MVP Jackson essential to fortunes
Will Lamar Jackson overcome his playoff woes?
Jackson was a human highlight reel throughout the regular season. He broke Michael Vick’s NFL single-season rushing record for a quarterback with 1,206 yards. The dual-threat quarterback led the league with 36 touchdown passes, and his 113.3 passer rating was the third highest in the NFL. His efforts earned him the NFL MVP award, the youngest quarterback (23) to ever win the trophy.
But Jackson’s season ended unceremoniously when the Ravens lost in the divisional round. The magic Jackson displayed in the regular season was inexplicably absent in the playoffs. He has a 0-2 record on his playoff résumé.
Jackson concedes he hasn’t been the same quarterback in postseason play. The quarterback has produced three touchdowns and committed five turnovers, resulting in a 68.3 passer rating.
Critics will continue to question if he can win in the playoffs.
Can Jackson take his game to new heights?
Baltimore revamped its offense to cater to Jackson’s skill set. With Jackson leading the way, the Ravens possess the most dominant rushing attack in the NFL. The Ravens set the NFL single 16-game-season team rushing record with 3,296 yards in 2019.
Baltimore undoubtedly has a run-oriented team, but the squad needs to diversify what it does on offense.
In order for that to happen, it’s important for Jackson to continue to develop as a passer. The dual-threat quarterback made tremendous strides in his sophomore campaign, yet there are still noticeable areas where he can improve as a passer.
Jackson is more comfortable throwing inside the numbers. Appropriately, 43% of his completions went to tight ends. Three of Baltimore’s five leading pass catchers were tight ends who routinely catch footballs between the hashes.
The quarterback occasionally struggled to deliver accurate passes outside the numbers from 20 yards and within when forced to stay in the pocket. The scouting report on Jackson is to keep him in the pocket and supply pressure. Jackson completed just 48% of his passes when under duress.
For Jackson to take the next step as a passer, his anticipation
and timing with wide receivers on the outside needs to improve. Marquise Brown was Baltimore’s only wideout with more than 32 catches last season.
Did the Ravens properly address their pass rush?
The Ravens are coming off a year when they ranked in the bottom half of the league in sacks. Baltimore blitzed more than any other team in the NFL because it couldn’t generate steady pressure without sending extra rushers. Pass rusher Matthew Judon led the Ravens with 9.5 sacks in 2019.
Baltimore traded for veteran defensive end Calais Campbell to help get after opposing quarterbacks. The 33-year-old has been one of the NFL’s better defensive ends for a decade. Entering his 13th season, the 6foot-8 defensive end has produced 17 sacks over two seasons.
Will Judon and Campbell as a duo satisfy Baltimore’s pass rushing deficiencies? The team also drafted inside linebacker Patrick Queen. Queen should make an immediate impact.