Ravens' Lamar Jackson enters playoffs, proving ground vs. Texans - ESPN

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — After the Baltimore Ravens clinched the AFC's No. 1 seed on New Year's Eve, players joyfully commemorated the season by taking group pictures while holding a newspaper whose headline read «AFC's Best.» They let loose in the locker room by dancing in the middle of the floor, where even coach John Harbaugh showed off his moves.

Amid the celebratory chaos, quarterback Lamar Jackson barely cracked a smile. He dapped up teammates with a stoic look on his face, which has become his usual postgame demeanor this season.

«We've got more to do,» he told them.

Jackson understands he is entering his proving ground — a postseason that will either change the narrative from his first six seasons in the NFL or continue to underscore his most discussed shortcoming.

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Few quarterbacks have dominated in the regular season and then disappointed in the postseason like Jackson. At 27, he's in line to become the youngest two-time NFL Most Valuable Player since the merger (edging the Kansas City Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes by just over nine months), and he's won more regular-season games (58) than any quarterback at his age.

But Jackson has struggled at the most critical part of the season, going 1-3 in the playoffs with four total touchdowns and seven turnovers. The only quarterback to win more than 50 games in his first six seasons and have fewer postseason victories is Andy Dalton (0-4).

When the Ravens host the Houston Texans in the divisional round Saturday (4:30 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN), Jackson begins the most important stretch of his career.

«Lamar's