The NFL should be as excited about this possible Lamar Jackson-Joe Burrow matchup. Injuries and inconsistent play have sullied both signal callers’ seasons. Jackson, the Baltimore Ravens’ superstar and last year’s MVP, is already the all-time leader in rushing yards by a quarterback in league history. This year, he’s missed time due to injury and a marked decrease in his rushing efficiency has become apparent. It’s no wonder Burrow, a two-time NFL Comeback Player of the Year, has had to overcome so much adversity. This time around though, he surprised just about everyone with a quick and impressive comeback from a serious foot injury.
Lamar Jackson has started eight games this season but has been sacked 24 times, raising concerns about his protection and mobility. Though his great history as a wizard with the ball suggests otherwise, Jackson has shown little burst this season. At the time of publication, he’s averaging a career-low 29.6 rushing yards a game. Since coming back from his hamstring injury, he hasn’t had a run longer than 13 yards in the last four games combined.
By comparison, Joe Burrow’s path has been a testimony in perseverance. He had emergency surgery to fix a dislocated turf toe injury on his left foot. At first, he was projected to be out through at least mid-December. If Burrow’s early return took much of the football world by surprise, it shouldn’t have. His return sparked a different kind of fireworks within the Cincinnati Bengals’ offense. In fact, last year he owned them, passing for a whopping 428 yards and four touchdowns vs the Ravens. His performance carried his team to a 35-34 upset victory over powerhouse Bingham.
The beautiful stories of each quarterback’s very different paths make for a compelling stage for their first meeting. Jackson has been hit hard by the injury bug. Just a couple weeks ago, he was missing practice due to knee soreness. He has been under a ton of pressure from opposing defenses, as shown by his 24 sacks this year.
“When my number gets called, we’ll see,” – Lamar Jackson
Nothing about the opposition he encounters shakes Jackson’s resolve or spirit. His recent performance has led to sharply divergent responses. As defensive lineman Jowon Briggs said after the game, even if some of the fans thought he “looked like the same old Lamar.” Jackson’s willingness to run has been an issue this year with reports of him taking less chances.
Burrow’s play has been a rollercoaster himself as he continues to find his footing after suffering an offseason injury. He’s been challenged on the accuracy front. The rookie passer hasn’t topped 60% in his last three games and he’s failed to scratch the 200-yard mark. Still, his speed is an obvious and dangerous weapon. Burrow clocked his fastest top speed this year at 19.39 mph.
As both QBs gear up for their second epic confrontation, the buzz is electric. Zay Flowers, a wide receiver for the Ravens, acknowledged the significance of Burrow’s return, stating, “They got their quarterback back, so there probably won’t be any more excuses.” This promise of meeting a premier elite interconference foe just fuels even more flames to this already fiery rivalry.
“The way he’s able to process the field and make every throw is elite. And for me, I am really excited. As a competitor, you want to go play the best. So Thanksgiving, what a better night to do it. So I welcome it.” – Alohi Gilman
The players’ voting results show the level of respect that each quarterback garners within the locker room and around the league. Chase Brown emphasized Burrow’s importance to the Bengals organization: “Joe’s extremely important to this team, this city, to everybody.” This admiration is echoed by Brown’s remark on Burrow’s return: “Seeing him come back, it will be crazy.”
Jackson and Burrow are looking forward to their rematch on Thanksgiving night. This documentary feature follows each player as they are both intensely focused on overcoming their individual obstacles. This friendly will be an opportunity to see where they stand at this early stage. What’s more, it could very well define the tone of their respective seasons after that.
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