At this point, how can you not believe that Lamar Jackson is the NFL MVP?
Heading into Week 17, some felt the award was Josh Allen’s to lose while some felt Jared Goff should be in the conversation. Others, like myself, felt Saquon Barkley should be considered as a serious candidate.
But Jackson’s performance over the recent few weeks is convincing enough to silence us all.
On Christmas afternoon, Jackson put on a show that fans rarely get to see.
We all knew Jackson could run, and his moves yesterday broke many ankles on the Texans’ defense en route to a 31-2 destruction of Houston on Netflix.
But he backed up those runs with passes that many, at one point, thought he was incapable of throwing.
Detractors will point to his rather pedestrian stat line of 168 yards passing and 2 TDs, but that ignores the fact that he didn’t need to pass that much and the game was already in hand by mid-third quarter.
Overall, he had 255 total yards and 3 TDs, which includes 87 rushing yards on only 4 attempts.
4!
With his 48-yard TD run on Wednesday, Jackson also made history by setting a new QB rushing record with 6,110 yards, breaking Michael Vick’s record of 6,109 yards.
Even more amazing is that it took Jackson seven years to break what took Vick thirteen years to set.
“Michael Vick, one of my favorite players,” said Jackson. “That’s just dope.”
To fully appreciate what Jackson is doing this season, you have to go back to April 26th, 2018, the first night of the 2018 NFL Draft.
Jackson, the 2016 Heisman Trophy winner, was in the green room with his mother, waiting to hear his name called in the first round.
He was a three-year starter at Louisville who flourished in his final two seasons.
In his sophomore year, when he won the Heisman, he threw for 3,543 yards, 30 TDs and 9 INTs. He also rushed for 1,571 yards and 21 TDs. In his junior year, he amassed 3,660 yards passing, 27 TDs and 10 INTs while rushing for 1,601 yards and 18 TDs.
That should have made him a first-round selection. Instead, 31 teams passed on him and he sat dejected with his mother. Then Hall of Famer Ozzie Newsome of the Baltimore Ravens traded back into the first round and drafted Jackson with the final pick of the night.
Since being inserted as the starting QB mid-way through the 2018 season, Jackson has marveled fans with his talents. He’s won two MVP awards (2019, 2023) and continues to improve as a passer.
The other big knocks on his career were that he couldn’t beat the Steelers and couldn’t win in the postseason.
This year, Jackson is on pace to erase both criticisms.
After losing to Pittsburgh in their first matchup in November, Lamar took it to them and led Baltimore to a 34-17 drubbing of their archrivals last week. While it pushed his record against Pittsburgh to only 3-5, it ended a four-game losing streak against the Steelers and, most importantly, gave the Ravens momentum heading into the final few weeks of the 2024 season.
This season, Lamar has set career highs in passing yards (3,955) and passing TDs (39). He’s also had the fewest number of interceptions (4) since his rookie season (3 in 7 games). He’s also added in 855 yards rushing with 4 TDs, showing that he’s not simply a running quarterback.
Thanks to Lamar and a stumbling Steelers team, the Ravens are now in first place in the AFC North and can win it in the final week by beating the Browns. That would give Baltimore an 11-6 record and its fourth AFC North title since Lamar was drafted.
While critics are readying their “Playoff Lamar” critiques, this year feels different and Lamar looks different. The team is on a roll and thanks to a run game bolstered by Derrick Henry, Lamar doesn’t have to use his legs as much, showing that his arm can carry the team.
If he has a great game against Cleveland and wins the AFC North, Lamar should win his third league MVP.
But Ravens fans are hoping that he breaks his playoff woes and leads them to the Super Bowl he promised them on draft night while speaking with Deion Sanders on TV.
Fortunately for them, Lamar has been breaking other things this season, so that just might happen this February.
