NFL
Featured Video
Freddie Falls into Dugout
BALTIMORE, MD - NOVEMBER 27: Cornerback Jimmy Smith #22 of the Baltimore Ravens stands on the field during warms up prior to the game against the Houston Texans at M&T Bank Stadium on November 27, 2017 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Todd Olszewski/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD - NOVEMBER 27: Cornerback Jimmy Smith #22 of the Baltimore Ravens stands on the field during warms up prior to the game against the Houston Texans at M&T Bank Stadium on November 27, 2017 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Todd Olszewski/Getty Images)Todd Olszewski/Getty Images

Jimmy Smith Rips 'Fair-Weather' Ravens Fans for Booing Lamar Jackson

Joseph ZuckerJan 6, 2019

Baltimore Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith had little time for Ravens fans who booed Lamar Jackson during the team's 23-17 Wild Card Round defeat to the Los Angeles Chargers.

CBS Sports sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson said during the game that Smith spoke with some fans from the sideline after they were calling for Joe Flacco to replace Jackson (h/t CBSSports.com's Will Brinson).

"For fact that you're a fair-weather fan that quickly, when things go rough, you turned your back on him," Smith said of that interaction, per The Athletic's Jeff Zrebiec. "That just got under my skin a little bit. I went to them and told them, 'Yo, you either ride or die, or you get the hell out of here.'"

Jackson went 14-of-29 for 194 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Both of his passing touchdowns came in the fourth quarter after he struggled for much of the game.

With Baltimore's offense unable to move the ball, some wondered whether Ravens head coach John Harbaugh would make the switch toย Flacco. After the defeat, Harbaugh told reporters he and his coaching staff "were considering" going toย Flaccoย but that they all agreed to stick with Jackson, perย Sports Illustrated'sย Conorย Orr.

One could argue the Ravens' two scoring drives in the fourth quarter validated Harbaugh's decision. The counterargument is that Baltimore may not have been down 20 points in the first place ifย Flaccoย received the keys to the offense earlier in the second half.

While it's easy to second-guess Harbaugh, insertingย Flaccoย into the game wasn't guaranteed to deliver better results.

He's a career 56.6 percent passer in the postseason and averaged 214.9 yards in 15 playoff gamesโ€”189.4 yards if you exclude the Ravens' Super Bowl run in 2012.

One thing is clear: Sunday was almost certainly the last timeย Flaccoย wears a Ravens uniform. Jackson is the team's starter going forward, and Harbaugh already started talking upย Flacco's value for another team, per NFL Network'sย Aditiย Kinkhabwala:

If the football gods have a sense of humor,ย Flaccoย will land with an AFC team this offseason to set up a potential playoff matchup with Jackson and the Ravens next year.

Freddie Falls into Dugout