The Baltimore Ravens quarterback was seen as little more than a glorified rusher by his critics when he entered the league. But this season he is transformed
After his Week 1 masterpiece against Miami, which included five touchdowns and a perfect passer rating, Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson mocked the long-held notion that he is an
NFL running back disguised as a quarterback. It’s been a hard stigma to shake for Jackson given his usage last year featured almost as many rushing attempts per game (9.2) as passing attempts (10.2). But two games into the season we have a vastly different narrative. Jackson has emerged as an early MVP candidate on the strength of his arm.
This week in the Ravens’ 23-17 win over
Arizona, Jackson rushed for 122 yards on 13 carries, a spectacular stat line for a running back. Yet this game showcased Jackson’s maturation as a quarterback. Jackson again commanded the aerial attack, passing for 272 yards, two scores and no turnovers. His pocket awareness and ownership of the offense was on display throughout.