Lamar Jackson has been catalyst for Ravens second-half run
Taking the league by storm:
Truth be told, Lamar Jackson hasn’t truly had his “Welcome to the NFL, rookie” moment yet. While he’s certainly struggled at times this year, Jackson has simply taken the reigns for Baltimore and run away with nothing but success. The irony of that last sentence is that he ran away with it, because that’s pretty much how he was able to get it done.
Lamar Jackson would end his rookie season with nearly 700 rushing yards in just seven starts. Jackson totaled 11 touchdowns (six passing, five rushing) throughout the year, but really turned up his game after the Ravens week ten bye week. To the credit of Offensive Coordinator Marty Mornhinweg, the offense quickly shifted to Jackson’s strengths as a runner and the unit took off. Suddenly, Baltimore’s offense was explosive, unpredictable, and effective in ways we’ve never seen before.
The run game was brought to life because of Jackson’s effectiveness as a runner. The threat that he brought to the offense made room for some other great performances from his back-field, particularly in undrafted rookie free agent Gus Edwards. “Gus Bus” ended 2018 with over 700 rushing yards and a ridiculous 5.2 YPC average. Kenneth Dixon also found his footing in the second-half of the season, and gave the Ravens a three-headed hydra in their run game.
It was because of the success the Lamar Jackson gave them that the team was able to win games and stay competitive. It’s because of Lamar Jackson that the AFC is shaking in their boots at the thought of playing “Action Jackson” and the Baltimore Ravens in January.
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Lamar Jackson’s 6-1 record as a starter was one of the most unpredictable stat-lines of the 2018 NFL season. Thanks to Jackson, the Ravens are headed to the post-season with a division crown on their resume. Jackson saved the Baltimore Ravens 2018 season and a lot of people’s jobs within the organization thanks to his incredible play this year. What Jackson does next will define him moving forward, but the young man is already building a legacy in Baltimore, Maryland.