Ebony Bird
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Happy birthday Lamar Jackson! Top-5 2020 highlights

By Richard Bradshaw

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - NOVEMBER 22: Quarterback Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens throws the ball before playing the against the Tennessee Titans at M&T Bank Stadium on November 22, 2020 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - NOVEMBER 22: Quarterback Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens throws the ball before playing the against the Tennessee Titans at M&T Bank Stadium on November 22, 2020 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /
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CINCINNATI, OHIO – JANUARY 03: Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens runs with the ball against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium on January 03, 2021, in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
CINCINNATI, OHIO – JANUARY 03: Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens runs with the ball against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium on January 03, 2021, in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

3. Taking down the Cincinnati Bengals and putting his team in the playoffs

It was a win-and-your-in scenario for the Ravens heading into week 17 and even against a lowly Bengals team, the pressure was firmly on Lamar Jackson’s shoulders to carry his team. Jackson responded and answered the call, getting his team into the playoffs for the third time in as many years.

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Jackson came out awkward with an uncharacteristically bad interception but then he settled down and carved up Cincinnati. In a game where Jackson was pulled halfway through the quarter because his team was up so big, he managed to throw three touchdown passes and nearly nab 100-yards on the ground (a subject we’ll touch more on later). It was a sight to behold and was all the proof needed that Jackson was serious about getting to the post-season again.

It was do or die for Baltimore and Jackson answered the call. The Ravens are now back in the playoffs and look like one of the hottest teams in football. Even if Baltimore goes one and done again, nobody can say that Jackson didn’t do everything in his power to get his team back to January football.

2. Surpassing 1,000 rushing yards (again)

In 2019, Lamar Jackson recorded an NFL record 1,206 rushing yards at the quarterback position, surpassing a record held for 13 years by Michael Vick. It was a record we thought was seemingly untouchable and then Jackson blew the doors off it.

How does one follow up some a marvelous effort? He becomes the first quarterback to record multiple 1,000-yard rushing seasons. Better yet, he did so in back-to-back seasons. Unreal.

In a pass-heavy NFL, Jackson has redefined what it means to be a running quarterback and maintain success in doing so. Jackson ended 2020 with 1,005 rushing yards, the third-most by a quarterback in a season. Jackson is on his way to GOAT status as a running quarterback and his 2020 season has already given him some major bragging rights.

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