Following the Baltimore Ravens’ commanding 28-3 triumph against the Cleveland Browns, rookie wide receiver Zay Flowers reflected on the experience of being on the field with quarterback Lamar Jackson inside the opponent’s 20-yard line.
“You never know what you’re going to get,” Flowers remarked. “He can run it, or he can throw it. He can do whatever you need him to do to get in the end zone. So, when we’re down there, it’s kind of like automatic.”
Lamar Jackson and the Ravens have been nearly flawless inside the red zone, ranking first in the NFL in red zone offense after four weeks. Baltimore has achieved touchdowns on 12 out of 15 trips in the red zone, boasting an unmatched 80% success rate.
On the latest Sunday, Jackson displayed his usual unpredictability, delivering both rushing and passing touchdowns in the same game for the first time in his six-year career. He scored untouched on 10 and 2-yard touchdown runs before connecting with tight end Mark Andrews for scoring passes spanning 7 and 18 yards.
Tight end Mark Andrews was effusive in his praise for Jackson’s diverse skill set: “He’s able to do so many other things that other quarterbacks can’t do. That’s a beautiful thing. Lamar Jackson’s second to none.”
In the second quarter, Jackson demonstrated his confidence in Andrews by threading a pass over two Browns defenders, finding his leaping tight end for a remarkable 7-yard touchdown pass. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, this touchdown pass had a mere 17% completion probability, making it the second most improbable touchdown pass of Jackson’s NFL career.
“That’s as good a throw as you’re ever going to see,” commended Ravens coach John Harbaugh.
Harbaugh highlighted Jackson’s proficiency as a red zone quarterback, attributing it to his ability to excel in tight spaces. Jackson’s accuracy with his arm and his capability to stretch defenses with his legs, either by extending plays or rushing into the end zone, make him a formidable force in the red zone.
Jackson joins an exclusive group of quarterbacks, being only the fourth in the last decade to achieve at least four rushing and four passing touchdowns in the first four weeks of a regular season. His four touchdown runs in the red zone already double his total from the previous season.
Baltimore’s efficiency in the red zone marks a significant change under new offensive coordinator Todd Monken. Over the past three seasons, the Ravens ranked 19th inside the 20-yard line, scoring touchdowns 56.6% of the time (99-of-175). Justin Tucker’s 55 red-zone field goals were the second-highest in the NFL during that period.
“You’d have to go back a few years ago; we were getting into the red zone and not scoring,” Jackson acknowledged. “I believe a lot of that came with a lack of focus. As we get into the red zone – or the black zone, as Coach Monken calls it – we have to focus harder because we got all the way down here; we have to finish the drive instead of having ‘Tuck’ come on the field and kick field goals like usual.”
The Ravens (3-1) currently lead the AFC North due to Jackson’s ability to overcome the Browns and their top-ranked defense. Baltimore managed to score three touchdowns in the first half against a defense that had surrendered just one offensive touchdown in the initial three games.
Despite missing his starting left tackle Ronnie Stanley (knee) and two top wide receivers, Odell Beckham Jr. (ankle) and Rashod Bateman (hamstring), Jackson repeatedly reached the end zone. Furthermore, he lost his starting right tackle, Morgan Moses (shoulder), for the entire second half.
Coach Harbaugh praised Jackson’s leadership on the field, stating, “He was running the show out there. He was the point guard; he was the general. He was making the calls, making the changes, handling the shot clock. I just thought he played a fantastic football game.”
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