Lamar Jackson’s accuracy has taken the Ravens QB to a different stage

Jamison Hensley, ESPN

In Sunday’s 27-24 win in Cincinnati, Jackson delivered among the finest passes of his six-year profession, hitting rookie broad receiver Zay Flowers for a spectacular 52-yard completion. With solely 0.7 yards of separation between Flowers and two Bengals defensive backs, Jackson positioned the ball on Flowers’ fingers on a move that had a 33.8% completion chance, in line with NFL Subsequent Gen Stats.

That is the newest throw that exhibits how on level Jackson has been in main the Ravens to a 2-0 begin. His 74.5% completion charge ranks second within the NFL to Josh Allen (76.9%) and is much above his profession completion share of 63.7%.

“He’s on the cash,” Ravens tight finish Mark Andrews stated. “That’s ‘Cash Lamar.’”

Within the fourth quarter, Jackson delivered in one other tight window, when he dropped a 17-yard move over Nelson Agholor’s left shoulder and a carefully trailing Bengals defender for a landing. This time, there was 1.8 yards of separation.

The Ravens have helped Jackson by growing his time to throw in addition to his viable targets. On Sunday, Jackson confronted a career-low 9.1% stress charge regardless of Baltimore lacking two injured starters on the offensive line: left sort out Ronnie Stanley (knee) and middle Tyler Linderbaum (ankle).

One factor we discovered about every NFL group in Week 2: Bijan Robinson a prime 5 RB; Chiefs have situation to sort out

Jeff Kerr, CBS Sports activities

Baltimore Ravens

Lamar Jackson is settling into his new offense before we thought: Jackson threw two passes that demonstrated he’s thriving in Todd Monken’s system. The primary was a 52-yard move to Zay Flowers that led to a Mark Andrews landing adopted by an ideal throw to Nelson Agholor that led to factors. Jackson is finishing 74.5% of his passes and has a 99.5 passer score by way of two video games, whereas additionally operating for 92 yards (5.1 yards per carry). The Ravens additionally distributed the carries evenly between Jackson (12), Justice Hill (11) and Gus Edwards (10) evenly, nonetheless having that sturdy operating recreation to go along with the revamped passing assault. Baltimore is nicely balanced on offense, a scary feeling for opposing defenses.

Brandon Stephens and Ravens’ defensive backs rising to the problem early on

Jeff Zrebiec, The Athletic

Baltimore Ravens younger cornerback Brandon Stephens heard the group’s defensive recreation plan for the Cincinnati Bengals early final week, and it resonated instantly.

“The sport plan was, we’re going to press each snap and make it powerful on the receivers,” Stephens stated Sunday. “I wished to press.”

The Ravens did simply that in Sunday’s 27-24 victory over the Bengals. They adopted the lead of the Cleveland Browns, whose defensive backs acquired bodily on the line of scrimmage with Cincinnati’s explosive group of broad receivers in a smothering Week 1 win and made life tough for Joe Burrow and firm.

Stephens helped maintain Ja’Marr Chase to 5 catches for 31 yards. Chase, Higgins and Tyler Boyd didn’t have a single reception over 20 yards.

“We didn’t again off. We performed our recreation,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh stated Monday. “We performed press man, we performed press zone, we performed cloud zone. We bailed, we performed off at instances. We performed (Cowl) zero. We performed every little thing we play and people guys performed exceptionally nicely.”

Ravens security Kyle Hamilton stated the group ready all week for the look the Bengals gave them when Burrow threw the interception to Geno Stone simply outdoors the top zone. Hamilton and Stone mentioned it earlier than the snap as nicely, after which Stone disguised the protection and baited Burrow. Now, about that interception return. Stone had a convoy of blockers, which included Patrick Queen, Washington and David Ojabo prepared to steer him upfield. As an alternative, he selected to exit of bounds and hasn’t heard the top of it since. “He wants to chop that again, although, and take it to the crib,” Hamilton stated. “He had some blockers.”

Defensive Notes vs Bengals Week 2

Ken McKusick, Filmstudy Baltimore

PASS RUSH

Macdonald employed modest numbers however made up for it with different misleading components which helped generate some stress, primarily after halftime.

For the sport, Burrow had ATS on 9 of 42 drop backs (21%) a low complete. On these 9 performs, he went 5 of 9 for 36 yards (4.0 YPP), together with Stone’s interception. He additionally delivered the ball earlier than stress might develop (BOQ) 20 instances (48%, 7.2 YPP). The Ravens generated a stress occasion on 13 performs (31%), together with 1 sack however no turnovers. With stress, Burrow was 6 of 12 for 36 internet yards together with a sack for -6 (2.8 YPP).

Macdonald dialed up 8 particular person blitzes (.19 per move play) from off the LoS together with 1 pair. Of the 8 blitzes, 5 got here from ILB, with a pair from Ar’Darius Washington and one from Brandon Stephens.

The Ravens confirmed simulated stress on 8 events the place 2 or extra (3 gamers as soon as and 4 gamers twice!) dropped from the LoS. Burrow accomplished 5 of these 8 passes for 48 yards (6.0 YPP).

Clowney led the group with contributions to 7 move rush occasions together with 5 pressures, 1 sack, and a QH the place he was additionally credited with a PD. Pierce and Robinson additionally had 2 pressures every.

Grading all 31 first-round picks after Week 2 of the 2023 NFL season

Dalton Wasserman, PFF

PICK NO. 22: BALTIMORE RAVENS: WR ZAY FLOWERS

Total Rookie Grade: 74.8 (Rank: 4/11)

Principal Opponent: Cam Taylor-Britt

Week 2 Snaps: 58

Week 2 Grade: 70.6

Flowers made the largest play of the day on both aspect, hauling in a 52-yard catch on a submit route that arrange an eventual landing. The remainder of his day was quiet, as he in any other case caught three screens for 10 yards. His 13 catches by way of two weeks ranks second amongst rookies. He’s the movable chess piece in Baltimore’s offense, and so they’ll proceed to seek out artistic methods to get him the ball.

NFL energy rankings, Week 3: Ravens out of the blue appear to be favorites in AFC North

C.J. Doon, The Baltimore Solar

6. Ravens (2-0, No. 8)

Week 2: Win vs. Bengals, 27-24

Up subsequent: vs. Colts

Now that’s the Lamar Jackson all of us wished to see. In maybe probably the most spectacular passing efficiency of his profession, Jackson went 24-for-33 for 237 yards and a couple of TDs, together with a lovely 17-yard strike to Nelson Agholor within the fourth quarter that put the sport out of attain. Based on the NFL’s Subsequent Gen Stats, Jackson’s common time to throw by way of two video games is 2.6 seconds, a stark distinction to his time of two.96 final season, which ranked the longest amongst certified quarterbacks. If the Ravens’ passing assault goes to be this constant, mixed with sturdy dashing from Jackson and lead backs Gus Edwards and Justice Hill, this group may very well be a a lot more durable playoff group than earlier seasons.