Jackson evolves into leader
QB has matured on a path to potential 2nd MVP award
Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson isn’t quite sure where his NFL Most Valuable Player trophy from 2019 is. The gold, two-pronged guerdon topped by the league’s shield is packed away in a box somewhere in his sprawling South Florida home.
He doesn’t much care about trying to become just the 11th player in league history to win at least two of them either, other than saying it would be a nice honor.
There are more pressing affairs.
That was the case Sunday night in Jacksonville, where on the Ravens’ first offensive series of the game against the Jaguars, the headset in the quarterback’s helmet wasn’t working and thus he was unable to communicate with offensive coordinator Todd Monken. That left quarterbacks coach Tee Martin to signal the play to Jackson by hand until Jackson could get his helmet switched out.
The only problem was that, on one play, Jackson misunderstood the signal.
“When Tee was signaling in the number, I thought I was calling the right play,” Jackson said as he sat down for an interview with The Baltimore Sun on Thursday.
“I’m looking and it’s not the right personnel for that. I just called it anyway, and it was a success.”
The same can be said for the Ravens so far this season.
Jackson hit wide receiver Rashod Bateman on a short crossing route on the play, and Baltimore (11-3) went on to kick a field goal on the drive in an eventual 23-7 win to stay atop the AFC standings. As the quarterback walked off the field at EverBank Stadium, chants of “MVP” rained down, much the way they did four years ago when he joined Tom Brady as the only players in NFL history to win the award unanimously.
Now comes a blockbuster Christmas night showdown against the NFC-leading San Francisco 49ers (11-3) and their own MVP candidates, quarterback Brock Purdy and running back Christian McCaffrey. Jackson has the second-best odds (+500) to win the MVP award behind Purdy (-200), according to FanDuel, but there is plenty of other competition, including Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (+800), Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (+900) and McCaffrey (+1200).
But this is not the same Jackson from four years ago, according to teammates.
“Since he signed his (fiveyear, $260 million) deal, I think everyone can say you’ve seen a lot of changes he’s done to really be the leader of the team, not just the star player,” cornerback Marlon Humphrey said.
Humphrey added that Jackson is the first one to get to the team’s practice facility. He has asked for extra workouts. And he has been more vocal, giving speeches and addressing players when they haven’t performed at the level they should be.
“Shoot, he told me, ‘Hey bro, we need you to play better,’ this past week,” Humphrey said after he struggled in an overtime win against the Los Angeles Rams.
“All of these things, it’s been really encouraging to have.He’s always going to step up with his play, but I think how he’s carried himself leadership-wise, people see it and people really respect it.”
Still, when asked if he considers himself the best quarterback in the league, Jackson wouldn’t say that he is, despite dynamic numbers that have him part of the MVP conversation for the second time just six years into his NFL career.
His completion rate of 66.3% is a career high. He’s thrown for 3,105 yards and 17 touchdowns, with seven interceptions, while also rushing for 741 yards and five scores. His 96.5 passer rating is his highest mark since 2020.
Then there are the plays that can’t be defined by numbers, like his Houdini-like escape from a sack against the Jaguars and throw-it-up-for-grabs completion to tight end Isaiah Likely between two defenders.
“Holy (cow)!” Monken said his reaction was. “You’re up in the (coaching) box. It was like right at this angle, and you’re hoping he’s coming back to the ball a little bit more.
“Those are the things you go over in terms of your scramble rules and the ability … He has a unique ability to place the ball.
“To me, we’re unique. We have a two-play quarterback. They have to defend the first play, and they have to defend the second play.” To Jackson?
“I’m the best at being Lamar,” he told The Sun. “That’s all.”
It has helped that he has more playmakers around him than in the past, notably veteran wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Nelson Agholor, both of whom who have been on Super Bowl-winning teams, along with rookie sensation Zay Flowers, among others.
“The knowledge of having been to a Super Bowl, having been in different systems, having a feel for their quarterback,” Jackson said of Beckham’s and Agholor’s impact. He was even more effusive of Flowers, saying, “With his explosiveness, elusiveness, willingness to learn, willingness to get better … He’s not an ordinary rookie who makes a lot of mistakes. He really doesn’t.”
Jackson seems to have learned from his too.
After fumbling seven times in the first five games this season, he has been more cognizant and secure with the ball, with just one fumble in the past five games (though he did throw an interception in each of his past two games). He has also avoided injuries.
After missing 11 games the past two years, including last year’s wild-card playoff game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Jackson has played every meaningful snap this year despite having taken several big hits.
And, perhaps most importantly, he has expanded his game while also gaining greater command of the offense this year.
“You can see a maturity in his pass game,” running back
Gus Edwards said. “He’s checking the ball down a lot more this year than earlier in his career; that takes a maturity.
“He leads on the field with his play and some of the things he does that other quarterbacks aren’t willing to do, taking hits and sticking in the pocket. But he pushes us. He shows up every practice. He’s here all the time. He’s a leader in the huddle. Even when we have great games, like the (Detroit) Lions game, he’s like, ‘Man, we should have shut them out.’ ”
Said Beckham: “Being able to see all the things people don’t get to see is what surprised and impressed me the most. His knowledge of the game, the intensity in practice, his desire to win — these are things that can be seen, but until you’re up close and personal you can never truly know how it is. I now know exactly why he is who he is.”
Added Agholor: “I always knew he was a certain talent, an unreal talent. But when you get around him you get to see he’s truly a quarterback.
“It’s one thing to be an unreal talent, but to be a quarterback is something you’re truly chosen to do, and he was chosen to be a quarterback. He has a good feel for everybody, he has a good feel for level of communication, he can read body language, he can read people’s abilities in different speeds, tempos, how you run routes.”
Coach John Harbaugh has been here since the beginning, and he’s seen Jackson grow in his own way.
“We evolve (and) circumstances change,” he said. “We find ourself in a different place, and I’ve always admired Lamar for every part of what he’s doing. He’s always done his best and he’s doing his best right now.
“I would say this: He’s an A-plus leader right now. He’s been glue for the guys, and it’s been great to see.”
And perhaps enough to land him another MVP trophy.