Lamar Jackson, the scintillating signal-caller of the Baltimore Ravens, is preparing for a big test. This weekend, he’ll face his toughest challenge yet against the Minnesota Vikings. Jackson has a reputation for making a big leap every season. Now come the real adjustments, specifically the extremely high-pressure defensive scheme he’ll encounter with the Vikings, particularly their blitz-happy style. That matchup will play out at U.S. Bank Stadium, famous for its ability to make communication difficult by cranking up the noise.
While Jackson has been impressive in his growth, particularly in reading defenses, his true test him will come against the Vikings’ aggressive style. This season, Minnesota has blitzed on 40.6% of their defensive snaps—the second-highest rate in the NFL. Jackson is able to communicate plays without a huddle, even when his teammates are unable to hear him. Those communication skills will be essential in defeating this strategy.
In Jackson’s last matchup against a blitz-happy defense, he had a tough outing. In a 22-10 loss to Miami on November 11, 2021, he faced relentless pressure from defensive backs, culminating in 24 defensive back blitzes—the highest against any quarterback since 2015. Surrounded by adversity, Jackson was serviceable that game, completing 26 out of 43 passes for 238 yards with one late TD.
Perhaps no quarterback’s performance against pressure has changed more over the last two seasons than Jackson. He’s put up 23 touchdowns to just four interceptions under blitzing pressure. Since the start of 2024, his QBR vs those coverages has ballooned to an elite 85.4. With this stellar performance, he is now second in the league. On top of that, he’s added close to 2,000 passing yards from the blitz during this time.
As Jackson gets ready for this weekend’s game, the young cornerback recalls some of the difficulties involved in playing in that sort of cacophonous setting.
“It’s loud from the first play to the last play, and they have horns going off and everything else,” – John Harbaugh
A look at what Head Coach John Harbaugh calls “strategic communication” in order to match the Vikings’ aggressive chess match. He noted that the Ravens will have to rely heavily on silent signals to maintain offensive cohesion amid the noise.
“It’s going to have to be a silent signal game on offense, for sure, and we’re going to have to handle that pressure,” – John Harbaugh
The Ravens’ offensive line definitely needs to give Jackson good protection if they want him to develop and complete plays downfield. Even Jackson himself admitted that teamwork would be critical in scoring against these tough defenses.
“It’s about getting the ball out, our line having great protection like they’ve been doing, and guys just getting open. That’s all,” – Lamar Jackson
In other matchups against all-out blitzing defenses, Jackson has faced tall tasks. He only managed one pass for a first down against 11 defensive back blitzes on third downs during that Miami game. This experience should stand as a testament to what’s on the line when dealing with those kinds of pressure from the Vikings.
Harbaugh explained that the team needs to be purposeful in how they communicate plays during the whole week in the run-up to the contest. Their success depends on being in sync and communicating on every play offensive.
“We’re going to have to be really intentional about that all week and do a great job with that,” – John Harbaugh
As the clock has ticked away on each passing year, Jackson has learned to only get better in high-stress situations. He isn’t caught up on looking back at past experience, he’s just worried about running that play, executing that play.
“I just want to get a completion, stay on task [and] execute the down. That’s pretty much how we just stay ahead of the sticks,” – Lamar Jackson
With all that said, Jackson is preparing for an even bigger test. His growth as a quarterback will be truly tested when he faces a Michigan defense notorious for its aggressive pursuit of quarterbacks. The Ravens aim to leverage their offensive strategy effectively while minimizing communication breakdowns amidst the chaos of U.S. Bank Stadium.
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