Lamar Jackson must work on consistency moving forward

Lamar Jackson has been very impressive this season. He still has some things he needs to work on:

Lamar Jackson is in his second NFL season and he only has started 10 regular season games. Just like it was unfair to ask him to be a finished product as a rookie taking over for Joe Flacco, it’s unfair to ask him to be perfect in year two. Jackson has shown incredible progress this year but consistency is still something he has to work on.

The Chiefs game was a prime example that his improvement as a passer is a process. Jackson’s biggest hurdle to get over is getting his timing down. A handful of times against the Chiefs, he overthrew his target. Over throwing Marquise Brown is hard to do and Jackson did it a handful of times. He is seeing the right thing, he’s just not in sync with his receivers.

The Chiefs game was an off day for Jackson. He completed just over half of his passes and he didn’t get into a groove until late in the game. His heave to Seth Roberts I will give him credit for. At least he had a match-up where the receiver could be expected to make a play. His heave to Willie Snead late in the game was a lucky throw; Snead made that work somehow and someway.

Jackson can make some magic happen and he’s one of the best improvisers in football when he’s got everything flowing. It also is worth noting that Jackson has an ability to make plays when the Ravens need it the most. Jackson is clutch and when he’s back against it, he plays some of his best football.

Sometimes Jackson reverts back into old habits. Jackson has learned how to play with better mechanics but they haven’t completely overwritten the old way of doing things. Jackson needed to reel himself in a little against the Chiefs.

While the middle of the field is where he does some of his best work, he sometimes struggles to hit a moving target coming across the field. There was a play that comes to mind from the Cardinals game. Mark Andrews was open on an intermediate pass down the field. Jackson had all day to throw the football and he fired the ball a little too hot and a little too quickly. Andrews tried to get the ball though it was off the mark.

When Jackson misses he tends to miss high. He rarely under throws a ball. One of the things that is so admirable about his game is that he is never afraid to make a throw. He never throws halfheartedly. Jackson is taking chances he didn’t used to take and seeing how he still is without a 2019 interception, it’s hard to be mad at his decision making. Jackson needs to keep making the decisions he is making. He needs to keep his confidence up right where it is. If he doesn’t waver, consistency will come. When it does, Jackson will be an MVP.