Ravens: Is Lamar Jackson the Cincinnati Bengals’ Kryptonite?

The Baltimore Ravens are set to play the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 7, and Lamar Jackson will be rubbing his hands together in evil delight at this matchup.

Not only has Jackson been on a roll breaking records in the past few weeks, but he’s historically performed extremely well against Cincinnati.

Aside from his first matchup with the Bengals in Week 2 of 2018 when Jackson only played seven percent of offensive snaps, Jackson has had the Bengals’ number.

In his five starts, Jackson has recorded 902 passing yards, 436 rushing yards, eight passing touchdowns against three interceptions, and an average of roughly seven yards per passing attempt.

All five games were Baltimore wins, and the most recent three were blowouts by at least 24 points.

One of Jackson’s performances, in particular, should burn in Cincinnati’s memory: in Week 6 of 2019, he threw for 236 yards and rushed for a ridiculous 152 yards and one touchdown.

Oh, and he also did this:

He can run. He can throw. And he loves playing against the Bengals.

Granted, this 4-2 Bengals team in 2021 is vastly improved with a healthy Joe Burrow at the helm and the early contender for Offensive Rookie of the Year, Ja’Marr Chase.

Ravens QB Lamar Jackson has terrorized the Bengals in recent history

The Bengals’ defense has also experienced a dramatic makeover and ranks fifth in the league in points allowed per game, 11th in yards allowed, and ninth in sacks per game.

Somewhere between 2020 and 2021, Cincinnati developed a well-oiled defensive unit that stood its ground against scarily good passing teams like the Green Bay Packers.

They haven’t faced Lamar Jackson yet in 2021, though, and Jackson’s record against Cincinnati’s defense screams for itself.

Admittedly, his passing accuracy in his last two games against the Bengals leaves much to be desired. He recorded a 51 percent completion rate and a 56 percent completion rate in two games in 2020, which is far below his season average of 65 percent.

But just as 2021 marked a new period for the Bengals, the year marks a new era for Jackson too, who has been flexing his dual-threat abilities through six weeks of the season.

With Rashod Bateman back in the lineup, Jackson may be developing his own bonafide connection with the rookie wideout and give Burrow and Chase a taste of their own medicine.

Maybe it shouldn’t be that shocking that Jackson has crushed Cincinnati in recent years since Cincinnati hasn’t fielded a solid playoff-contending team until, well, now. Usually, when the Ravens play Cincinnati, the Bengals might not even have a single tally in their win column.

This season, though, Bengals head coach Zac Taylor is out there sniffing for more unlikely victories, as one might use a metal detector to search for hidden treasure.

Come Week 7, Taylor and the rest of the Bengals may end up being no match against Lamar Jackson’s superhuman form in Baltimore. Winning games is one thing, but winning games against Cincinnati?

Jackson’s practically perfected that art.