There was no coincidence or happenstance behind the Baltimore Ravens' midseason turnaround in 2018.
With a struggling Joe Flacco sidelined by a right hip injury, first-year quarterback Lamar Jackson made the first start of his career against the Cincinnati Bengals on November 18th, beginning a stretch of six wins in seven games that vaulted Baltimore into the playoffs.
The Ravens, doubling down on their commitment to the running game with Jackson under center, scored at least 20 points in each of his starts after failing to do so in four of the first nine games of the season.
Clearly, they were better off with the rookie running the show than Flacco, a reality further cemented by the team trading its longtime franchise quarterback to the Denver Broncos last week.
The scariest thing about Jackson? As backup Robert Griffin III notes, the 21-year-old will have ample opportunity to grow as a passer this offseason while entrenched as Baltimore's quarterback of the present and future.
“His development in the passing game will naturally come,” Griffin said of Jackson, per ESPN's Jamison Hensley. “This offseason, he’s going to be QB1. He’s going to get most of the reps. He’s going to lead the offense. All of the things that he might have struggled with as a rookie, he’s naturally going to get better at them. He’s doesn’t have to press to say, ‘Oh my God, I have to get better at this right now.’ It’s honestly not his personality to do that anyway. Just by repetition and by work, he’s going to get better in those areas. He’ll continue to build the trust amongst players, coaches and then ultimately the fans as they see him continue to develop.”
Jackson threw for 1,201 yards, six touchdowns, and three interceptions as a rookie while completing 58.2 percent of his throws – subpar numbers across the board for a normal starter.
But he also rushed for 695 yards and five scores on 4.7 yards per carry, adding a new dimension to the Ravens' offensive attack that proved difficult for defenses to handle.
With continued development as a passer, it seems only a matter of time until Jackson establishes himself as one of the most dangerous quarterbacks in football.
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