Baltimore Ravens: Lamar Jackson is taking his place at the throne

Lamar Jackson’s arrival:

Enter Lamar Jackson. The former Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback from Louisville came to the Ravens last year and waited his time behind Flacco for the first half of the season, only getting on to the field for some gimmick plays the coaches devised to try to get his electric athleticism involved in a somewhat-stagnant offense. When Flacco got injured and the team was toiling in sub-mediocrity with a 4-5 record, Jackson took the keys to the offense.

The team’s fortunes immediately turned. That 4-5 squad finished the season with a 10-6 record and an AFC North championship. Their only regular season loss was in an overtime thriller on the road to the Kansas City Chiefs. Lamar Jackson had some nice moments with his arm, but the offense turned around with what his legs did while he was carrying the ball, and what the threat of those legs did to open up running lanes for Gus Edwards and Kenneth Dixon. The Los Angeles Chargers, weeks after being beaten at home by Jackson and the Ravens, came to Baltimore for a Wild Card playoff game and ended the Ravens’ season — by selling out against the run and largely shutting down Jackson and the offense.

Lamar Jackson came into this season knowing he was the starter after the Ravens traded away Flacco and added speed all around him. He worked with his receivers in the offseason, was tutored by quarterback coaches and was a vastly-improved passer in the summer, according to those who watched him every day. Of course, what else were they going to say? That he still struggled throwing consistently?

Some of us remained cynical, but hopeful. We were still hoping for that special quarterback to wear the purple and black — that quarterback who could sit alongside the great Johnny Unitas in Baltimore football lore.

In the season-opener, Lamar Jackson became the youngest quarterback int he history of the National Football League to post a perfect passer rating, and he did it in a 59-10 shellacking of a woefully-undermanned Dolphins team. Ravensdom celebrated, but there was still some apprehension. He did it once. He did it against a terrible team. Sure, it was encouraging.

But we wanted to see more.

We saw more on Sunday. Playing against another inferior opponent — though a huge step up from the Dolphins —, Jackson used his arm and his legs to pull the Ravens to victory. How special was the performance, you might ask?

Pretty special. He started out hot with his arm, made some electric plays with his legs and saved his best play for when the team needed it most. Facing a 3rd-and-11 with 3:05 left and a six-point lead, the Ravens needed to pick up a first down or risk giving the ball back to a plucky Arizona Cardinals offense and their own precocious young quarterback, Kyler Murray. Lamar Jackson threw an absolute dime to rookie receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown to lock down the win for the Ravens.

It was the kind of play that makes skeptics into believers. The kind of play that gives hope. The kind of play that makes kings.