Baltimore Ravens rookie quarterback Lamar Jackson is under the microscope after Sunday's playoff loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.
Jackson, by his own admission, didn't play his best game as the Ravens fell 23-17. His performance prompted many outside the organization to question why the Ravens didn't make the switch to veteran Joe Flacco.
But the chatter within the locker room proved the exact opposite, as teammates clearly had Jackson's back in the present and beyond.
"He's the future, he is the future," safety Eric Weddle told reporters after the game, via the Raven's official website. "He's such a bright kid, unbelievable energy, personality. He's likable, he works hard.
"As you guys could tell, I mean, he's devastated right now, and that's what's going to drive him in the offseason. And, he'll come back 10 times better than he was this year."
With Jackson under center, the Ravens went 6-1 down the stretch to clinch the AFC North division title and a coveted postseason berth.
Cornerback Jimmy Smith emphasized the Ravens aren't in the playoffs without Jackson's play, adding he took exception to some of the booing directed at his teammate during the game.
"This is the same guy that helped us get here and now you're booing him, and I just thought that was a little foul," Smith told reporters. "But for the record, I want to say our fans are a lot better than that. There's a few of them in there that are fair-weather, but overall our fans our great."
In the meantime, the Ravens have plenty of offseason decisions to make when it comes to the roster and moving forward from Sunday's loss.
But Jackson's place atop the depth chart at the quarterback position won't be one of the considerations, and that provides wide receiver Willie Snead optimism that the outlook for the Ravens going forward is good.
"It's really bright," Snead told reporters. "I'm confident that we can come out another year and do the same thing. Lamar, get a whole year under his belt and get to grow ... It will be a good year for us this year."
