Lamar Jackson, quarterback of the Baltimore Ravens, is making headlines early in the NFL season as he leads the league’s highest-scoring team. For just two weeks on the job, Jackson has done a tremendous job. He’s thrown for four scores and run for three more without throwing a pick. This historic beginning makes him the favorite to win a third NFL Most Valuable Player (MVP) trophy.
Through the first pair of games, Jackson has shown that he can pile up points with jaw-dropping finesse. He’s made enormous strides in his passing game. He’s thrown four TD passes over 20 yards – the most explosive plays in the NFL. Last year, he had nine touchdowns of 20 yards or more. This year, he’s on pace to break that record!
Jackson’s distribution of touchdowns has been pretty remarkable too. He has developed a strong rapport with other receivers, such as DeAndre Hopkins and Devontez Walker. Both of them have recorded two end zone touchdowns each. In doing so, Jackson completed an unprecedented trifecta. He has thrown at least four TD passes to WRs, which hadn’t happened since 2019.
The connection that Jackson has built with his receivers as training camp has progressed is very, very clear. He found Hopkins on a jump ball for an impressive 29-yard touchdown. He hit Zay Flowers for a second jaw-dropping 23-yard touchdown in the season opener. In the fourth quarter of a subsequent game, Jackson found Walker for a 24-yarder and again connected with Hopkins for a 23-yarder. This familiar diversified attack is a testament to Jackson’s increasing faith in what’s now become a deep receiving corps.
“Lamar understands what we have in our room and throughout our offense,” – Devontez Walker
Jackson’s ability to throw deep has been instrumental in the Ravens’ success. In a recent match, he hit on six of ten passes. All of those throws came on passes that traveled at least 15 yards in the air, to the tune of 138 yards and three touchdowns. Such effectiveness has not only raised his individual performance to an all-pro level but has further bolstered the Ravens’ offensive unit.
A quote from Ravens head coach John Harbaugh speaks to Jackson’s strength of making things happen when the play breaks down.
“A couple times on Sunday, there were plays that were, I think, really in trouble, and he bailed them out,” – John Harbaugh
Additionally, Jackson has since added a rushing touchdown to his accomplishments this season, pinning the trifecta of his multifaceted skill set. He eludes pressure in the pocket, artfully scrambling to the side and rolling out. This innate ability is what makes him one of the deadliest quarterbacks in the league today.
As the Ravens march through their season, Jackson’s historic season is starting to get some recognition. He joins a select group of five quarterbacks over the past two decades who have produced at least seven total touchdowns with no turnovers in the first two weeks of a season.
“Probably three of his big plays were plays that he made something out of absolutely nothing,” – John Harbaugh
The Ravens’ defense has been a huge factor in their success, giving Jackson the freedom to play loose. The centerpiece of this was often the defensive efforts of Myles Garrett, who stressed their focus on preventing the other team from scoring.
“We did a solid job of holding them to three points that we could, and then eventually, the dam broke,” – Myles Garrett
Jackson’s leadership on and off the field has struck a chord with his new teammates. Walker kept coming back to Jackson’s instinct to put the team first and want everyone to succeed.
“We have so many weapons everywhere, and he wants everybody around to have just as much success as he does. That’s just the type of guy and quarterback he is. He makes you want to go out there and play hard for him,” – Devontez Walker
Game by game, Lamar Jackson is raising his level of play — and gaining the trust of his receivers. On the other hand, the Ravens have maintained their position as one of the NFL’s most explosive offenses. Jackson cannot be overstated in their quest to be successful this season.
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