Getty Lamar Jackson and John Harbaugh slap fives.
The Baltimore Ravens have a quarterback and coach that come together to form an excellent paring in NFL circles, so much so that they have been ranked one of the top duos.
Recently, Fox Sports analyst Colin Cowherd revealed his rankings for all the top quarterback and coach duos in the league. Perhaps surprisingly, Lamar Jackson and John Harbaugh was a bit further down on the list, but they cracked it nonetheless, placing in the No. 6 spot.
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9. Russell Wilson & Pete Carroll
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4. Jimmy Garoppolo & Kyle Shanahan
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2. Carson Wentz & Doug Pederson
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@ColinCowherd ranks his Top 10 QB-Head Coach combos in the NFL:
Cowherd said:
“They were first in rushing last year and I give Harbaugh a lot of credit for putting his arms around Lamar who’s not getting paid anything now and accumulating talent. I don’t think John’s an elite offensive coach, I think he’s really an elite human who understands the gifts of Lamar Jackson. I think this is a relationship that continues to grow. They’ve been disappointing the last few years in the post season. I still think they are trying to figure out each other, but I put them at 6.”
Harbaugh’s lack of offensive acumen may hurt the pairing on this list, but it’s true the duo could be poised to do some damage in the near future considering the talent of Jackson, those around him and the solid coach that leads his team.
Colin Cowherd Predicts Lamar Jackson 2020 NFL MVP
Why could Jackson go back to back? For some, it’s as simple as the players around him in addition to the talents of the quarterback himself. Cowherd admitted recently he thinks that Jackson is winning the award again in 2020, and the reason has everything to do with the surge the quarterback has recently made in his career.
In a segment of The Herd where he was picking superlatives for NFL players, Cowherd named Jackson “most likely to win the MVP award” and explained that he thinks things are going to get even better for Jackson this coming season in Baltimore.
Most likely to break up?
Best dancer?
Teacher’s pet?
@ColinCowherd hands out his NFL superlatives with @JoyTaylorTalks:
Cowherd explains:
“His growth from year 1 to 2 was phenomenal. He seems to be uniquely focused and let’s be honest, they are completely stacked in Baltimore,” Cowherd said. “They’re not paying Lamar Jackson anything. That’s the advantage to dropping in the first round as a quarterback. You don’t make as much money, but you get way better teammates. I have the Ravens winning the Super Bowl. Lamar Jackson’s going to be the MVP as his trajectory goes up.”
After a season in 2019 where Jackson did everything, having him pegged as the MVP for this coming season seems like a wise bet. After all, the only thing he hasn’t proven he can do is win in the playoffs. If Jackson is able to do that, his star will be strong for a while.
Ravens Cited as Potential NFL Dynasty in The Making
Many see the Ravens as the next potential NFL dynasty in the making, and that’s due to how they have put together their roster and built things up for the future. Recently, NFL.com writer Adam Schein took time in a piece to identify the next potential dynasties in the league. The Ravens were the No. 2 choice.
Schein wrote:
“I firmly believe Ravens GM Eric DeCosta has assembled the NFL’s best roster, 1-53. April’s draft was another masterclass from the Baltimore brass. First-round pick Patrick Queen is the next star linebacker in Baltimore. Second-rounder J.K. Dobbins was put on Earth to run the ball for the Ravens. Baltimore’s depth chart, on both sides of the ball, is overflowing with talent. Of course, no one’s more enticing than the reigning league MVP.
Lamar Jackson is as special as they come. His improvement from Year 1 to Year 2 was staggering. What happens if he takes another massive step forward this fall? Do the Ravens possess a legitimate cheat code??
Baltimore has a fantastic coach in John Harbaugh — and inherently, the team boasts a stellar culture. They scout and develop and think and plan better than your team. The offense is a terrifying mix of speed and creativity. The defense is strong and consistent. Same with special teams. This organization has everything in place to serve as Kansas City’s main foil for years to come. What a series of AFC title games we could have in store!”
The Ravens and Chiefs will do battle next season during the year, and it’s true that could become the next big rivalry to monitor in the AFC for the future. Last season, Baltimore didn’t hold up their end of the bargain in making the title game possible, but that could change moving forward in the future, making for some fantastic battles.
From top to bottom, the Ravens theoretically have the coach, the quarterback, the roster and the front office in order to sustain success. Now, the only thing they will have to do is go out and prove this can be the case.
Many see that to be the case nationally.