Chapter 1355: Chapter 1354: Lying Flat and Taking the Ridicule
“Regular Season King: Lamar Jackson and his Baltimore Ravens.”
“Mistakes bury the hopes of the Baltimore Ravens, Lamar Jackson loses himself under pressure.”
“Live by Lamar Jackson, die by Lamar Jackson—when Lamar Jackson alone surpasses five hundred yards passing and rushing, maybe John Harbaugh should reflect on what happened.”
“Historically best offensive group, ultimate quarterback perfect model. Yet completely fails in the playoffs!”
“Come on, all those data worshippers quickly come and bow to Lamar Jackson, and then… celebrate the Baltimore Ravens’ loss.”
“After hyping Lamar Jackson as extraordinary for so long, is this it?”
“Once again bottling it in the playoffs, if this is the ultimate quarterback model, I’m not sure other teams in the league want this model.”
“Severely overrated. Severely overhyped. Regular season MVP-level performance, yet unable to withstand in the playoffs? Ha, look at last season’s Li Wei.”
“The Baltimore Ravens are like those students who ace everything but fail the final exam. For God’s sake, stop boasting.”
“Where’s the promised ‘Baltimore Ravens VS Kansas City Chiefs’? Damn it, pay me back my bet.”
“Lamar Jackson’s season is like my New Year’s plan: perfect start, terrible end.”
“So, does anyone still think Lamar Jackson should be the regular season MVP?”
“Lamar Jackson is like my love life, I pour my heart and soul into everything, and he always finds a way to mess everything up and backfires on me.”
“Let’s give a round of applause for the future of the league—shrouded in darkness.”
Criticism. Mockery. Tucao. Jokes. Ridicule.
Everything’s there.
Of course, there are also praises and encouragements, from the perspective of professionals, losing is not just Lamar Jackson’s problem, Harbaugh needs to calm down and think about the whole team’s issues, otherwise no matter how much Jackson throws and rushes for five hundred yards, he still can’t carry the team further in the playoffs.
Moreover, this is only Jackson’s second season, there’s no need to be too harsh.
However, it is of no use—
The League is promoting and publicizing vigorously, not only building momentum for Jackson, but in early discussions for regular season MVP, Jackson was practically running unopposed, even Li Wei stood aside, experiencing a taste of faded glory; and they’ve been hyping up “Baltimore Ravens VS Kansas City Chiefs,” with various signs pointing to Li Wei and Jackson facing off again, potentially replacing “Brady VS Big Manning” as the American League’s destined showdown.
Expectations rising, peaking strongly, all eyes inside and outside the league converged to a new height.
And then, this is it?
With a gentle poke, the bubble burst.
Predictably, the backlash came crashing down, unstoppable.
Lamar Jackson once again stands in the eye of the storm—
If this is the ultimate quarterback perfect model, if this is the next face of the league, if this is the leader bearing the responsibility of future football development, he needs to show more convincing performances.
Losing to the Houston Texans?
This, is far from enough, even if Jackson passes and runs for five hundred yards it’s not enough.
Jackson… is lying resigned, open to ridicule.
Undoubtedly, for Jackson, this is a heavy blow.
No need for anyone to remind, Jackson hasn’t forgotten last season’s events.
After taking over as starting quarterback midseason, he soared up like a comet, standing at the universe’s center overnight, basking in applause and cheers, as if owning the whole world; however, in the first playoff game, he lost to the Los Angeles Chargers, and Jackson’s poor performance must bear responsibility for the defeat.
Then, the nightmare reoccurs.
Despite Jackson’s excellent performance this time, dazzling statistics prove his strength; yet one interception and one fumble mistake stood out, worse, the team lost again, missing out on the Super Bowl.
In two seasons of his professional career, Jackson still hasn’t won a playoff game.
Damn it, damn it damn it damn it.
Jackson needs some time to quietly heal his wounds, regain his sanity, those mockeries, those attacks, those ridicules, can’t hurt him at all.
He intends to ignore them completely.
Until—
“‘Rookie Shadow,’ he loses to Li Wei so many times he might develop a psychological shadow on it? Just imagining reaching the conference finals only to lose to Li Wei again, he might have been already dispirited and jittery in the divisional round, influencing his performance, who would’ve thought, this time, he couldn’t even reach Li Wei’s front, probably the funniest moment of the season, digging his own grave. Come to think of it, actually… quite clever.”
This comment from an ordinary netizen’s social media unexpectedly received 600,000 likes and 140,000 shares, the online heat broke five million, spreading widely.
The comment nowhere mentions Lamar Jackson or anyone else’s name, the only clue is Li Wei, but netizens easily guessed the target of the ridicule, and someone was directly hit.
Jackson suddenly sprang up: You’re funny, your whole family is funny!
A man can be killed but not humiliated!
Originally lying resigned, Jackson finally charged out of his house, only to face a throng of reporters.
The crafty reporters didn’t besiege Jackson directly but threw out a question.
“Lamar, will you watch the conference finals?”
Jackson: …
“Lamar, do you still believe you’re the best candidate for regular season MVP?”
“Lamar, who do you think will meet in the Super Bowl, please predict the conference finals outcome.”
Killing the heart, hitting the face—
The reporters are the real tough opponents, they don’t even mention Li Wei or Kansas City Chiefs, but effortlessly complete their attack on Jackson.
Strike after strike deadly.
Jackson: Why are you doing this to me?
To wear the crown, one must bear its weight.
JJ-Watt, Aaron Donald, Li Wei, etc., have all been through such treatment, so far only Li Wei withstood the pressure and responded strongly from the top, again proving the cruelty of the competitive sports world.
However, even more cruel and realistic is that reporters gathered at Jackson’s doorstep only stayed two days, then all vanished, without a trace, as if never appearing, yet Jackson wasn’t used to it.
Because a loser has no value to continue being watched as yesterday’s news.
For a moment, Jackson couldn’t tell if he was disappointed or happy, clearly should have been relieved, but there was a sense of humiliation, standing there bewildered, his heart almost exploding.
Jackson sincerely desires to defeat Li Wei, after losing in the third week of the regular season, he’s been grinding, the whole season topping alongside Li Wei, only to fall at the last hurdle before meeting.
It is because of this the netizen’s comment hit a nerve.
Li Wei is not his Heart Demon, absolutely not! Not not not ahhh, Li Wei is not the Heart Demon, he doesn’t have a Heart Demon, why is everyone bullying him?
Why! Why!