For the first time in a while, Jalen Ramsey is silent.
After the Jaguars suffered an embarrassing 40-7 defeat at the hands of the Dallas Cowboys, Ramsey was silent at his locker, mumbling short phrases and one-word answers to reporters. This is a far cry from the trash talking loudmouth that fans have come to love and hate.
The loss to the Cowboys marked the second straight game where the vaunted Jaguars defense allowed more than 30 points (70 points in 2 games). Once thought of as an AFC contender, the Jaguars have now lost 3 out of 4 games to fall to 3-3. Both the offense and defense have hit a standstill. Ramsey had another chance to speak Thursday in front of the media, and once again, Ramsey deflected most of the questions while giving short, simple answers.
Remember that this is the same Jalen Ramsey who put the rest of the NFL on notice with his famous GQ interview where he called Josh Allen “trash” and called Matt Ryan, “overrated.” It seems that the losing streak has taken a hit on the confidence level of the Jaguars including Ramsey.
Silence is Not Golden
I am not going to sit here and start an “Old man yells at cloud” debate. I don’t mind Ramsey’s trash-talking whatsoever. In fact, I believe it’s great for the game and creates an exciting narrative for the NFL. If a player has to chirp to get an edge and it leads to success on the field, I’m all for it. In a time where we beg athletes to be more open and more forthcoming, Ramsey’s brutal honesty is somewhat refreshing. His answers in that article were not staged or planned. They were off the cuff, which is something I appreciate even if I don’t agree with all of his beliefs.
That being said, if you are going to talk when times are good, you must be able to face the music when times are bad. If you are going to chirp and take shots at other players, you can’t go quiet when your team is struggling. I’m not suggesting that Ramsey has to continue to chirp when losing because if he did that, then it would be a case of sour grapes. However, giving one-word answers and acting standoffish when the media asks fair questions after losses is unacceptable. This is the time to face the music. There is no definitive “right way” to handle a loss. You can be pissed off after a loss. You can be upset and angry with yourself. However, I can tell you that what Ramsey has done is not an acceptable way to handle the media as a professional.
Let’s see if a win on Sunday marks the return of the talkative Ramsey.
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