The Baltimore Ravens beat the Minnesota Vikings 27-19 on the season, picking up their third straight win. With Lamar Jackson back under center, the Ravens' offense was able to move the ball and hold off a late Minnesota charge. But Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores still had Jackson changing his game plan due to the blitz. ESPN's Jamison Hensley outlines the career first from Jackson on Sunday.
“No surprise vs Brian Flores: Lamar Jackson was blitzed on 58% of his dropbacks Sunday, the 5th-highest rate of his career. He got the ball out of his hands quickly, averaging 4.1 air yards per attempt, his lowest in a game with 20+ attempts in his career, per ESPN Research,” Hensley posted on social media.
The Ravens weathered that storm from Flores and the Vikings' defense. Even though Jackson had just 176 passing yards, he was sacked only once. Flores' blitzes did put a top on Jackson's running game, allowing just 36 yards on nine attempts. But timely completions and a great day from field goal kicker Tyler Loop helped Baltimore secure the win.
The Vikings are now 4-5 on the season, with JJ McCarthy's injury hampering the early part of the season. Despite having the quarterback back in the lineup, Minnesota lost again on Sunday. Flores' defense has not had the incredible success it did last year, but they are still scrambling quarterbacks every week.
The Ravens now own a three-game winning streak and are in a great position to make a run at the AFC North title. With two games against the Pittsburgh Steelers left on the schedule, they are clicking at the right time. The Ravens are also 4-5 heading into a road matchup with the Cleveland Browns. A win would get them back to .500.
Can Myles Garrett and the Browns learn from Flores? Or will Jackson dice up Cleveland in Week 11?
