ExtremeRavens Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 The Ravens were trailing the Miami Dolphins by a field goal midway through the second quarter on New Year’s Eve at M&T Bank Stadium. All that was at stake was the top seed in the AFC and home-field advantage through the conference title game. As Lamar Jackson dropped back a few steps, Dolphins linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel and defensive tackle Christian Wilkins closed in. But before anyone could get to Jackson, the quarterback shuffled forward two steps and, with his left leg still in the air and body off balance, flung a deep pass down the right sideline to a streaking Odell Beckham Jr., who, with cornerback Kader Kohou blanketed on him, twisted and caught the perfectly placed ball with both hands and both feet in bounds before crashing to the ground at the 1-yard line. The catch was a vintage Beckham moment, but it was just one of many spectacular plays by Jackson in 2023 and demonstrative of his greatness throughout the season. That’s why, for the second time in his six-year career, he was named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player during NFL Honors on Thursday night. “It’s like watching a video game, bro,” Ravens cornerback Arthur Maulet said after the Ravens’ win over Miami, a 56-19 pounding in which Jackson completed 18 of 21 passes for 325 yards and five touchdowns for a perfect passer rating (158.3) to all but cement his grip on the award in the Week 17 blowout. It was plenty “quarterback-y”, too, then and all year. After career highs in passing yards (3,682), completions (307) and completion percentage (.672), along with 24 touchdown passes and 821 rushing yards and five more scores, Jackson is just the 11th player to receive the honor more than once. The last time he did was in 2019, when he set the single-season record for quarterback rushing yards (1,206), led the league in touchdown passes (36) and won the award unanimously, joining Brady as the only players to do so. He beat out San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey, 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen and Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dan Prescott. Jackson was also a finalist for NFL Offensive Player of the Year with McCaffrey, Prescott, Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill and Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb. McCaffrey won for the first time in his career. That Jackson was voted MVP by the Associated Press for the second time was not a surprise. As he went this season, so went the Ravens. Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson talks with the media after practice at the Under Armour Performance Center in Owings Mills, Md. (Kevin Richardson/Staff).Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson celebrates after running for a touchdown against the Texans in the fourth quarter. Ravens defeated the Texans 34-10 in Divisional Round of the 2024 NFL Playoffs at M&T Bank Stadium. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff photo)Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson gestures after completing a pass against the Texans in the fourth quarter Sunday. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, #8 celebrates his rushing touchdown against the Houston Texans with wide receiver Zay Flowers during the fourth quarter of the Divisional Round of the 2024 NFL Playoffs in Baltimore. The Ravens defeated Houston 34-10, to advance to the AFC championship...(Karl Merton Ferron/Staff Photo)Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson breaks from the pocket for a gain against the Houston Texans in the fourth quarter. (Jerry Jackson/Staff photo)Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson beats Texans defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins to the end zone during the fourth quarter Saturday. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)Baltimore Ravens' Ronnie Stanley, left, and Lamar Jackson celebrate after Jackson ran in for a touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Houston Texans in the Divisional Round of the playoffs at M&T Bank Stadium.(Kenneth K. Lam/Staff photo)Ravens' Lamar Jackson runs for a 4th quarter touchdown to give the Ravens a 30-10 lead. Houston Texans vs. the Baltimore Ravens in NFL Divisional Round playoff game at M&T Bank Stadium. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff photo)Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson heads out to practice for the Divisional Round of the 2024 NFL Playoffs in Baltimore. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff Photo)Baltimore graphic artist Brian Bomster-Jabs, left, gives an original digital painting depicting career highlights of Lamar Jackson to the Ravens quarterback before Steelers game at M&T Bank Stadium..(Kenneth K. Lam/Staff photo)Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson twirls a football pregame as the Baltimore Ravens prepare to host the Miami Dolphins at M&T Bank Stadium.(Jerry Jackson/Staff photo)DON'T USE. FOR LAMAR PROFILE. TALK TO LEEANN. Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson takes the field as the Baltimore Ravens host the Miami Dolphins at M&T Bank Stadium.(Jerry Jackson/Staff photo)Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson walks to the locker room after beating the Dolphins on Dec. 31 at M&T Bank Stadium. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson congratulates Charlie Kolar on the sidelines after he scored in the 4th quarter. The Baltimore Ravens defeated the Miami Dolphins 56-19 at M&T Bank Stadium.(Jerry Jackson/Staff photo)Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar is congratulated by Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa after Baltimore Ravens defeated the Miami Dolphins 56-19 at M&T Bank Stadium.(Jerry Jackson/Staff photo)Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8), taking the rest of the game off with wide receiver Zay Flowers (4), celebrates with backup quarterback Tyler Huntley (2) who connected with tight end Charlie Kolar for a touchdown during the fourth quarter of an AFC matchup of NFL football in Baltimore. The Ravens became the AFC North champions, securing home field advantage throughout the playoffs with their 56-19 drubbing of Miami. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun Staff)With a successful afternoon of scoring under his belt, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson leaps for joy as backup quarterback Tyler Huntley connects with rookie tight end Charlie Kolar for his first professional touchdown during the fourth quarter of an AFC matchup of NFL football in Baltimore. The Ravens became the AFC North champions, securing home field advantage throughout the playoffs with their 56-19 drubbing of Miami. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun Staff)Baltimore Ravens Patrick Ricard and quarterback Lamar Jackson celebrate a 4th quarter touchdown as the Baltimore Ravens defeat the Miami Dolphins 56-19 on New Yearxe2x80x99s Eve at M&T Bank Stadium. (Jerry Jackson/Staff photo)Baltimore Ravens fans chanted "MVP" while one held a sign calling for Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson to win most valuable player during the fourth quarter of an AFC matchup of NFL football in Baltimore. The Ravens became the AFC North champions, securing home field advantage throughout the playoffs with their 56-19 drubbing of Miami. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun Staff)Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, left, celebrates back up quarterback Tyler Huntley’s touchdown pass against the Seahawks in the fourth quarter. The Ravens defeated the Seahawks 37-3 at M&T Bank Stadium. Nov. 5, 2023BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - NOVEMBER 16: Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens takes the field prior to the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at M&T Bank Stadium on November 16, 2023 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) ** OUTS - ELSENT, FPG, CM - OUTS * NM, PH, VA if sourced by CT, LA or MoD **Doug Kapustin/for Carroll County TimesBaltimore Ravens quarterback, Lamar Jackson hands off a turkey at the first annual Community Fun Day 'Catch-a-Turkey' event at Blaze Pizza in Westminster on Saturday. Frozen turkeys and Thanksgiving fare are distributed by volunteers and made possible through the collaborative efforts of Westminster Rescue Mission, Carroll County Food Sunday, and generous sponsors.Doug Kapustin/for Carroll County TimesBaltimore Ravens quarterback, Lamar Jackson greets restaurant staff during the first annual Community Fun Day 'Catch-a-Turkey' event at Blaze Pizza in Westminster on Saturday. Frozen turkeys and Thanksgiving fare are distributed by volunteers and made possible through the collaborative efforts of Westminster Rescue Mission, Carroll County Food Sunday, and generous sponsors.Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore SunRavens quarterback Lamar Jackson, left, celebrates a touchdown against the Bengals scored by running back Gus Edwards, right, during the fourth quarter Thursday night.Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore SunBaltimore Ravens' Lamar Jackson enters field as fans cheer during warmups before a Thursday night football game against the Cincinnati Bengals at M&T Bank Stadium.Kenneth K. Lam/Baltimore SunRavens quarterback Lamar Jackson, left, tries to put move on Browns' Anthony Walker Jr., right, in the fourth quarter.Ron Schwane/APBaltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson arrives before an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore SunWith the game well in hand, Baltimore Ravens running back Keaton Mitchell sprints past quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) who cheers as he thwarts the Seattle Seahawks defense, sprinting and cutting to the Seattle 18 yard line, setting up a touchdown during the fourth quarter of a battle between NFL division leaders in Baltimore Sunday Nov. 5, 2023. Baltimore routed the Seahawks, 37-3. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun Staff)Kenneth K. Lam/Baltimore SunRavens quarterback Lamar Jackson meets with Lions counterpart Jared Goff, left, after he Ravens defeated the Lions 38-6 at M&T Bank Stadium.Kenneth K. Lam/Baltimore SunBaltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson runs for a touchdown in the first quarter.Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore SunBaltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) celebrates a touchdown by tight end Mark Andrews (left) during the second quarter of NFL football game.Kenneth K. Lam/Baltimore SunThe Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson runs in for a touchdown as Colts linebacker Shaquille Leonard reacts in the first quarter at M&T Bank Stadium on September 24, 2023.Terrance Williams/APRavens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) celebrates his touchdown run with wide receiver Zay Flowers against the Colts.Jerry Jackson/Baltimore SunBaltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson takes the field for warmups as the Baltimore Ravens prepare to host the Houston Texans in the season opener at M&T Bank Stadium.Kenneth K. Lam/Baltimore SunRavens quarterback Lamar Jackson runs away from Texans' Will Anderson Jr., left, in the second quarter. The Ravens defeated the Texans 25-9 at M&T Bank Stadium.Jerry Jackson/Baltimore SunBaltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson looks for a receiver in the first quarter as the Baltimore Ravens host the Houston Texans in the season opener at M&T Bank Stadium.Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun"I feel like there's another stepping stone, that I'm stepping into my prime right now," Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson told The Baltimore Sun. "I got a great group of guys around me and right now I feel like is the time [for us] to elevate."Show Caption of Expand Just as he did four years ago, he led the Ravens (13-4) to the best record in the NFL. Along the way, he played his best in the team’s biggest games, with standout performances in victories over the 49ers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Seattle Seahawks and Detroit Lions. The Ravens won 10 of 11 games at one point, with Jackson topping the 300-yard passing mark three times and leading the team in rushing on four occasions in that span. And though Jackson’s career postseason record fell to 2-4 with a loss at home to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship game, in which he completed just 54.1% of his passes with a touchdown, an interception and a fumble, the award is based off the regular season. Jackson’s numbers weren’t as eye-popping as they were in 2019 — his 24 touchdown passes are tied with Steve McNair for the fewest by an MVP — but his brilliance was in his balance, both as the focal point of a new offense under coordinator Todd Monken and statistically. Jackson ranked eighth in the NFL in total touchdowns and completion percentage, led the league in yards per attempt (8) and had the fourth-highest passer rating (102.7). His 821 rushing yards also led the team, ranked 22nd in the NFL and were 164 more than the next closest quarterback, the Chicago Bears’ Justin Fields. His 5.5 yards per carry also led all players, and he was named an All-Pro for the second time and selected to his third Pro Bowl. “Lamar Jackson is a phenomenal success,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said at the team’s season-ending news conference. “He’s a phenomenal success as a football player. He’s phenomenal success as a person, as a leader, as a family man, but you’re asking about the football player. In my opinion, there’s nobody better in this league, especially nobody better for the Baltimore Ravens and for this organization and for this city and just from a historical perspective.” All of it came after an offseason of tumult and uncertainty in which Jackson requested to be traded after he said he felt the team wasn’t meeting his value in contract negotiations. Eventually, the two sides came to an agreement, with Jackson signing a five-year, $260 million extension in April that, at the time, made him the highest-paid player in the league in terms of annual salary. It turned out to be a worthy investment. After a somewhat sluggish start to the season in a new offense, Jackson and the Ravens took flight. At home against the Lions in Week 7, he completed 21 of 27 passes for 357 yards and three touchdowns to lead Baltimore to a 38-6 blowout of the future NFC runner-up. The performance earned him AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors, and he was just getting started. Two weeks later, against the Seahawks, he completed 21 of 26 passes for 187 yards and rushed for 60 yards on 10 carries to help lead a 37-3 rout. A little over a month later, in a “Sunday Night Football” showdown against Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars, he threw for 171 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 97 yards on 12 carries in a convincing 23-7 road victory. Then came a Christmas night showdown against the 49ers on the road and their MVP candidates, McCaffrey and Purdy. Jackson outplayed them both, completing 23 of 35 passes for 252 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for a team-high 45 yards on seven carries in a resounding 33-19 victory. Still, it wasn’t enough for one Fox Sports Radio host, who was critical of Jackson when it came to the MVP conversation, calling him not “quarterback-y” enough and saying that McCaffrey was more valuable. A week later, against the Dolphins, Jackson shrugged off the commentary and posted the third perfect passer rating of his career. His performance clinched the AFC North title for Baltimore for the first time since 2019 as well as the top seed in the conference as he was again named AFC Offensive Player of the Week. He put together an MVP season when all the attention was on him. In addition to Jackson being at the axis of everything the Ravens did on offense, they lost their top running back, J.K. Dobbins, in Week 1 to a season-ending torn Achilles tendon, tight end and security blanket Mark Andrews to an ankle injury in Week 11 and explosive rookie running back Keaton Mitchell to a knee injury in Week 15. There was no stopping Jackson, though. After missing 11 games the previous two seasons because of injury, he played every meaningful snap this season, only sitting out a Week 18 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers because there was nothing left to play for or to prove. He was, simply, the best player on the best team. View the full article Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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