Lamar Jackson’s first three games have already put him in the MVP conversation.
After steering the Baltimore Ravens to a 2-1 start, including that wild 34-31 win over the Dallas Cowboys in Brazil, Jackson has drawn early praise from ESPN’s Ben Solak as one of the league’s top award candidates. Solak also pointed to Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence as an early contender, but Jackson’s case is built on how much he has had to handle around him.
Against Dallas, Jackson went 186 yards passing with two touchdowns and no interceptions. He also helped set up the late winning sequence with a big throw near midfield that put the Ravens well within Tyler Loop’s field-goal range, then called timeout with one second left to help Baltimore finish the job.
Solak noted that Baltimore was working with its third center in that game and that receiver depth has been an early problem, but Jackson has still managed to keep the offense moving. The play that stood out most came on the go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter, when he found tight end Matthew Hibner - a read and throw Solak and others pointed to as the kind of play only a quarterback with Jackson’s talent can make.
He’s also doing it while adjusting to a new setup on the sideline and in the booth. Baltimore brought in Jesse Minter as head coach after firing John Harbaugh, and Todd Monken’s departure for the Cleveland head coaching job led to Declan Doyle taking over as offensive coordinator after leaving Ben Johnson’s Chicago Bears staff.
Before the season, Jackson was already talking up the new offense and the different looks it could throw at opponents. So far, the results have matched the confidence. He has 745 yards and four touchdowns through three games, along with an 82.2 QBR, which ranks fourth in the NFL.
The sportsbooks are taking notice, too. Jackson is currently third in MVP odds at various books, according to Vegas Insider, behind the Buffalo Bills’ Josh Allen and the San Francisco 49ers’ Brock Purdy, both of whom are off to 3-0 starts.
Jackson and the Ravens are back home next, hosting the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, Oct. 4, at 1 p.m. ET.
In Other News...
Ravens Got An Encouraging First Look At Lamar Jacksons Blind Side
The Ravens left Brazil with more than a win over the Cowboys. They also got their first extended look at Carson Vinson protecting Lamar Jacksons blind side in a starting role at left tackle, a spot that has been under plenty of scrutiny as Baltimore sorts through its options up front. Vinson showed enough to make the outing noteworthy, handling the assignment with a mix of encouraging moments and the kind of growing pains that come with a first NFL start.
Baltimore also saw other linemen and front-seven pieces make their case. Zion Young showed up in the run game and as a pass-rush presence, flashing the kind of quickness and physicality that suggest there is more to come. Calais Campbell, meanwhile, kept doing what he has done for years, turning in another effective performance in his 19th NFL season and reinforcing the idea that the Ravens still have dependable veteran production in the mix. [Read more 🡒]
Lamar Jacksons New Approach Could Calm Ravens Fans Biggest Fear
Lamar Jacksons message after the Ravens Week 3 win over Dallas landed because it went beyond the usual victory lap. He made a point of praising his teammates and acknowledging the issues Baltimore has had closing out games, a reminder that the new coaching staff under Jesse Minter is trying to reshape more than just the playbook. For a team that has lived with late-game anxiety, the tone from its quarterback mattered almost as much as the result.
Jackson revisited the subject in a later press conference, stressing why the message was important to him and to the room. For Ravens fans, the bigger question is whether the shift in leadership can finally translate into cleaner finishes when the margin gets tight in the fourth quarter. The words were encouraging, but Baltimore still has to prove the habit has changed. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens 2-1 Start Is Hiding Pressure They Cant Ignore
A 2-1 start usually buys a little breathing room, but in Baltimore it has done something closer to expose the edges of a team that still looks unfinished. The Ravens are sitting right alongside the rest of the AFC North in the standings, yet the early-season review has been harsher than the record, with September drawing a C+ grade after uneven offense and a defense that has had trouble holding up its end.
The schedule is about to tell a lot more of the story. Tennessee and Atlanta are next, followed by a stretch that includes Cleveland, Cincinnati, Buffalo and Jacksonville, and those games should quickly show whether Baltimore can turn a modest opening into real momentum or keep living with the same questions that have already followed them through the first month. [Read more 🡒]