Ravens motivated by disrespect heading into big clash with Miami: 'We the underdogs'

BALTIMORE - The Baltimore Ravens may have the NFL's best record, but they still feel they aren't getting the respect they deserve.

"We the underdogs," quarterback Lamar Jackson said on Wednesday.

The Ravens (12-3) clocked the NFC's best and, for many, the Super Bowl favorites, the San Francisco 49ers last Sunday. Jackson was in MVP form with 252 passing yards, and two touchdowns, and was evading the 49ers' defense constantly with his legs.

All the Ravens need to do is beat Miami (11-4) on Sunday to secure the AFC's top seed, and a bye, in the playoffs.

Jackson was fired up after the Ravens' dominating 33-19 win over San Francisco, then replying to NBC commentator Mike Florio saying the 49ers would "kick the (expletive) out of the Ravens."

 Florio said about the game, "If it's a Super Bowl preview, the Super Bowl is gonna suck."

"He needs to just keep doing his job, but don't come off like that towards us. Because that's disrespectful, like I said," Jackson said after the game. "Because he ain't putting them pads on. If he were putting them pads on I feel like it'd be different for him," said Jackson.

Jackson said on Wednesday that he doesn't typically pay attention to the critics. However, he heard Florio's jab and said he didn't like the way it was said.

"I really don't pay attention to it," Jackson said. "It was just how he presented it. That was like, 'dang you really feel this way?' We are an NFL team as well. We are not a high school team going against an NFL team. I just felt someway about that."

The Ravens have won five games in a row since that 33-31 loss to Cleveland on November 12.

They can earn the No. 1 seed in the AFC and win the AFC North with a home victory on Sunday. Kickoff on Sunday is slated for 1 p.m. on WJZ.

"There's a lot of motivation but I believe we was already motivated," Jackson said. "I believe we are locked in."

The Dolphins have won four of their last five games.

Tua Tagovailoa, the older brother of Maryland Terps QB Taulia Tagovailoa, leads the NFL with 4,214 passing yards. He also has 26 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

Wide receiver Tyreek Hill leads the league with 1,641 receiving yards. He also has 10 touchdowns. Running back Raheem Mostert is fourth in rushing with 1,012 yards, and has 18 touchdowns.

"It's an exciting situation to be in," Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said. "You get to this time of the year, you play yourself into these kinds of games, and you have an opportunity where the games mean so much, where winning one game brings such a big reward because of what you have done up to this point. That's an earned thing and the Dolphins have earned the same thing. It's that kind of game."