The Moment of Lamar Jackson
I finally got to see Lamar Jackson play in person on Sunday. It was a game I did not think I’d end up at this year. As a Jets fan, I was hoping my team would be locked into an exciting AFC Wild Card race at this point. But we’re not here to discuss the Jets. What I saw on Sunday was confirmation of something special. Bigger than fandom. There was one player on the field that the entire game gravitated towards. A player that put everyone on edge every time he stepped on the field. The game I went to was supposed to be a battle of two great quarterbacks. But one clearly stole the show…again.
Since his final season at Louisville, there have been countless attempts to discredit the validity of Lamar Jackson, the quarterback. One day it’s the switching of positions, then it’s the exaggeration of his inaccuracy (compared to others), then it’s the various theories about the sustainability of his style of play. Pre-draft, everyone seemed to be in a hurry to try to change Lamar Jackson. Now, everyone seems to be in a hurry to dampen the excitement around his success. Why’s that? A young, 22-year-old quarterback with a superpower. What more could you want?
The NFL is a copy-cat league but it’s also a quite cowardly league. So many teams are afraid of change and afraid to try something different. Often successful organization are the first ones to take risks while others follow years later. It’s no different in this case. All 32 teams were afraid to draft Lamar Jackson. Yes, even the Ravens, who passed on him at 25th overall in the first round, only to trade up and take him at pick 32. But even though Baltimore might not have been smart enough to take him earlier, they were smart enough to build their entire offense around him.
The promotion of Greg Roman to offensive coordinator in the offseason and the installation of an offense catered to Jackson’s strengths has resulted in the highest scoring offense, the 3rd most yards per play, and the 2nd most first downs in the NFL. It’s also contributed to their 8–2 record with victories over the Seahawks, Texans, and the defending Super Bowl Champion Patriots and their vaunted defense. Their offense may not be what everyone is used to seeing. The play calling even leans on the conservative side at times. But it’s been noticeably effective so far and clearly it’s allowing their best player, Lamar Jackson, to shine.
I could keep boring you with stats but this is more than that. I wanted to see Lamar Jackson in person but not just to see their intriguing offense up close. I wanted to experience the ebb and flow of the game with the crowd in Baltimore. One thing is for sure: Ravens fans are fully invested in this moment. It’s not just the jerseys and the signs either. You can feel it throughout the game. The plays where Lamar Jackson is patient in the pocket you can hear the waves of anticipation starting to emanate from the crowd at M&T Bank.
“Go! Get out of there!”
“Take off, Lamar!”
Shouts for him to unleash his special ability. Something NFL pundits have constantly tried to scare him away from, insisting to the public that the only way to win in the NFL is from the pocket. But now Ravens fans know every time he takes off, whether designed or when no one is open, they might see something no one has ever seen before. Every time the ball is in his hands you can feel the excitement charging up. Then, when he makes the first man miss, everyone is already on their feet.
But it’s not just with his legs. Jackson’s arm is getting better every week. His accuracy is improving. At one point, on Sunday, he threw 13 straight completions. Some throws many said he couldn’t make pre-draft, he’s making with more consistency. He’s not a perfect passer but he’s statistically more accurate than all of his 2018 draft peers. Yeah, I hear the pass attempts crowd getting riled up. But why would you ask your QB to throw it 40 times a game when he doesn’t have to? Especially, when other parts of his skill set can be utilized in conjunction. Also, let’s be honest, no one else comes close to his skill set.
On Sunday, he gave Ravens fans and the general public another play they’ll never forget. On a designed read option, he kept the ball when he probably shouldn’t have. Whitney Mercilus was waiting for him after Jackson faked the handoff to Mark Ingram. For most regular quarterbacks, that’s a negative play. But you already know what it is with this kid. Jackson sets Mercilus up with a quick three steps to the outside and a hard cut back inside. Mercilus was caught off-balance (like every linebacker who has faced Jackson has been at least once), but he was able to get his hands on Jackson. That wasn’t enough. Jackson, who was reported to have put on some extra muscle in the offseason (perhaps to address the sustainability theories), shrugged off Mercilus, and ran past the play-side defensive-end, who he just made do a whole 360 with the fake handoff to Ingram. At this point, once Jackson is near top speed at the second level, he’s almost unstoppable. He shakes Keion Crossen to the ground, makes cornerback Lonnie Johnson and a pursuing defensive lineman collide with another quick cut and acceleration upfield, then he lowers his shoulder in Justin Reid who is finally able to bring him down. After the play, you can see Ravens tight end Nick Boyle just shrug like he doesn’t even understand how that’s possible. Boyle had just spun around 3 or 4 times trying to block for Jackson downfield.
Jackson put the crowd in a frenzy. The buzz lasted for a while but then there was a great moment right after. The Texans had a player down injured on the field and the buzz started to dissipate. But soon after, just before the media timeout concluded, they showed Lamar Jackson with his helmet off on the Jumbotron. The crowd immediately erupted once again. Then the MVP chants began. All I could think about is John Harbaugh’s moment with Lamar Jackson during the previous week’s game, when he told Jackson, “You know how many kids are gonna be wearing number 8, playing quarterback for the next 20 years?” I’m not even sure Harbaugh fully understands the impact of Lamar Jackson’s success. Some kid at that same game, got to see a quarterback with hair that looks like his, skin that looks like his, playing the game in a way no one else has. All the quarterbacks people like to compare Jackson to were unique. Steve Young, Michael Vick, Fran Tarkenton, all played the game in their own way. They embodied the characteristics of our favorite artists throughout history. Innovators, risk takers, game changers. Jackson is an artist with his own game, his own style, and in his own moment.
For years, people have insisted quarterbacks should look and play a certain way. Lamar Jackson is reminding us those ideas have been dead for a long time now. The best part about this moment he’s in? There’s a wave a quarterbacks coming up that are defying these outdated theories. NFL rookies, college, and even high school quarterbacks who will be emboldened by Jackson’s success to play their game. Coaches who will learn how to cater to a quarterback’s strengths while fixing their flaws. The NFL is having a turning point right now but so many are too proud to accept it. While you were making jokes about Lamar Jackson playing wide receiver, some kids realized they didn’t have to.