Lamar Jackson

[hawaiiansteel]

State of the 2022 Baltimore Ravens: Can Lamar Jackson spearhead a bounce-back campaign?

Published: Jun 30, 2022
Adam Rank
NFL.com Writer

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Head coach: John Harbaugh. I still love him. That loss to the Steelers in Week 13 was awful. But I loved the moxie of trusting his team and going for the win. It wasn't the first time he did something like that. Sometimes those moves work. That time it didn't. But if you would tell me that you can either win or lose with one play from Lamar Jackson, I would have rolled the dice, too. But here's my thing: I'm not going to spend a lot of time on this. Harbaugh is one of the best in the business. The Ravens are lucky to have him.

Quarterback: Lamar Jackson. I would like to think we're past the point where I have to defend Lamar against criticism, but that's just naïve. The haters must have relished last year. They knocked him when he went 24-6 as a starter from 2019 to 2020 with a passer rating well above 100. But last year, they all came out in force when Lamar had a 16:13 touchdown-to-interception ratio. That ranked 27th among 31 qualified quarterbacks. The only qualifiers with a worse TD-INT ratio were Zach Wilson, Trevor Lawrence, Sam Darnold and one other guy that I don't want to mention because I'm a Bears fan (OK, it was Justin Fields).

But Lamar is still the only player in NFL history with 2,500-plus passing yards and 1,000-plus rushing yards in a single season. He did that in back-to-back years, actually. He's also the only player in NFL history with more than 7,500 passing yards and 3,500 rushing yards in his first four seasons. His passer rating has declined in each of the two seasons since he won the MVP award in 2019, but I'm still a big believer. He's going to need to improve his passing. But he can win in this league, which is why the Ravens would like to discuss a contract extension with him.

Projected 2022 MVP: Jackson. Look, the Ravens missed the playoffs in 2021, the first time that's happened in the Lamar Jackson era. Jackson missed five games, including the final four with an ankle injury. It's worth noting the Ravens were 1-4 in games without him. They were 7-5 with him. The dude is pretty important.

https://www.nfl.com/news/state-of-the-2022-baltimore-ravens-can-lamar-jackson-spearhead-a-bounce-back-cam

[crushedspirit]

A virtual lock that the Ravens will bounce back. Look at who they have returning from injuries last season, and what they added in the draft. They will be the team to beat in the division in my opinion, barring another debacle with injuries.

[feltdizz]

A virtual lock that the Ravens will bounce back. Look at who they have returning from injuries last season, and what they added in the draft. They will be the team to beat in the division in my opinion, barring another debacle with injuries.

We can hope this is the beginning of Lamar’s slide but the reality is last year they had a ridiculous amount of injuries before the season started.

Expect a strong Ravens team next year..

[Joel Buchsbaum]

the 1-3 playoff record is a concern but this looks like a piece about the regular season.

I don’t expect anyone to maintain MVP level success year to year. Its rare to improve or maintain MVP stats.

Not sure we can get much from last season sonce that team was injured like crazy on both sides of the ball.

This year will be interesting to see if Lamar can bounce back from a hohum season.

He won't be as good as he was early on year two. There is too much film on him and he won't surprise people anymore. He might get hurt easier, players with his style usual do.

[NJ-STEELER]

Imagine the Steelers were 8-3 last year with Ben accounting for 13 turnovers and 16 TDs

the haters would be all over this

[feltdizz]

Imagine the Steelers were 8-3 last year with Ben accounting for 13 turnovers and 16 TDs

the haters would be all over this

Why imagine it? In 2008 we were 8-3 and Ben accounted for 14 turnovers and 13 TD’s!!!

How did YOU feel about Ben?

We finished the regular season 12-4. Ben accounted for 22 turnovers and 19 TD’s.

How did you feel NJ? How did you feeeeel? lmao


I have said it over and over again… WINNING>>>INDIVIDUAL STATS

[NJ-STEELER]

Why imagine it? In 2008 we were 8-3 and Ben accounted for 14 turnovers and 13 TD’s!!!

How did YOU feel about Ben?

We finished the regular season 12-4. Ben accounted for 22 turnovers and 19 TD’s.

How did you feel NJ? How did you feeeeel? lmao


I have said it over and over again… WINNING>>>INDIVIDUAL STATS

Yep. I bet u were praising him then too. Lololol.

I know how this team is/ has been built. With that defense those numbers led to success

I’m not surprised you don’t see the irony though.

[Northern_Blitz]

Yep. I bet u were praising him then too. Lololol.

I know how this team is/ has been built. With that defense those numbers led to success

I’m not surprised you don’t see the irony though.

Baltimore is built the same way IMO. They clearly modeled the way they build a team from the best example in the league

[NJ-STEELER]

Baltimore is built the same way IMO. They clearly modeled the way they build a team from the best example in the league

not lately. 2 first round WR.
a first round TE IN recent years

[whisper]

not lately. 2 first round WR.
a first round TE IN recent years

They are still built with a bruising, physical D and a power rushing game. As a matter of fact, it could be argued that Balt. has "out-Pgh-ed" the Steelers.

[feltdizz]

Yep. I bet u were praising him then too. Lololol.

I know how this team is/ has been built. With that defense those numbers led to success

I’m not surprised you don’t see the irony though.

yeah, I’m sure you remembered which is why you presented the hypothetical.

[feltdizz]

They are still built with a bruising, physical D and a power rushing game. As a matter of fact, it could be argued that Balt. has "out-Pgh-ed" the Steelers.

definitely out-Pgh-ed us in the injury department last year.

[Northern_Blitz]

not lately. 2 first round WR.
a first round TE IN recent years

We have lots of early round WRs lately: Juju (2, 2017), Washington (2, 2018 ), DJ (3, 2019...was our 2nd pick of the draft), Claypool (2, 2020...was our 1st pick of the draft), Pickens (2, 2022).

We also used a 2nd on a TE last draft: PF (2, 2021).

The argument that we don't spend good draft capital on WRs or TEs doesn't seem to hold too much water IMO. Maybe TEs...because like Baltimore, we hadn't spend an early pick on a TE in a long time before last year.

The last draft where we didn't select a pass catcher (WR or TE) in our first 2 picks was 2016. That's 6 drafts in a row where bringing in a skill guy to catch balls was a high priority.

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/pit/draft.htm

[NorthCoast]

not lately. 2 first round WR.
a first round TE IN recent years

BAL has a thong for TEs. They drafted two in 2015 and again in 2018. Either they can't get it right, or they just seem to let them go. (Andrews was a keeper).

[NJ-STEELER]

We have lots of early round WRs lately: Juju (2, 2017), Washington (2, 2018 ), DJ (3, 2019...was our 2nd pick of the draft), Claypool (2, 2020...was our 1st pick of the draft), Pickens (2, 2022).

We also used a 2nd on a TE last draft: PF (2, 2021).

The argument that we don't spend good draft capital on WRs or TEs doesn't seem to hold too much water IMO. Maybe TEs...because like Baltimore, we hadn't spend an early pick on a TE in a long time before last year.

The last draft where we didn't select a pass catcher (WR or TE) in our first 2 picks was 2016. That's 6 drafts in a row where bringing in a skill guy to catch balls was a high priority.
https://www.pro-football-reference.c.../pit/draft.htm

we do. And usually after letting a wr walk.
if you lise an AB type. That’s a lot of production to make up.


But do you weigh 2nd rounders or lower the same as 1st round picks.

how about the linebacker position. How many years in a row have they drafted one high ?