Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
There are bad Lamar Jackson takes, and then there’s whatever this defensive coordinator said…
Lamar Jackson is widely viewed as a top-10 quarterback in the NFL today, but one defensive coordinator offered up the worst take imaginable about him, anonymously, of course…
In Mike Sando’s annual NFL Quarterbacks Tiers column for The Athletic, this anonymous NFL defensive coordinator said the following about the Baltimore Ravens starting quarterback.
“If he has to pass to win the game, they ain’t winning the game,” said an NFL defensive coordinator anonymously to Mike Sando of The Athletic. “He’s so unique as an athlete and he’s a really good football player but I don’t give a s**t if he wins the league MVP 12 times, I don’t think he’ll ever be a 1 as a quarterback. He’ll be a 1 as a football player, but not as a quarterback.”
This led to Warren Sharp going on a 10-tweet thread defending Jackson’s honor to the death.
His Ringer colleague Rodger Sherman mentioned Jackson actually thrives late in games trailing.
Jackson has put up better numbers in these spots than Patrick Mahomes the last three seasons.
anonymous fortniteSub-5 minutes 4th quarter and trailing, last 3 seasons
Unstoppable Comeback God Patrick Mahomes: 39-62, 509 yards (62.9%, 8.2 YPA), 4 TDs, 1 INT, 110.2 QB rating
Can't Pass To Win The Game Lamar Jackson: 41-64, 574 yards (64.1%, 9.0 YPA), 5 TDs, 1 INT, 112.4 QB rating https://t.co/5uK1lkWZmo— Rodger Sherman (@rodger) July 25, 2022
And there it is! A crushing blow to the narrative that Jackson cannot throw, or come from behind.
Anonymous NFL defensive coordinator doles out worst Lamar Jackson take ever
Admittedly, there will always be detractors when it comes to Jackson’s game. His dual-threat playmaking abilities have always been doubted, whether that was in high school in South Florida, in college at Louisville and now in the NFL with Baltimore. In four seasons with the Ravens, the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback has won MVP and has his team regularly in the playoffs.
No matter how he does it, Jackson has been a stabilizing presence wherever he has played quarterback. How is Louisville doing in the ACC since he left? While John Harbaugh won a Super Bowl before Jackson arrived, he would likely be out of a job if not for this transformative signal-caller. More importantly, Jackson has proven to be coachable and gets better every single season.
Eventually, Jackson may have to become more of a pocket passer as he ages, but for now, he’s Action Jackson, baby! All the while, he makes Baltimore a force to be reckoned with in the deep AFC. Though playoff success has largely evaded him, Jackson is way more than a gimmicky, run-first quarterback. The data backs up he can absolutely win games with his arm when trailing late.
It would be so fitting if the Ravens beat this coordinator’s team in the playoffs to end their season.