Lamar Jackson is Worth it
Outside of a disappointing ending in the Divisional Round, Lamar Jackson’s sophomore season in the NFL captivated the league with an incredible blend of high-level passing and high level running.
Jackson became the league’s second unanimous MVP, putting up a show throughout the 2019 season and leading the Baltimore Ravens to the best record in all of football. When all was said and done, he had put up 3,127 yards, a league-leading 36 touchdowns, six interceptions, an NFL record 1,206 rushing yards, and seven rushing touchdowns.
It should come as no surprise that Jackson led all of football in fantasy points, putting together 415.68 of them in 2019. You might be wondering how that compares to Patrick Mahomes’ 2018 season, and Jackson came close as Mahomes put up 417.08 points in his sophomore season. Coincidentally, both quarterbacks won their MVP awards in their second seasons.
This season was all the more inspiring for Jackson considering the criticism he received after his rookie season. He wasn’t flawless by any means, but people were treating it as if he wasn’t even a top 30 quarterback and had already gotten figured out by the league. His skillset received harsher criticisms most quarterbacks don’t get, so it meant a lot to see his craft used in the perfect scheme and excel at a high level.
The question on everybody’s mind is: Is Jackson’s success sustainable for the 2020 season? If you’re referring to the gaudy statistics of his 2019 season, probably not. But in terms of continued success, I think he’ll be just fine.
Now, what I’m revealing to you is not anything new (at least as a runner). We know Lamar Jackson is great, we know the plays he was able to come up with in 2019, and we know that in year three he’s just beginning to find his groove in the NFL (and that’s impressive considering he’ll be the reigning MVP in 2020). We also know the Ravens have a young, but hungry offense full of players that could take big steps forward in the first year of the new decade, but Jackson ultimately is the proud centerpiece of a franchise previously known for defense.
For more on that, let’s check through the film of what I consider to be one of the league’s most special players.
What more can be said about Jackson’s running ability? He was the absolute best runner in the NFL last year, and it’s extremely rare that you can say that about a quarterback. The “run first” narrative that seemed to find its way to him was always overstated in my opinion (as I always thought his passing was criminally underrated, but more on that later), but it’s true that he’s an absolute game-changer as a runner.
With his speed, his jerky movement and elusiveness (as shown on this iconic spin move for a touchdown against the Bengals) convinced me that he was the best running quarterback in the league since Cam Newton. Russell Wilson is a beautiful scrambler but I think Jackson has the edge as a pure runner.
Jackson’s running ability was the NFL’s biggest cheat code in 2019. Some people took a more pessimistic route, claiming that his aggressive running style would lead to injury, but if anything his athleticism and incredible vision have reduced those concerns.
Take this run against the Titans in the Divisional Round for example. Teams can definitely adapt to Jackson’s game and stop him from reaching 1,000 rushing yards again, but that still doesn’t mean he won’t continue to have plays like this where he appears to be playing Madden (or NFL 2K, in more recent news!) on rookie mode. Much like LeSean McCoy in his prime, Jackson can stop on a dime and change direction without much effort. He’s just built perfectly to avoid hits while maximizing the results of a run.
Of course, much of Jackson’s criticism leading up to the 2018 draft was pointed at his passing ability, specifically throwing to the middle of the field. This was done to the point where his strengths as a passer were overlooked, but to me, he showed promise not just as a deep passer, but to also stand poised in the pocket and deliver when needed to.
This is one of the best deep throws you’ll find from any quarterback in 2019, and on a third and long late in the fourth quarter with a one-score lead. The accuracy on this ball is something you’d find from Carson Palmer in 2015 or Russell Wilson in any season, not from a supposed running back.
Needless to say, this is pinpoint accuracy to Marquise “Hollywood” Brown that seals up the victory for the Ravens. Jackson has taken steps and has shown improvement throwing inside the pocket, but outside the pocket is where he’s even more dangerous.
This play may not look like much at first, but Jackson pulls off a little trick to create an open window for former teammate Hayden Hurst. The safety (#36) is watching him closely, so Jackson has to get a little creative to prevent this pass from being disrupted. Luckily, he uses a sidearm throw so that he’s able to sling the ball with enough mustard without adjusting his mechanics, and that frees up space for Hurst on his way to picking up a first down on an impressive play.
Lastly, Jackson’s creativity extends not just outside the pocket, but back inside. Here, we return to analyzing his play as a pocket with two key gifs.
In the first gif, Jackson turns some outstanding vision and patience into a touchdown play he makes look easy. He understands he has to sit in the pocket long enough to let Miles Boykin’s route open up (far left at the end of the clip), so he baits the Jets defense by “locking” his eyes to the middle of the field. This frees up room for Boykin’s route, and at the right moment, that’s exactly where he’s heading for the touchdown.
In the second clip, a certain level of skill and luck is needed for Jackson to pull this play off. He senses the C-gap blitz chasing after him and climbs up the pocket, keeping his eyes down the field. When Mark Andrews has enough room, he forces his tight end to adjust to his back shoulder, placing this perfectly over the defender’s grasp for arguably his best touchdown as a quarterback.
This is a throw you just can’t defend no matter how hard you try. The coverage here was excellent but the quarterback was able to do just a little more and fit this ball into a spot where his receiver and only his receiver could make a play (a cliche saying but one that’s warranted here).
Lamar Jackson is a special, special player. Who knows if he’ll win another MVP award, but getting to that point just shows how much hard work he’s put in to defying criticisms of the past. While his law-defying running ability will garner much of the attention, his passing style is also a sight to behold; He’s progressed as a deep passer, limits the number of times he leaves a clean pocket, only runs when necessary, and uses a little creativity combining movement and different angles to get passes into tight windows.
No one’s saying Jackson should be a first-rounder, but if you’re looking to draft a quarterback early, he just might be the guy. Offensive coordinator Greg Roman isn’t going anywhere for the time being, and we could see sophomore steps up from Marquise Brown and Miles Boykin, as well as the playmaking threat of Mark Andrews’ return, so the pieces are potentially there.
In conclusion, don’t hesitate on Jackson if he’s available in dynasty. Secure this astonishing playmaking monster and let your team thrive.
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