He looked more like himself during Week 15’s win over the Cincinnati Bengals, but Lamar Jackson isn’t ready to fully turn back the clock to the days his mobility made the Baltimore Ravens quarterback a two-time NFL MVP.
Jackson has been far from a running sensation this season, a campaign marred by injuries and a cautious practice regime. When asked why he’s no longer making big plays with his legs, Jackson gave an unexpected and somewhat curious response.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, December 18, including ESPN’s Jamison Hensley, Jackson went into detail about how well he ran against the Bengals, and how often he plans to attack defenses on the ground moving forward.
Jackson said, “I felt like I just ran when it was necessary [to] just keep positive yards [and] get first downs here and there, but I’m not going to try to push anything. [I’ll] just try to do what I could.”
Those comments don’t read like a confident proclamation from a fully healthy athlete ominously warning he’s going to be running through them week to week. Instead, it sounds like Jackson remains content to play more of a game manager’s role within the confines of the system called by offensive coordinator Todd Monken.
It’s a safety first approach that makes sense given Jackson’s injury record and practice tribulations in recent months. Yet, Jackson playing at anything less than top gear puts the Ravens at risk of losing games during the critical moment of the season, starting with Week 16’s visit from the 11-3 New England Patriots.
Lamar Jackson’s Approach to Running Has Risks
Jackson downplaying his talent as a runner and its value is probably not what the Ravens want to hear. Especially since make plays on the run, either scrambling to move the chains or shifting the pocket to throw off-platform has made Jackson arguably the most exciting playmaker in the league.
A good example occurred in Week 14, when Jackson pulled the ball down and trusted his legs to score a rushing touchdown.
Unfortunately, plays like this have been rare for No. 8 this season. Particularly after he returned from a hamstring injury in Week 9.
Since then, Jackson has averaged six or more yards per run just twice, per Pro Football Reference. Averaging 13 yards on two runs during the 24-0 win over the Bengals in Week 15 had some thinking about vintage Jackson.
Those thoughts were endorsed by Jackson showing off the elite speed that once made him a feared runner. It happened on a 12-yard scramble when, as Ravens.com Editorial Director Ryan Mink noted, “Jackson hit 19.23 mph on this 12-yard run — his second-fastest top speed since his hamstring injury in Week 4.”
When Jackson’s moving like this, he’s almost impossible to stop. It’s why Jackson limiting his possibilities running the ball risks the Ravens getting a below-par version of their star QB.
That risk is being balanced against careful management of Jackson’s health, like when he was held out of Wednesday’s practice with what head coach John Harbaugh called a “flu deal.” The process of safeguarding Jackson is shown by the number of rest days he’s had during midweek practice sessions.
Caution should be reduced to let Jackson turn himself loose against the Patriots.
Ravens Must Attack Patriots Weakness
New England’s defense has been increasingly vulnerable against the run in recent weeks. A notable nadir came when the Buffalo Bills totalled 168 rushing yards, 48 by dual-threat signal-caller Josh Allen.
The reigning league MVP showed how a running quarterback can punish the Pats. Jackson can’t ignore the hint, particularly after the Ravens’ rushing attack yielded 189 yards in Cincinnati.
It’s no surprise the Ravens are a better running offense when Jackson is using his legs. He needs to do the same again when the Patriots visit M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday, December 21.
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