JoeyFlex5
Hall of Famer
I very strongly dislike 2 weeks off from football.... there’s a very bad history of teams doing this
-
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Lamar Jackson
- Thread starter Ice Bowl
- Start date
airconteka
MVP
The thing I dislike about the NFL is they tend to issue fines instead of suspensions for bad hits, a Steelers player can take out Lamar for the season, cop a $14k fine but be playing next week. Whereas in rubgy for example you're missing finals. So this tends to cause people to rest players which can have adverse implications on form etc.
redrum52
Hall of Famer
Fuck history. Harbaugh does well with extra time and has kept this team focused. Everyone seems to to keep each other accountable as well. I'm not worried about it. They would have earned it. And for some reason I feel like a lot of those extra rest teams are Peytons Colts who seemed to be choke artists.
Yes. Profanity filter dead.
Craven_Raven
Practice Squad
I have mixed feelings about sitting Lamar for a week if they beat the Browns. There’s something to be said for maintaining momentum and he’s played every other week this season. It’s not like he’s injury prone. If the Ravens aren’t worried about winning the game, change up the game plan and work on some things. Pass the ball more, move the pocket around. Maybe run a straight forward offense with a ground and pound plan that doesn’t have Lamar runs incorporated. He could play a half like a preseason game. There are ways to be conservative and play it safer than you otherwise would.
ravenslord
Ravens Ring of Honor
According to Lamar’s QB coach in Florida , two weeks off would be bad for Lamar . He said Lamar needs reps to be at his best . I think I heard this on 105.7 the fan.
nearly 3 weeks without playing a game would be an odd decision to make - and tbh i dont think lamar lets them pull him out of the game - no way is he gonna watch his team play while completely healthy on the sideline and given that some starters would still have to play on a purely numerical basis i dont see how lamar would be ok seeing his teammates go out and play without him
Corvus Purpura
Practice Squad
On a similar note, not only could Edelman play in the Super Bowl after being suspended for PEDs, but he was also eligible for (and won) the SP MVP. That's insane.
allblackraven
Hall of Famer
To be fair to lamar’s detractors this isn’t much of a comparison - over the last half a season or so Brady ranks in and around worst in the league in most statistical categories used to measure qb play (completion %, ypa, passer rating etc)
allblackraven
Hall of Famer
Right but it was a response to "Lamar Jackson isn’t a passer and is nowhere close to Brady"
SaltyDog
MVP
Yeah I think I might treat it like a preseason game. Give him some reps and get him out of there before halftime. If we wrap up the #1 he’ll be down for 2 weeks. Not sure I feel good about that. However, if the plan is to rest most of the starters, especially O linemen, I would NOT put him out there just to get reps.
ravenslord
Ravens Ring of Honor
I suspect this is what will happen assuming we beat the Brownies.
SaltyDog
MVP
Would also like to see Trace, however, I think they will give Bob all the reps just in case the unspeakable happens in the playoffs. Plus I don’t think they would activate both, but it is possible in a game that means nothing.
I agree that it will probably be treated like a 3rd preseason game, where you play them for a half and then rest the starters. That being said, I would like to beat the Steelers and have an impact on their postseason and continue our winning streak.
I saw this on RSR posted by JimZipCode and I had to share this on PurpleFlock. Enjoy. It's really long so you can go piece by piece if you'd like, but it's worth it.
The Defining Dozen
From 2016 (Lamar's Heisman season) up thru last month (Harbs sideline convo about kids wearing Lamar's jersey).
(Part A)
1. The Education of Lamar Jackson:
How Louisville QB Went from Project to Superstar
by Greg Couch – Sept 7, 2016
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/...t-to-superstar
"What we did this spring was say, 'OK, we're going to work hard on throwing the ball on time,'" Petrino says. "When he took off and ran or left the pocket, I would just blow the whistle. He'd give me one of these—shrug, 'I would've run for a touchdown, Coach.' I'd say, 'I don't care. I want to see you throw for a touchdown.' So we just forced the issue. We took his legs away."
There was that. Between that and the film study making more and more sense, Jackson started to understand his mistakes.
"And we have the virtual reality now where you can put these goggles on and see the technique of the corner, see the safeties," Petrino says. "You can see fronts and blocking schemes. You can actually turn around and see the coaches behind you. It's really neat, and it's really good for learning and recognizing coverages. You can go back and look at the pre-snap. Now, when the ball was snapped, did the safeties move? You can go back and forth. It's just video, really, but when you've got the goggles on, you see everything. We really pounded away at it in spring and summer."
Jackson has learned. But Petrino says some of the things usually considered "natural intangibles" need to be worked on, too. For example, last year, Jackson was petrified to talk with the media. So he took a media class and also enlisted the help of a local reporter.
2. A hero's journey: How Lamar Jackson became a Heisman hopeful
By Chris Hummer – Sep 14, 2016
https://247sports.com/Article/How-La...ender-47448027
Utah State offered first, followed shortly by Florida State, Nebraska and Clemson. Yet Louisville held off.
Wide receivers coach Lamar Thomas, who now holds the same position at Kentucky, had a close relationship with Jackson. Thomas played for Swain in high school and then received his first coaching job at Boynton Beach. Thomas knew the town, he knew Swain and he knew Jackson. He had the inside track. But even with Thomas’ constant pestering, Petrino would not approve an offer for Jackson. On tape Petrino saw the athleticism and the runs – but, per those familiar with Jackson's recruitment, he did not see a quarterback.
To convince Petrino, Thomas told Jackson to make an alteration to his junior highlight tape. Instead of showcasing Jackson’s dynamic carries, the new film put on display Jackson’s arm talent, including a 70-yard heave. [“His highlight film at first was runs and then throws,” Thomas says. “I told {Swain}, Hey, put that throwing on his highlight film first. Don’t put that running crap up first.”] Thomas showed Petrino the newly mixed film.
After watching for a few minutes Petrino asked Thomas, “Who the heck is that?” He saw a different quarterback.
3. Matt Waldman’s RSP Pre-Draft NFL Scouting Report on Lamar Jackson
March-April 2018
https://mattwaldmanrsp.com/2019/11/1...son-baltimore/
If Vick could have learned how to manage the pocket and tie his feet to his routes earlier in his career, he might have attained the potential that is far more realistic for Lamar Jackson within the next 2-3 years. Like Vick, Jackson has blinding speed and acceleration when he breaks the pocket and a rocket arm that can spin the ball with the flick of the wrist 85 yards downfield with accuracy. But Jackson is nothing like Vick from the pocket.
Jackson might be the best pocket passer in this draft. Isn’t that an ironic statement considering that he’s also the best runner at the position? Jackson is a rare player with a rare combination of skills. If he gets the opportunity he deserves, he has the talent to become an NFL superstar.
4. Lamar Jackson, His Mother, and the Plan They’ve Always Had
by Jonathan Jones – Apr 3, 2018
https://www.si.com/nfl/2018/04/03/la...ger-louisville
Louisville entered the 2015 season with plenty of quarterbacks, but the Cardinals were struggling to find a punt returner.
True freshman QB Lamar Jackson’s athleticism was so tantalizing, and the need for a dynamic returner so urgent, that someone on the coaching staff asked him to go field a punt and see what happens.
Seemingly minutes after practice had ended, members of the coaching staff got a call from Jackson’s mother, Felicia Jones. Head coach Bobby Petrino had lured Jackson to the Bluegrass State with the assurance that the freshman would be a quarterback and only a quarterback. Punt returner doesn’t look like quarterback, Jones said. She reminded them all of the promise Petrino had made to her and her son while sitting on a couch in their South Florida home. Jackson never went back for a punt return in practice again.
5. Lamar Jackson could change the NFL — if he gets the chance
The Heisman winner’s future in the league won’t just depend on whether he’s ready, it’ll depend on whether the NFL is
by Mina Kimes & Dominque Goxworth – April 19, 2018
https://theundefeated.com/features/l...ts-the-chance/
One would imagine that any organization that covets Jackson — he’s been linked to teams ranging from New Orleans to Pittsburgh to New England — has a flexible approach in mind. But stubbornness is hardly lacking in the NFL. The Titans, for example, drafted Marcus Mariota, who led one of the most prolific spread offenses in college football history; over the past two years, he’s been stuck under center in a turgid run-first scheme. Now, it appears they’re changing course: Tennessee fired its head coach this offseason and replaced him with Texans defensive coordinator Mike Vrabel, who has suggested he’ll install more RPOs and bootlegs. “You have to be creative. You have to cause conflict,” he said in January. “[Colleges] are taking great athletes and putting them in similar positions to succeed.”
When the draft finally arrives on April 26, it won’t make a difference if Jackson is picked 10th or 30th; the only thing that matters is where he lands and what he’s expected to do when he gets there. No one knows this better than Vick. “The team that drafts him has to understand: We’re going to change our mindset, our thinking,” he said. “You have to take advantage of the talent. If you’re going to waste it, don’t draft him.”
6. Lamar Jackson Is an NFL Quarterback, but He's Nowhere Near a Great One Yet
by Mike Tanier – Aug 2, 2018
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/...-great-one-yet
Minutes after rattling the rafters with an off-target pass, Jackson finds Chris Moore in the back corner of the end zone during a goal-line seven-on-seven drill. The pass is crisp and precise: no clang, no need to repeat the rep. With Flacco, Crabtree and others getting rest-the-veteran treatment during the second halves of early-camp practices, Jackson-to-Moore is technically a starter's rep.
"That dude's amazing," Moore said of Jackson after the session. "He can throw way better than I thought he could." Moore watched Jackson on television last year like the rest of us—"You had to watch him: He won the Heisman!" Moore reminded—and assumed Jackson had a similar skill set to Louisville's previous quarterback, whom Moore's Cincinnati Bearcats faced a few times in college. "I thought he was gonna be similar to Teddy Bridgewater," Moore said. "But he's an athletic freak. And he can throw like any quarterback who couldn't run."
It goes to show that even NFL receivers make presumptions about college quarterbacks that aren't exactly accurate.
"A wise man doesn't have knowledge of everything. Only idiots know everything."
The comprehensive Lamar Jackson: a dozen articles, 2016-19
The Defining Dozen
(Part B)
7. Greg Roman Press Conference Transcript
Feb 19, 2019
https://www.baltimoreravens.com/news...nce-transcript
Q: What excites you the most when you see Lamar as a passer?
A: “I’ll tell you what, he has a great feel for the game, and he can do things you can’t coach in the passing game. He has really, really good field vision, and that’s something we noticed last spring. You could put a progression to a passing route, like, ‘Hey, I’m going one to two to three.’ You could have him read the coverage and figure out where to throw it. But often times, he’ll just see guys open. He’ll see leverage take place. Not all guys are like that, so that is a great starting point. I feel like even last spring we felt like, ‘Wow, this guy Lamar – he can see things.’ He’s not going to be the guy that’s [like], ‘Oh man, they dropped coverage on him, and he just didn’t see it.’ I think that is a critical – It’s hard to measure or see, but moving forward, what does that do? It takes the ceiling and moves it up, because we know that ceiling is going to be even higher. Steve McNair was like that, for example. Steve had an uncanny ability to just see guys that might not have been part of the progression as having good leverage. I want to say maybe the second week [Jackson] was here last year, I was like, wow that’s something Steve would’ve done in practice.”
8. Could Lamar Jackson Have Mahomes-Like Breakout? Ravens Are Trying to Find out
by Mike Tanier – Jun 18, 2019
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/...ng-to-find-out
It's hard to get a feel for what an offense will look like while watching spring practices in shorts. But the Ravens appear to be doing many non-traditional things on a fundamental level. It goes beyond the occasional read-option drill. The square-one, iPhone 1 Ravens offense will probably look a little like Roman's Colin Kaepernick-led 49ers offenses, a little like his Tyrod Taylor-led Bills offense, a little like what Jackson ran for the Ravens in December and a little like something totally new.
It will also sound different. As part of his housecleaning, Roman simplified much of the overcomplicated West Coast offense verbiage the Ravens used when Marty Mornhinweg was the offensive coordinator.
9. Pre-Snap Reads: Lamar Jackson’s Rookie Season Re-Emphasizes How Black Quarterbacks Are Held to an Unfair Standard
by Cian Fahey – June 19, 2019
https://presnapreads.com/lamar-jacks...fair-standard/
Jackson’s rookie season was only positive.
He was outstanding as a runner and outstanding at managing the pocket as a dropback passer. He needs to improve his accuracy but he charted as the 16th-most accurate passer in the league last year, that’s already good enough when you consider everything else he offers with his skill set. One of the key differences between Jackson and Allen is that Jackson executes the play design before looking to run, he’s a reluctant scrambler who plays with his eyes up, always threatening the defense as a passer.
...
If Lamar Jackson can’t throw the ball, the rest of the rookie class is screwed. As you’d expect from first-year starters, none of them excelled with their ball placement. None of this group was a generational prospect so each of them had adjustments to make after they were drafted. Jackson got a disproportional amount of criticism for his accuracy when you consider how accurate his peers were.
This thread runs through a large number of throws that Jackson made once he became the Ravens starter. It doesn’t make sense to regurgitate that here but that’s the foundation of his potential. He’s making NFL throws and executing routine throws with timing from both clean and unclean pockets. He reads through progressions and locates open receivers without forcing running plays. He’s not reliant on RPOs or screens, he’s making throws into coverage, exploiting weak spots and moving the offense.
But to highlight Jackson’s upside we have to isolate specific plays he made as a passer. Jackson’s athleticism is what stands out more than anything but after that it’s his comfort in the pocket that’s most impressive. He was one of the best rookie quarterbacks from the last decade in terms of mitigating pressure with subtle movements in the pocket and adjusting to get the ball out against pressure. He excelled at speeding up his process when necessary and showing patience when he was given time.
10. The Ravens are all-in on Lamar Jackson, and their remade offense proves it
By Adam Kilgore – June 25, 2019
https://www.washingtonpost.com/sport...ense-proves-it
... the Ravens started over this offseason. They promoted Greg Roman to replace Marty Mornhinweg as offensive coordinator. At the urging of Coach John Harbaugh, and in line with the vision of management all the way up to ownership, Roman and his staff promptly tore down what the Ravens had been and fashioned an entirely new plan built around the specific strengths of Jackson. “There are several coaches on our staff that have always wanted to do this: ‘What would I do if I could start from square zero?’ ” Roman said this past week at Ravens minicamp. “So we’ve been granted that opportunity.”
With training camp a little more than a month away, the Ravens represent both an offensive laboratory and a study in what happens when a franchise commits to a franchise quarterback.
...
When returning players arrived for offseason workouts, they realized how much the offense had changed. They relearned even the most basic aspects — where to stand in the huddle, how snap counts would be declared, at what tempo plays would be run.
“We started from scratch,” [WR Chris] Moore said. “When we came in for the first football school, we had a brand new playbook. All the plays were different. Everything — the wording — was completely different.”
The changes were welcome. Asked what he liked about Roman’s scheme, Jackson replied, “Everything.” He hesitated, as if scanning his mind for specifics, before repeating himself: “Everything.”
Roman had designed with two imperatives in mind: Make the system easier for his players, and make it more complicated for the defense. He shrank and simplified the terminology; Jackson can call a play with just a few words, and receivers can read coverages to change their routes on the fly. David Culley, the wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator, was instrumental in designing pass plays, particularly two- and three-wideout clusters Roman hadn’t previously employed.
11. ‘I want the kid. I want Lamar’:
How Lamar Jackson became the Ravens’ starting quarterback
by Dan Pompei – Jul 24, 2019
https://theathletic.com/1088122/2019...ng-quarterback
At this point, general manager Ozzie Newsome and assistant general manager Eric DeCosta aren’t focused on quarterbacks. “It was hard as a decision maker to picture Lamar as our quarterback because he’s so different from Joe,” says DeCosta, who took over for Newsome as general manager this year. “But when the scouts talked about him, there was such an enthusiasm in their voices. They were really, really, really effusive in their praise, so my interest was piqued.”
At the combine in Indianapolis, the Ravens are determined to find out more about Jackson. But they want to prevent other teams from knowing of their interest, so they purposely do not request a formal combine interview with him.
...
Urban and Jones also attend Jackson’s pro day at Louisville. There, Jackson goes through more passing drills and meets with representatives from various teams. What stands out most, according to Urban, is the way he interacts with people from the university. It is obvious that Jackson is well-liked and respected at his school.
12. Football Outsiders Film Room: Lamar Jackson
Nov 14
https://www.footballoutsiders.com/fi...-lamar-jackson
Despite the near-universal celebration of Jackson's success, it still feels as though the young passer is not getting his due in all the areas he deserves. Nobody at this point would deny Jackson's arm strength, baseline accuracy, or scrambling skills, but not enough is said of how well Jackson conducts himself with quick-game passing. Maybe it's because quick-game passing can be mundane -- which is a totally fair thing to believe -- but it's also entirely possible that Jackson's initial reputation as an incomplete passer has caused some of his finer traits to be glossed over. At least with respect to having a consistent process, Jackson is one of the best quick-game passers in the league because of how timely and nuanced he is.
The Defining Dozen
From 2016 (Lamar's Heisman season) up thru last month (Harbs sideline convo about kids wearing Lamar's jersey).
(Part A)
1. The Education of Lamar Jackson:
How Louisville QB Went from Project to Superstar
by Greg Couch – Sept 7, 2016
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/...t-to-superstar
"What we did this spring was say, 'OK, we're going to work hard on throwing the ball on time,'" Petrino says. "When he took off and ran or left the pocket, I would just blow the whistle. He'd give me one of these—shrug, 'I would've run for a touchdown, Coach.' I'd say, 'I don't care. I want to see you throw for a touchdown.' So we just forced the issue. We took his legs away."
There was that. Between that and the film study making more and more sense, Jackson started to understand his mistakes.
"And we have the virtual reality now where you can put these goggles on and see the technique of the corner, see the safeties," Petrino says. "You can see fronts and blocking schemes. You can actually turn around and see the coaches behind you. It's really neat, and it's really good for learning and recognizing coverages. You can go back and look at the pre-snap. Now, when the ball was snapped, did the safeties move? You can go back and forth. It's just video, really, but when you've got the goggles on, you see everything. We really pounded away at it in spring and summer."
Jackson has learned. But Petrino says some of the things usually considered "natural intangibles" need to be worked on, too. For example, last year, Jackson was petrified to talk with the media. So he took a media class and also enlisted the help of a local reporter.
2. A hero's journey: How Lamar Jackson became a Heisman hopeful
By Chris Hummer – Sep 14, 2016
https://247sports.com/Article/How-La...ender-47448027
Utah State offered first, followed shortly by Florida State, Nebraska and Clemson. Yet Louisville held off.
Wide receivers coach Lamar Thomas, who now holds the same position at Kentucky, had a close relationship with Jackson. Thomas played for Swain in high school and then received his first coaching job at Boynton Beach. Thomas knew the town, he knew Swain and he knew Jackson. He had the inside track. But even with Thomas’ constant pestering, Petrino would not approve an offer for Jackson. On tape Petrino saw the athleticism and the runs – but, per those familiar with Jackson's recruitment, he did not see a quarterback.
To convince Petrino, Thomas told Jackson to make an alteration to his junior highlight tape. Instead of showcasing Jackson’s dynamic carries, the new film put on display Jackson’s arm talent, including a 70-yard heave. [“His highlight film at first was runs and then throws,” Thomas says. “I told {Swain}, Hey, put that throwing on his highlight film first. Don’t put that running crap up first.”] Thomas showed Petrino the newly mixed film.
After watching for a few minutes Petrino asked Thomas, “Who the heck is that?” He saw a different quarterback.
3. Matt Waldman’s RSP Pre-Draft NFL Scouting Report on Lamar Jackson
March-April 2018
https://mattwaldmanrsp.com/2019/11/1...son-baltimore/
If Vick could have learned how to manage the pocket and tie his feet to his routes earlier in his career, he might have attained the potential that is far more realistic for Lamar Jackson within the next 2-3 years. Like Vick, Jackson has blinding speed and acceleration when he breaks the pocket and a rocket arm that can spin the ball with the flick of the wrist 85 yards downfield with accuracy. But Jackson is nothing like Vick from the pocket.
Jackson might be the best pocket passer in this draft. Isn’t that an ironic statement considering that he’s also the best runner at the position? Jackson is a rare player with a rare combination of skills. If he gets the opportunity he deserves, he has the talent to become an NFL superstar.
4. Lamar Jackson, His Mother, and the Plan They’ve Always Had
by Jonathan Jones – Apr 3, 2018
https://www.si.com/nfl/2018/04/03/la...ger-louisville
Louisville entered the 2015 season with plenty of quarterbacks, but the Cardinals were struggling to find a punt returner.
True freshman QB Lamar Jackson’s athleticism was so tantalizing, and the need for a dynamic returner so urgent, that someone on the coaching staff asked him to go field a punt and see what happens.
Seemingly minutes after practice had ended, members of the coaching staff got a call from Jackson’s mother, Felicia Jones. Head coach Bobby Petrino had lured Jackson to the Bluegrass State with the assurance that the freshman would be a quarterback and only a quarterback. Punt returner doesn’t look like quarterback, Jones said. She reminded them all of the promise Petrino had made to her and her son while sitting on a couch in their South Florida home. Jackson never went back for a punt return in practice again.
5. Lamar Jackson could change the NFL — if he gets the chance
The Heisman winner’s future in the league won’t just depend on whether he’s ready, it’ll depend on whether the NFL is
by Mina Kimes & Dominque Goxworth – April 19, 2018
https://theundefeated.com/features/l...ts-the-chance/
One would imagine that any organization that covets Jackson — he’s been linked to teams ranging from New Orleans to Pittsburgh to New England — has a flexible approach in mind. But stubbornness is hardly lacking in the NFL. The Titans, for example, drafted Marcus Mariota, who led one of the most prolific spread offenses in college football history; over the past two years, he’s been stuck under center in a turgid run-first scheme. Now, it appears they’re changing course: Tennessee fired its head coach this offseason and replaced him with Texans defensive coordinator Mike Vrabel, who has suggested he’ll install more RPOs and bootlegs. “You have to be creative. You have to cause conflict,” he said in January. “[Colleges] are taking great athletes and putting them in similar positions to succeed.”
When the draft finally arrives on April 26, it won’t make a difference if Jackson is picked 10th or 30th; the only thing that matters is where he lands and what he’s expected to do when he gets there. No one knows this better than Vick. “The team that drafts him has to understand: We’re going to change our mindset, our thinking,” he said. “You have to take advantage of the talent. If you’re going to waste it, don’t draft him.”
6. Lamar Jackson Is an NFL Quarterback, but He's Nowhere Near a Great One Yet
by Mike Tanier – Aug 2, 2018
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/...-great-one-yet
Minutes after rattling the rafters with an off-target pass, Jackson finds Chris Moore in the back corner of the end zone during a goal-line seven-on-seven drill. The pass is crisp and precise: no clang, no need to repeat the rep. With Flacco, Crabtree and others getting rest-the-veteran treatment during the second halves of early-camp practices, Jackson-to-Moore is technically a starter's rep.
"That dude's amazing," Moore said of Jackson after the session. "He can throw way better than I thought he could." Moore watched Jackson on television last year like the rest of us—"You had to watch him: He won the Heisman!" Moore reminded—and assumed Jackson had a similar skill set to Louisville's previous quarterback, whom Moore's Cincinnati Bearcats faced a few times in college. "I thought he was gonna be similar to Teddy Bridgewater," Moore said. "But he's an athletic freak. And he can throw like any quarterback who couldn't run."
It goes to show that even NFL receivers make presumptions about college quarterbacks that aren't exactly accurate.
"A wise man doesn't have knowledge of everything. Only idiots know everything."
The comprehensive Lamar Jackson: a dozen articles, 2016-19
The Defining Dozen
(Part B)
7. Greg Roman Press Conference Transcript
Feb 19, 2019
https://www.baltimoreravens.com/news...nce-transcript
Q: What excites you the most when you see Lamar as a passer?
A: “I’ll tell you what, he has a great feel for the game, and he can do things you can’t coach in the passing game. He has really, really good field vision, and that’s something we noticed last spring. You could put a progression to a passing route, like, ‘Hey, I’m going one to two to three.’ You could have him read the coverage and figure out where to throw it. But often times, he’ll just see guys open. He’ll see leverage take place. Not all guys are like that, so that is a great starting point. I feel like even last spring we felt like, ‘Wow, this guy Lamar – he can see things.’ He’s not going to be the guy that’s [like], ‘Oh man, they dropped coverage on him, and he just didn’t see it.’ I think that is a critical – It’s hard to measure or see, but moving forward, what does that do? It takes the ceiling and moves it up, because we know that ceiling is going to be even higher. Steve McNair was like that, for example. Steve had an uncanny ability to just see guys that might not have been part of the progression as having good leverage. I want to say maybe the second week [Jackson] was here last year, I was like, wow that’s something Steve would’ve done in practice.”
8. Could Lamar Jackson Have Mahomes-Like Breakout? Ravens Are Trying to Find out
by Mike Tanier – Jun 18, 2019
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/...ng-to-find-out
It's hard to get a feel for what an offense will look like while watching spring practices in shorts. But the Ravens appear to be doing many non-traditional things on a fundamental level. It goes beyond the occasional read-option drill. The square-one, iPhone 1 Ravens offense will probably look a little like Roman's Colin Kaepernick-led 49ers offenses, a little like his Tyrod Taylor-led Bills offense, a little like what Jackson ran for the Ravens in December and a little like something totally new.
It will also sound different. As part of his housecleaning, Roman simplified much of the overcomplicated West Coast offense verbiage the Ravens used when Marty Mornhinweg was the offensive coordinator.
9. Pre-Snap Reads: Lamar Jackson’s Rookie Season Re-Emphasizes How Black Quarterbacks Are Held to an Unfair Standard
by Cian Fahey – June 19, 2019
https://presnapreads.com/lamar-jacks...fair-standard/
Jackson’s rookie season was only positive.
He was outstanding as a runner and outstanding at managing the pocket as a dropback passer. He needs to improve his accuracy but he charted as the 16th-most accurate passer in the league last year, that’s already good enough when you consider everything else he offers with his skill set. One of the key differences between Jackson and Allen is that Jackson executes the play design before looking to run, he’s a reluctant scrambler who plays with his eyes up, always threatening the defense as a passer.
...
If Lamar Jackson can’t throw the ball, the rest of the rookie class is screwed. As you’d expect from first-year starters, none of them excelled with their ball placement. None of this group was a generational prospect so each of them had adjustments to make after they were drafted. Jackson got a disproportional amount of criticism for his accuracy when you consider how accurate his peers were.
This thread runs through a large number of throws that Jackson made once he became the Ravens starter. It doesn’t make sense to regurgitate that here but that’s the foundation of his potential. He’s making NFL throws and executing routine throws with timing from both clean and unclean pockets. He reads through progressions and locates open receivers without forcing running plays. He’s not reliant on RPOs or screens, he’s making throws into coverage, exploiting weak spots and moving the offense.
But to highlight Jackson’s upside we have to isolate specific plays he made as a passer. Jackson’s athleticism is what stands out more than anything but after that it’s his comfort in the pocket that’s most impressive. He was one of the best rookie quarterbacks from the last decade in terms of mitigating pressure with subtle movements in the pocket and adjusting to get the ball out against pressure. He excelled at speeding up his process when necessary and showing patience when he was given time.
10. The Ravens are all-in on Lamar Jackson, and their remade offense proves it
By Adam Kilgore – June 25, 2019
https://www.washingtonpost.com/sport...ense-proves-it
... the Ravens started over this offseason. They promoted Greg Roman to replace Marty Mornhinweg as offensive coordinator. At the urging of Coach John Harbaugh, and in line with the vision of management all the way up to ownership, Roman and his staff promptly tore down what the Ravens had been and fashioned an entirely new plan built around the specific strengths of Jackson. “There are several coaches on our staff that have always wanted to do this: ‘What would I do if I could start from square zero?’ ” Roman said this past week at Ravens minicamp. “So we’ve been granted that opportunity.”
With training camp a little more than a month away, the Ravens represent both an offensive laboratory and a study in what happens when a franchise commits to a franchise quarterback.
...
When returning players arrived for offseason workouts, they realized how much the offense had changed. They relearned even the most basic aspects — where to stand in the huddle, how snap counts would be declared, at what tempo plays would be run.
“We started from scratch,” [WR Chris] Moore said. “When we came in for the first football school, we had a brand new playbook. All the plays were different. Everything — the wording — was completely different.”
The changes were welcome. Asked what he liked about Roman’s scheme, Jackson replied, “Everything.” He hesitated, as if scanning his mind for specifics, before repeating himself: “Everything.”
Roman had designed with two imperatives in mind: Make the system easier for his players, and make it more complicated for the defense. He shrank and simplified the terminology; Jackson can call a play with just a few words, and receivers can read coverages to change their routes on the fly. David Culley, the wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator, was instrumental in designing pass plays, particularly two- and three-wideout clusters Roman hadn’t previously employed.
11. ‘I want the kid. I want Lamar’:
How Lamar Jackson became the Ravens’ starting quarterback
by Dan Pompei – Jul 24, 2019
https://theathletic.com/1088122/2019...ng-quarterback
At this point, general manager Ozzie Newsome and assistant general manager Eric DeCosta aren’t focused on quarterbacks. “It was hard as a decision maker to picture Lamar as our quarterback because he’s so different from Joe,” says DeCosta, who took over for Newsome as general manager this year. “But when the scouts talked about him, there was such an enthusiasm in their voices. They were really, really, really effusive in their praise, so my interest was piqued.”
At the combine in Indianapolis, the Ravens are determined to find out more about Jackson. But they want to prevent other teams from knowing of their interest, so they purposely do not request a formal combine interview with him.
...
Urban and Jones also attend Jackson’s pro day at Louisville. There, Jackson goes through more passing drills and meets with representatives from various teams. What stands out most, according to Urban, is the way he interacts with people from the university. It is obvious that Jackson is well-liked and respected at his school.
12. Football Outsiders Film Room: Lamar Jackson
Nov 14
https://www.footballoutsiders.com/fi...-lamar-jackson
Despite the near-universal celebration of Jackson's success, it still feels as though the young passer is not getting his due in all the areas he deserves. Nobody at this point would deny Jackson's arm strength, baseline accuracy, or scrambling skills, but not enough is said of how well Jackson conducts himself with quick-game passing. Maybe it's because quick-game passing can be mundane -- which is a totally fair thing to believe -- but it's also entirely possible that Jackson's initial reputation as an incomplete passer has caused some of his finer traits to be glossed over. At least with respect to having a consistent process, Jackson is one of the best quick-game passers in the league because of how timely and nuanced he is.
Craven_Raven
Practice Squad
Another Lamar anecdote that may have slipped through the cracks with Ravens fans;
Back in 2015 when Lamar was a freshman at Louisville splitting time with Reggie Bonnafon at QB, Rajon Rondo showed up in town to run his annual basketball camp. Rondo is a Louisville native and maintains contact with the local universities and athletes. Being a member of the football team Lamar got to meet Rondo and had his picture taken with him, it was posted to Instagram at the time and may be lost now. Anyway, after some instigation by Louisville teammates, Rondo ended up challenging Lamar to a foot race. They ran in the street and Lamar dusted him by several strides. There was footage of the race posted on the net and it may still be out there. Rondo was considered one of the fastest dudes in the NBA at the time. I remember that being the first time my eyebrows were raised by Lamar and he’s been one upping himself on the regular ever since. It was good he humiliated a UK guy but looking back on it Rondo shouldn’t feel all that bad.
Back in 2015 when Lamar was a freshman at Louisville splitting time with Reggie Bonnafon at QB, Rajon Rondo showed up in town to run his annual basketball camp. Rondo is a Louisville native and maintains contact with the local universities and athletes. Being a member of the football team Lamar got to meet Rondo and had his picture taken with him, it was posted to Instagram at the time and may be lost now. Anyway, after some instigation by Louisville teammates, Rondo ended up challenging Lamar to a foot race. They ran in the street and Lamar dusted him by several strides. There was footage of the race posted on the net and it may still be out there. Rondo was considered one of the fastest dudes in the NBA at the time. I remember that being the first time my eyebrows were raised by Lamar and he’s been one upping himself on the regular ever since. It was good he humiliated a UK guy but looking back on it Rondo shouldn’t feel all that bad.
yep, this is in the post right before your post. "I made him look stupid" Lamar Jackson
Militant X 1
Ravens Ring of Honor
Lamar is the most electrifying, exciting, exuberant and explosive QB that the league has EVER seen and he's all OURS-Baltimore Ravens.
MVP! MVP! MVP! MVP!
MVP! MVP! MVP! MVP!
Ellicottraven
Ravens Ring of Honor
Totally and unequivocally ours and ours only. MVP and the best season by a QB ever.