There was plenty of speculation regarding how the Baltimore Ravens were going to utilize quarterback Lamar Jackson in the 2018 NFL season. Fortunately, their dismantling of the Buffalo Bills in Week 1 gave them a useful opportunity to do just that.
As expected, the Ravens experimented with Jackson and quarterback Joe Flacco on the field at the same time. According to ESPN's Jamison Hensley, the rookie is hoping he can keep opposing defenses on their toes.
“They never know what’s going to happen,” Jackson said. “Yeah, it keeps the defense guessing.”
Head coach John Harbaugh added that they wanted to make it a point to get him involved early on.
“Well, we wanted to establish him as a threat quickly, not a possible threat. We wanted him to go out there and make plays, and generate plays for us,” coach John Harbaugh said. “The whole idea is to generate offense.”
Jackson got some work on the first drive of the game with Flacco lined up out wide. Although he did not have much success on plays of that nature, it shows Baltimore's willingness to experiment moving forward. Whether or not they can be productive with it, teams are going to have to spend time preparing how to defend it.
Jackson completed 1 of 4 pass attempts for 23 yards while tacking on seven rushes for 39 yards. There was some concern about his accuracy coming into the league and easy to see why through his first couple of outings. However, it is clear that his mobility has transitioned seamlessly into the NFL. If the Ravens can continue to get Jackson involved, it could only be a matter of time before it starts to pay dividends.
Follow Us
Subscribe