years in the NFL, Jackson had the run heavy Greg Roman as offensive coordinator but with a lack of weapons at receiver, Baltimore had become one-dimensional.

With Jackson injured down the stretch last year with a PCL injury, Baltimore’s season ended with a playoff defeat in Cincinnati and backup Tyler Huntley at quarterback.

In March, Jackson – who does not have an agent – demanded a trade. He was free to speak to and negotiate with any NFL team after the Ravens used the non-exclusive franchise tag, giving Baltimore the right to match any offer. But not one team confirmed an interest publicly.

Jackson and the Ravens settled their differences in May, with the 26-year-old becoming the NFL’s best paid player after signing a $260million, five-year deal, including $185m guaranteed.

In the offseason, Baltimore worked on diversifying their offence. In came Todd Monken as offensive coordinator in February. Then Super Bowl winning wide receiver Odell Beckham Jnr joined before wideout Zay Flowers was picked in the first round of April’s draft.

Jackson is a more complete player than in his MVP year and is on the cusp of setting a career-high in passing yards, throwing for 3,357 yards, 19 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

The season started with former unanimous MVP Jackson and the Ravens at an impasse

The season started with former unanimous MVP Jackson and the Ravens at an impasse

The season started with former unanimous MVP Jackson and the Ravens at an impasse

Jackson, who does not have an agent, bet on himself and he is backing that talk up this season

Jackson, who does not have an agent, bet on himself and he is backing that talk up this season

Jackson, who does not have an agent, bet on himself and he is backing that talk up this season

Baltimore are a fearsome proposition. With the ball they can control the clock through a physical run game – which has overcome injuries to running backs JK Dobbins and Keaton Mitchell – and produce explosive plays with efficient passing.

Without it, they boast a swarming defence of which franchise legends Ray Lewis and Ed Reed would be proud. 

Defensive tackle Justin Madubuike is enjoying a breakout season with 12 sacks, while veteran edge rushers Jadeveon Clowney and Kyle Van Noy – both late free agent pick ups – are enjoying a renaissance with the Ravens.

Linebackers Roquan Smith and Patrick Queen organise the defence and smother ball carriers while heat seeking safety Kyle Hamilton (81 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, four interceptions, three sacks) is a lock in for All Pro honours in his second season.

And in Justin Tucker, they boast the NFL’s best kicker. With a 90.2 per cent conversion rate, Tucker is as close to a guaranteed field goal as there is. But at the centre of it all is Jackson, who has a 57-19 record in the regular season, but is 1-3 in the playoffs.

‘He can do everything,’ Flowers said this week. ‘You saw it (Monday). He ran it; he threw it; he led the team. That’s the MVP.

The Ravens are a fearsome opponent for the rest of the NFL as they can dictate on both sides

The Ravens are a fearsome opponent for the rest of the NFL as they can dictate on both sides

The Ravens are a fearsome opponent for the rest of the NFL as they can dictate on both sides

‘You lead your team, you have the best record in the NFL, and he just comes out and continues to come out and do what he does game in and game out even though people say: ‘He can’t do this. He can’t do that,’ and he comes out and proves them wrong every time.’

Ravens head coach John Harbaugh added: ‘I thought Lamar had an MVP performance. It takes a team to create a performance like that, but it takes a player to play at that level – to play at an MVP level – it takes a player to play that way.

‘And Lamar was all over the field doing everything.’

Underdog or otherwise, Jackson is determined to keep his Super Bowl promise and is set on silencing any doubters once again.

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