Lamar Jackson Wasn't Very 'Quarterbacky' In AFC Championship Loss

Monse Bolanos was right. Lamar Jackson is not "quarterbacky."

At least he wasn't during the AFC Championship Game when he and the Ravens lost to the Kansas City Chiefs as 4.5 point home favorites.

In December, Bolanos argued that while Jackson is a great player, she prefers a more traditional style of play at the quarterback position.

"I want my quarterbacks to be quarterbacky," she said on Fox Sports Radio. "To me, Lamar Jackson's just a great athlete."

Her comment drew ire. The sports media, LeBron James, and "Black Twitter" pounced.

“ an angrier social media reaction from Black Twitter in months," wrote USA Today blogger Mike Freeman.

Another USA Today column called the term, quarterbacky, a "dog whistle."

"Quarterbacky huh!?!? NAAAAHHHHH!! H.I.M," LeBron posted.

Jemele Hill, Robert Griffin III, and Ryan Clark also chimed in stocking racial animus.

Bolanos' comment was the fuel the media needed to further the hypothesis that Jackson is a victim of the black QB resistance, a fallacy Bomani Jones spoke about last week.

Now, Bolanos did engage in a form of sensationalism. Sports radio rewards hyperbole, see Chris Russo, Jim Rome, and Mike Francesa.

Bolanos understood that as a weekend radio host filling in on weekdays during the holidays.

However, her point was that Jackson is not a great pocket passer. She used the dysphemism "quarterbacky" instead of "pocket passer" to spice up the segment.

And her point was valid.

Jackson ranked 15th in passing yards, 14th in passing touchdowns, and 11th in completion percentage at the time of Bolanos' rant, on December 28.

His limitations as a passer were on display Sunday. And not just during the play in which he essentially threw the game away into triple coverage:

Former Tennessee Titans offensive lineman Taylor Lewan explained going into the game during an appearance on FanDuel TV that the "formula" to stopping Jackson is "making him throw the football."

Evidently, Chiefs' defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo agreed.

Spagnuolo implemented a game plan to limit Jackson's running lanes and force him to throw downfield.

Kansas City did that. Jackson completed just 54% of his passes with a QBR of 42.9.

Even the week prior, during the Houston game in which the media raved about Jackson's performance, he threw for just 152 yards.

It was the addition of 100 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns that made Jackson's performance impressive.

Jackson is an okay passer. His running skills — and threat to run the ball — make him a great player.

Saying so isn't a dog whistle.

It's no different than the many, many analysts who knock Jared Goff for his lack of athleticism -- which, oh, by the way, was also on display in the NFC Championship on two fourth-down incompletions.

Most quarterbacks in the NFL have flaws, vivid flaws. Mahomes is the exception.

Allen throws too many interceptions. Burrow can't stay healthy. Justin Herbert does not win big games. Jalen Hurts is undersized.

Lamar Jackson is a mediocre pocket passer. You could argue he's not that quarterbacky.

And, thus far, that has cost him in the playoffs. He's 2-4 in the postseason despite having home-field advantage twice.

Monse Bolanos is not a racist. She's a radio host who needed not provide a caption on Sunday: