Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson hilariously admitted to flopping on a hit from Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Carlos Dunlap, in last Sunday's match between the AFC North division rivals (via Dov Kleiman on Twitter).
#Ravens @Lj_era8 did his best @PatrickMahomes impression and flopped for a first down on Sunday. He admitted as much on later. @Carlos_Dunlap
"Man, he didn't do shit, I tried to flop." pic.twitter.com/MbKr8ro64x
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) October 17, 2020
Looking to gain yardage on a designed run-play option, the reigning MVP attempted to get around the edge of the defense before being swarmed by the Cincinnati defenders and forced to the sideline. His momentum carrying him towards the running quarterback, defensive end Carlos Dunlap avoided administering a hit on Jackson, but placed his hand on the QB's shoulder as he ran out of bounds, a largely harmless move that was met with Jackson exaggerating a fall to the ground.
Jackson could immediately be heard giggling on the turf, as the refs threw a flag for unnecessary roughness, calling the reaction to the hit more than the contact itself, earning the Baltimore offense an additional 15 yards and an automatic first-down.
Lamar could later be heard admitting to flopping when talking to his teammates and offensive coordinator, and squealing tongue-in-cheek about the free play they got as result of the penalty.
After edging out Kansas Chiefs' quarterback Patrick Mahomes last season for the league's top honor, Jackson's flop immediately drew comparisons to the infamous habits of the Super Bowl MVP. As if Mahomes needed any help against opposing defenses, the Chiefs' play caller has grown adept at exaggerating hits coming at the end of his scrambles, forcing officials to react to the action they would otherwise ignore.
Not that the Ravens needed any help against the lowly Bengals, as the division leaders handily beat Cincinnati by a score of 27-3. For a quarterback looking to earn his second consecutive MVP, it appears that we can add “acting” as a skill to his ever growing arsenal.
Follow Us
Subscribe