Lamar Jackson returned to MVP form in Week 1. He was a major catalyst in the Baltimore Ravens' routing of the Indianapolis Colts last Sunday, throwing for 324 yards, adding another 40 on the ground, and scoring 2 touchdowns. His 364 total yards made for an absolutely relentless offense.
Entering Week 2, can Jackson one-up himself?
The Ravens square off against the New Orleans Saints in their home opener, welcoming a defense that allowed 369 total yards and 31 points last week to M&T Bank Stadium. It may not be another extremely LaMarvelous performance, but Jackson has the chips to turn in another outstanding showing.
What could Lamar Jackson’s Week 2 performance look like?
Against the Colts, all the stars aligned for Lamar Jackson to have a dominant start to his 2026 campaign. He usually excels in Week 1 and has defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo’s number. It shouldn’t be a shock that he got off to a fast start.
That was on the road, though. Week 2 will be Baltimore’s first game inside The Bank this year. Fans are already hyped as can be, and that’s the kind of excitement Jackson and company will undoubtedly feed off.
It may fall short of 364 total yards. The Ravens will be without Ja’Kobi Lane for a while after he fractured his wrist, and Zay Flowers is dealing with a hamstring issue—there’s a chance he won’t play, and if he does, it’s improbable he’ll be 100%.
As a result, there will likely be a lack of juice from the wideouts on Sunday.
That won’t favor Jackson putting up flashy numbers. The wide receiver depth was already questioned coming into the season, and now it’s being put to a real test. New Orleans also has a couple of potential stars in the secondary in Kool-Aid McKinstry and Jonas Sanker, who could feast on a weaker receiver room.
Still, Jackson has done more with less before. That’s been the story of his career, quite honestly. Hollywood Brown, Willie Snead, Sammy Watkins, Demarcus Robinson - I could go on for a long time. Things were bleak before Flowers arrived in Charm City.
And the Saints defense didn’t exactly look great as a whole in Week 1. Sure, they were decent, but Jared Goff was relatively efficient, completing 26-of-39 passes for 206 yards and 2 touchdowns. Seeing that, Jackson should keep firing at a high level.
Where Jackson could really get the best of New Orleans, though, is on the ground. Jahmyr Gibbs forced 12 missed tackles last Sunday, and while Gibbs is a running back, Jackson possesses similar explosiveness and make-you-miss ability.
If Declan Doyle unleashes more options and QB runs, look out. Jackson may start to look like a runaway train.
Derrick Henry will be the star of the show if the Ravens opt to prioritize the rushing attack. However, Jackson looks like his dynamic dual-threat self again. If running the football is the best way to produce in Week 2, Jackson will be a focal point.
It's also worth noting that rain is expected in Baltimore on Sunday. That should bring an even heavier emphasis on the ground game.
Final Prediction
- 16/22, 227 passing yards, 2 passing touchdowns
- 9 carries, 68 yards, 1 rushing touchdown
Lamar Jackson should have no problem getting the job done in front of the Ravens Flock. This prediction doesn’t look as flashy as Week 1, but 295 total yards and 3 touchdowns is very achievable. Baltimore’s home opener might give him an extra edge to dominate and help his team move to 2-0 by the time the clock hits 0.
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