USA TODAY International Edition
Ravens QB Lamar Jackson: Late fumbles ‘ ticked me off ’
One player in particular is mourning the Ravens’ “Monday Night Football” season- opening loss to the Raiders.
Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson, the 2019 NFL MVP, had the ball in his hands with a seven- point lead early in the fourth quarter, but his fumble set up a Las Vegas touchdown that tied the score. It wouldn’t be the last time that a giveaway would prove costly.
Although both teams would trade a couple of more scores, deep in overtime Raiders defensive end Carl Nassib stripsacked Jackson, giving Vegas the ball in scoring position. Three plays later, the Raiders pulled out the thriller 33- 27 on a 31- yard Derek Carr touchdown pass to receiver Zay Jones.
“That ticked me off,” Jackson said of the fumbles. “I hate any type of turnovers. The first one ... didn’t tick me off like the last one, just two hands on the football. I could’ve just taken a sack, if anything. But it happens in football.”
He also took to Twitter to decry his fumbles in a message full of expletives.
All the blame, however, shouldn’t fall to Jackson alone. The offensive line struggled to protect him, allowing Vegas pass rushers to burst through the line and create constant pressure all game. Defensive end Maxx Crosby was a menace, finishing with five QB hits and two sacks.
“If you’re a quarterback, you’re trying to go through your progressions, and guys in your face, they’re trying to get them a sack, it’s going to be like that,” Jackson said. “Sometimes you can’t go through your reads. You’ve got to make something happen. That’s what I tried to do on the last one. I seen it breaking down, I tried to push a lineman in the pocket and he hit me while I was doing it, so I’ll just try to hold onto the ball next time.”
Jackson finished 19 of 30 passing for 235 yards with one TD and added 12 carries for a team- high 86 rushing yards.