The issue for Lamar Jackson is how long he's going to be able to play like this. He is of course far more likely to get injured than a dropback QB would be, but he is also much more likely to have his game not age well. And that doesn't even address that sooner or later he's going to have to demonstrate that he can move the team from the pocket, since defenses will start keying on him. Incredible athletic ability can carry you for a while, but eventually it takes more than that, especially at quarterback.
Jim Harbaugh is following the model his brother used to get to the SB with SF under Kap. A very good D and coming into this years playoff Jackson has the ability to break down teams both running and passing. Lamar is beating teams with the pass option this year. He wasn't doing that last year. If he can hold up it's a formula that might be able to break down the Pats D in the playoffs. He is clearly more than an athletic QB. The question is can he hold up physically through the season? If he can it has a good shot to work.
Since our Jets are hopeless I hope Baltimore wins the Super Bowl this year. I have been dying for a team to adopt a college system in the NFL and go all in on it. I hope they change the league Its mind blowing when you think about it. How many teams wasted talented players for years!!! by forcing them into a stiff, outdated NFL offense when they could've just let players play the spread offense like they have since they first put on the pads. our jets probably the worst of the worst in that regard. Geno Smith in Marty Morningweg's obsolete West Coast offense. how stupid. Like watching Dale Earnhardt drive a model T because "a pro should know how to drive the right way"
Chip Kelly brought a college scheme to the NFL. QBs like Kap and RG3 were running read options. Last year teams started implementing Air Raid concepts. Like Baker and the Browns. But no matter what you implement, the rest of the league will figure out how to stop it. The question is whether you're legitimately good and whether you can adapt to whatever they throw at you. We'll find out regarding Jackson soon enough (though maybe not until next season).
I also saw Balt's OL/RB gashing Seattle in addition to Jackson's runs. My point being that an overall body of work that includes a less than 50% completion pct. will (figuratively-speaking) apparently get you into Canton in certain circles. The "ESPN will have him in Canton by morning" comment turned out to be the case. Immediately this morning ESPN panels had on the table "Is Lamar better than Michael Vick?" and "Is Lamar an MVP candidate?" <---(this after less than half a season). Here's the clincher: I'm no fan of Aaron Rogers but fwiw, yesterday he threw 31 passes and had but 6 incompletions. Jackson threw only 20 passes and had 11 incompletions (the Ravens leading receiver caught two passes--two passes). Jackson threw for 0 TDs. Rogers threw 5 TDs (in addition to over 400 yards). And after all this the ESPN Lamar love eclipsed Rogers not to mention a deserving Teddy Bridgewater as well. Jackson's a very likable and a very talented .athletic. QB who at the same time has been prematurely elevated to elite status. A little more 'history' before Canton please.
Here's the thing. Rodgers is a slam dunk 1st ballot HOF QB. If Lamar Jackson can dominate games the way he did yesterday for a decade or so he will go into the HOF with less than a 50% completion percentage. I doubt he can, he's going to have to improve his passing but he's already miles better than last year. ESPN discussing it doesn't matter. He played a great game. He has played better and done more than the 3 QB's taken ahead of him last year. He's becoming a factor in the NFL. Granted the body of work is small but if I was a Baltimore Ravens fan I would be very excited right now. He deserves to be talked about right now because he's producing.
Lamar Jackson moves the chains. When you move the chains, your passer rating or completion percentage matters less. Incomplete on 1st and 2nd down -- run for 11 yards on 3rd and 10. then incomplete on 1st and 2nd down, bomb pass complete for 30 yards on the next 3rd down. That's how he is. Baltimore is going to be good for a long time.
Assuming Jackson stays healthy. He hasn't gotten hurt yet (though several pocket passers have, which is funny), but he's asking for it. And if you take away his scrambling, he's a mediocre QB. His passing stats are good right now, but that's because he runs instead of throws when things get tough.
sure, good luck taking away his scrambling though... actually, its not even "scrambling," they are designed run plays. thats why he hasn't gotten hurt yet and thats why they are so effective at moving the chains
You take it away by hammering him. Eat your 15 yard penalty if you have to and turn him into a shell of himself for the rest of the game. Watch Belichick find a way to do it in two weeks from now.
