The Ravens may insist that there is no quarterback controversy between Lamar Jackson and Joe Flacco, but there absolutely is one.
Lamar Jackson has filled in admirably for Joe Flacco, who spent the last three weeks recovering from a hip injury. When Jackson took over the quarterback duties, the Ravens had just lost three straight games and the season had no momentum to speak of. Jackson took the Ravens to three straight victories. Even if it wasn’t done by the standard operating procedure, Jackson helped the Ravens win games that changed their season for the better.
The Ravens are now in an interesting position. Jackson had a chance to lock the job away and keep Flacco from even sniffing his job back. While the Ravens won, Jackson had a couple of gaffes, and had his most unpolished performance yet. The Atlanta Falcons forced him to fumble twice, one of those fumbles, was returned for an Atlanta touchdown. Jackson went 12-21 passing for 125 yards.
At one point in the game Jackson had to be tested for a concussion, which was a result of a cleat ramming into his face mask. Jackson came back into the game, but only after Robert Griffin III orchestrated some smooth offense.
Jackson missed some key throws in this game. He missed a couple of deep shots badly. He missed a receiver wide open over the middle of the field for a needed completion on third down. When his touchdown producing fumble happened, he should have dumped the ball off to the running back. He made a lot of rookie mistakes in the game.
Now the Ravens are in the playoff mix. The sixth seed is on the line and the Ravens all the sudden have a shot at winning the division as well. The purple and black went 3-0 under Jackson but they beat three bad teams with a commonality, they can’t stop the run.
The thought that Flacco could be the answer down the stretch isn’t insane. Flacco was having a decent season. The problem is just that the last time we saw him the Ravens season seemed dead in the water.
Jackson’s mistakes didn’t just keep the Falcons in the game during the first half. They kept Flacco’s hope of retaking the job alive. It isn’t an easy decision that John Harbaugh has to make. Jackson is 3-0 as a starting quarterback. The Ravens run game has come alive with Jackson as the quarterback.
However the Ravens face a slate of games where they must win just about everything to be successful. The Ravens can only suffer one, maybe two losses to make the postseason and Flacco is the quarterback they know the best. The Ravens have a quarterback controversy on their hands.
As exciting as Jackson was in the first two weeks, he didn’t silence the faction of the Ravens Flock that wants to see Joe Flacco under center. Jackson made a strong case to be the starting quarterback moving forward, but he didn’t seal the deal. This could go either way and that is the biggest takeaway from the Ravens win over the Falcons.