What Do You Think?

[vmax]

I liked seeing Jackson out there. I think it confused the Steelers defense giving them too much to think about...like sensory over load.

 

USA Today is not so sure. Here's their interesting take...

 

Joe Flacco is a better thrower than decoy. The Ravens quarterback connected on a tight, 33-yard touchdown pass to John Brown for the first score of the game. He arched a 71-yard dime to Brown to set up another scoring opportunity. Flacco moved the chains a few times with some clutch third-down throws, too. Yet Flacco became a decoy, aligned wide as a receiver for at least a half dozen plays as Baltimore inserted its Wildcat formation, featuring rookie quarterback Lamar Jackson. Although Jackson made positive plays — including a diving finish to a three-yard run on third-and-three in the third quarter that kept alive a go-ahead field goal drive in the third quarter — it’s fair to wonder whether the changeup was worth the disruption to the flow on a night when Flacco was in a good rhythm. Besides, Flacco didn’t fool anybody when aligned as a receiver, which basically gave Pittsburgh’s D more leeway to shut down Jackson’s runs.....https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2018/09/30/pittsburgh-steelers-loss-baltimore-ravens-adds-more-drama/1484181002/

 

[oldno82]

I think I agree with USA Today. It can disrupt the flow of the game. Having Jackson throw occasionally with an WR in there instead of Joe would make some sense in startling the defense but why take Joe out now the way he's been playing? He's in a zone.

[tsylvester]

I've said it before I will say it again, I don't like it, I don't think it helps. Sure, later in the season they will have him throw from the wild cat, an rpo.

 

A good side of it is that he is seeing the speed of an NFL team in live real action.

 

Even so, why ruin or take that big of risk ruining the flow of the offense... Joe is one less blocker...

[vmax]

I see your points. Joe was in a "zone" and why take him out and disrupt that. Why risk hurting Jackson?

And so far, other than 1 TD run, no big plays have come of it.

 

On the flip side, teams have to waste time game planning for Jackson.

The big pro that I see in playing Jackson, especially early in the game, is how much it adds to the unpredictability of the offense and the many different looks that defenses get hit with mentally. That threw the Steelers off.

When you look at how many weapons this offense has, this adds one more. That's a lot to account for.

 

So far Joe has been handling this well. He's not complaining or pouting. This could happen if the Ravens suffer a close loss where Joe's competitive juices are flowing to where he wants to win so bad and thinks he can make that happen but instead his rhythm and focus are disrupted.

It could happen.

[papasmurfbell]

I think it is trash. Jackson is not getting better as a QB. It does disrupt the flow of the game. He is also going to get hurt with his reckless runs. MArty needsto figure out what to do with him very soon.

[papasmurfbell]

Also I don't think teams are having a hard time planning for him. They show nothing new everytime he is out there. They know it is a designed run if he gets the ball.