Getty Lamar Jackson at the NFL Pro Bowl.
Lamar Jackson had a historic season with the Baltimore Ravens in 2019, and that work was enough to land him on a pretty impressive list courtesy of Pro Football Focus ahead of the new season.
Recently, the site took a look at naming the top 50 players for the 2020 season, and Jackson checked in high on their list. Specifically, the quarterback checked in at No. 8 on the list. Perhaps surprisingly, Jackson was not higher and he actually placed below Russell Wilson and Patrick Mahomes.
Here’s what writer Sam Monson explained as to why:
“Though Russell Wilson had a higher PFF WAR figure than Lamar Jackson in 2019, Jackson was a very worthy NFL MVP. He is a unique talent who gives defenses nightmares as they work to contain both his passing threat and rushing ability, and he is the cornerstone that allows the Ravens to build a custom offense tailored to his talents. Jackson may well reinvent the quarterback position and, at the very minimum, will be one of the hardest players to limit as long as he continues to play at this level.”
Jackson could climb even higher on such lists in the future, and with another huge season with some playoff success mixed in, that would be the likely expectation for the reigning NFL MVP. Interestingly, the No. 1 overall player was defensive tackle Aaron Donald.
For now, though, Jackson will have to accept his place as a top 10 player for 2020.
Lamar Jackson Wants Career Like Patrick Mahomes
Speaking recently, Jackson explained what he wanted for the next step in his career, and he admitted it would be nice for him to do what the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback did recently in terms of being a league MVP who then manages to win the Super Bowl.
.@Lj_era8 wants to follow @PatrickMahomes path. Winning MVP in his first full season starting and then winning the Super Bowl.
“I’d love to follow that path of MVP then Super Bowl! That’d be a great path to follow!”
Jackson has seemingly done everything a quarterback can in the early part of his career short of having playoff success. That’s the next step for the Ravens as well, as they have struggled to get over the hump in recent years. Like it or not, that will continue to define Jackson and the team in the short term. He’s not above saying he wishes to accomplish what a rival has at this point.
Jackson should enter 2020 with as good a chance of anyone to make these goals a reality.
Colin Cowherd Betting Patrick Mahomes Has Better Career
According to Colin Cowherd of Fox Sports, he’s taking Mahomes to have the more successful career overall in the NFL.
“I’d still take Patrick Mahomes the next 10 years. I think there’s a gap between Mahomes and Lamar Jackson,” Cowherd said. “When Lamar Jackson trails late in games, he gets further away from what makes him special; the feet. When Patrick Mahomes trails late, he leans into his greatest talent, throwing the ball.”
There is no formula in stopping Patrick Mahomes…
@ColinCowherd on why last night showed the difference between the Chiefs QB & Lamar Jackson:
As Cowherd continued, Mahomes is never out of a game, something which showed up in the Super Bowl which is different than Jackson.
“There’s no formula with Patrick Mahomes. He can trail by 21 late, it doesn’t matter. That’s the gap between Mahomes and Lamar Jackson, and it’s no shot at Jackson. You saw the gap. You felt the gap,” he said. “Even the Baltimore coaches first half against Tennessee’s low wattage offense, when Baltimore trailed first half, you could sense the Baltimore coaches’ panic. In the Super Bowl, there was never any panic. That’s the gap. That’s the difference. Not all MVP’s are flawless.”
Cowherd believes that Jackson has conditions to be able to win games, while Mahomes doesn’t.
“As long as he gets the ball, he’ll win. I don’t feel that way with Lamar,” he said. “I feel there’s a certain style and the game has to work a certain way and Lamar needs a running game. He’s better playing with a lead, playing downhill. Don’t want him trailing by 2 touchdowns with 6 minutes left. I thought you saw a gap there.”
As always, it’s easy to judge these things in an immediate vacuum but likely, the only thing needed to completely judge this is time.
Lamar Jackson Stats
This past season, Jackson has been the epitome of a dual-threat quarterback and one of the leaders in the next generation of quarterbacks that will make waves in the league. After the action concluded last week, Jackson has put up 3,127 passing yards and 36 touchdowns through the air. On the ground, he has rumbled for 1,206 yards and 7 touchdowns. As a whole, the Ravens have managed to find the best of Jackson on the field. Arguably, he’s become the most obvious MVP candidate in the league given these types of things.
Since being drafted out of Louisville, Jackson has begun to rewrite the book in the league in terms of what a quarterback is and can be. The fact that he was a shoo-in as an All-Pro is a testament to how good Jackson has been in 2019.
He might only find himself higher on these lists in the future as a result.
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