Lamar Jackson's unfair standard has somehow reached a new level of disrespect

Unfortunately for Baltimore Ravens fans, this week has seemingly been Lamar Jackson hate week. The most viral example of this criticism was Lamar falling from second to 69th on the NFL's top 100 list (which is voted on by players). Talking heads in the media have, of course, had a field day with this -- Colin Cowherd is the latest pundit to pile on Jackson. 

During a segment on Tuesday's show, Cowherd argued that Jackson is declining and said that players such as Bo Nix and Caleb Williams have surpassed him. 

"Lamar Jackson as a starter used to average 10 rushes per game; last year it was five. He used to give you 65 yards rushing a game; last year it was 26. His sack percentage has gone through the roof. Only one quarterback in the league had a higher sack percentage: Geno Smith... He (Lamar) is a declining player... I no longer trust Lamar Jackson in a big spot," Cowherd said. 

Cowherd's criticism of Jackson sums up some of the current discourse around the two-time MVP. Listen, nothing about Lamar's season was ideal, but neither was the roster context around him. When healthy, Jackson has proven that he is an MVP-caliber quarterback, and he deserves some grace for not having a top-tier season given the context of the Ravens' roster. 

The criticism of Lamar Jackson doesn't factor in the context of the Baltimore Ravens' situation

Lamar dealt with a nagging hamstring injury since Week 3. He left a Week 4 matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs due to this injury. While he did return in Week 9, this injury (along with various lower-body ailments) loomed over Jackson. 

Without a doubt, the Ravens' lackluster pass protection, particularly from the ill-fated guard duo of Daniel Faalele and Andrew Vorhees, contributed to these injury problems and sacks. Frankly, there was no worse starting guard duo than Faalele and Vorhees. With John Simpson and first-round Vega Ioane set to take over, Jackson should have better protection. 

So yes, he didn't have his typical elusiveness as a runner, but that doesn't mean he's declining. After all, he is just 29 years old, and was a few votes shy of winning his third MVP during his last fully healthy season in 2024.

The Ravens coaching staff didn't do Lamar any favors from a play-calling standpoint. Likewise, there seemed to be a clear disconnect between the coaching staff and players. With a revamped coaching staff, this will no longer be an issue. 

It's foolish to ask for perfection when the roster around you isn't built to succeed at the highest level. Despite his success, Lamar has always been criticized, but now it's reached new (and totally unfair) heights.

Think about what's more likely? That Jackson, all of a sudden, isn't an elite quarterback and has declined immensely, or that a subpar Ravens roster led to a down year from Lamar and he'll bounce back to his MVP standards?

Other players are held to a different standard

The double standard between Jackson and Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is something worth noting. Burrow ranked a spot above Lamar in ESPN's list of the top ten quarterbacks, which surveyed league personnel. And while Lamar was unranked by at least one voter, Burrow's lowest ranking was sixth. That's the real crime, not the one-spot difference.

Despite playing in nine fewer games than Jackson over the past three seasons, and eight fewer games than Lamar since he entered this league in 2020, Burrow doesn't get the label of an injury-prone player as much. 

Supporters of Burrow argue that these injuries are due to the Bengals' offensive line. Fair! But why doesn't Jackson get the same excuse? 

Even the typical playoff argument doesn't totally hold up under scrutiny. Sure, Burrow's record is much better (5-2 vs 3-5), and Jackson has more touchdowns and yards in the playoffs. Now, Burrow has a better completion rate and fewer interceptions. Regardless, he hasn't been miles better than Jackson in the playoffs. 

Detractors of Lamar need to factor in the context of the Ravens' situation before criticizing him for a really weird season, with factors that were out of his control. Soon enough, Jackson will silence his doubters and remind everyone of his greatness. 

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow