For Lamar Jackson, the electrifying signal-caller for the Baltimore Ravens, every game counts. Following the team’s dismal 2-5 beginning to the season, he stressed the time to raise their game. Our Ravens are preparing for a very important Thursday night matchup. Jackson said that at this point, each game almost seems like a “do-or-die” scenario for the ball club. His comments came just days after an ugly 37-20 defeat against the Kansas City Chief on September 28. This defeat motivated him to take some serious action of his own in order to redirect the team’s fight.
Jackson has practiced in full all week after suddenly injuring his hamstring earlier this season. It’s safe to say that he’s on the mend! He’s certainly confident about his level of fitness. “My hamstring is feeling awesome,” he said, noting that he doesn’t anticipate any rust when he steps back on the field. Jackson’s return is greeted after missing an entire 32-day stretch of games in between. During that period, he focused on improving team morale and overall performance.
Apart from his absence, the Ravens’ offense has been a consistent struggle as well. Prior to his injury, they were scoring an average of 32.7 points/game. Jackson led the entire NFL with an incredible 130.5 passer rating, throwing 10 touchdown passes to go with only one interception. His collective accomplishments would be daunting. His 71 wins in 98 career starts currently rank him fifth among quarterbacks for most wins in his first 100 starts, a record-setting mark that dates back to 1950.
Jackson said these times felt familiar. After the loss against Kansas City, he ordered that the locker room be cleared of any recreational diversions, instructing the head equipment manager to do so. He noted, “I told him to take all the games, ping pong, turn off the TVs — if we could have taken out the TVs they’d have been out of here, too.” Here’s the biggie. This decisive action shows he cares about creating an intense, focused and disciplined culture among his teammates.
Looking ahead, Jackson acknowledged the urgency of their situation: “It’s do-or-die right now, each and every week.” And he made clear that the ultimate decision on if and when he will be able to play in games with his injury is his as well. I don’t want to end my season or my career because of a hamstring injury,” he said.
As the Ravens prepare for their Thursday night matchup, Jackson is still hopeful to put together the most effective performance on their game plan. He concluded with confidence about his team’s readiness: “We’ll execute tomorrow. Come Thursday night, we’ll just fly.”
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