Getty Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson attempts a pass against the Detroit Lions.
Baltimore Ravens receiver Marquise ‘Hollywood’ Brown had a rough afternoon on Sunday after dropping multiple potential touchdown passes from quarterback Lamar Jackson against the Detroit Lions.
But Jackson had Brown’s back, telling media on Monday, “That’s not just my teammate, but that’s my brother.”
The pair of Florida natives have not only developed chemistry on the field, but a deep friendship off it.
“We had mishaps in the game,” admitted Jackson, but he was quick to point out that Brown still made plays against the Lions, finishing with 53 receiving yards.
When asked if he had to pick up Brown after the game, Jackson responded, “Naw, he was good. We’re in the NFL. We’re grown men. You got to let things go,” per Sarah Ellison.
The duo were spotted on cornerback Marlon Humphrey‘s postgame Instagram Live studying film despite beating the Lions hours earlier.
Lamar Jackson is sitting with Hollywood Brown, who had a rough day, watching film… only two hours after the game ended.
That’s MVP behavior.
When asked about Brown’s drops, Jackson expressed confidence that the third-year receiver wouldn’t continue to struggle to catch the ball.
“It happens to the best. We’re not worried about it,” he said, as reported by Ellison.
Head coach John Harbaugh had a similar approach, acknowledging “missed opportunities,” during a press conference on Monday, but added, “Our guys know that. They were talking about that in the locker room, on the plane.”
Cameras caught Harbaugh talking to Brown on the sideline on Sunday, and many observers assumed the coach was chewing out his young receiver.
Harbaugh set the record straight after the game, revealing what he really said to Brown after the drops: “You’re writing the rest of this story. Nobody else is,” according to Ellison.
Harbaugh again stood by Brown on Monday, saying, “I have full faith and confidence in him,” per ESPN’s Jamison Hensley.
Wide Open Drops Mar Hot Start for Brown
It’s easy to see why Harbaugh is so confident in Brown. The former Oklahoma Sooner had a impressive start to the season, totaling 12 receptions for 182 yards and two touchdowns in Weeks 1 and 2.
He fought through an injury to put up a career game against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 2, including a 42-yard catch-and-run touchdown in the third quarter.
He continued to get open against the Lions, but dropped multiple passes in the second quarter that appeared to be catchable.
Is Marquise Brown okay? The first pass MAY have been slightly deflected. The Ravens lead could be much bigger than 10-0 at halftime.
It’s worth noting that Pro Football Focus only credited Brown with two drops, with alternate angles of the first incompletion clearly showing that a defender tipped the ball just before it reached Brown.
Still, the second and third plays are clearly drops, both of which could have easily been touchdowns.
Expect Hollywood to rebound in future weeks, as the wideout’s speed and knack for getting open is a recipe for success.
Jackson Passing Better Than Ever
Brown is also likely to bounce back with Jackson throwing him the ball.
The 2019 MVP is having yet another stellar season, leading the NFL in yards per completion and yards per carry through three weeks.
Lamar leads the NFL in yards-per-completion and yards-per-carry. No one like him.
He was dropping dimes all over the field on Saturday, including a 4th-and-19 conversion that set up Justin Tucker’s game-winning, record-setting field goal.
His ability to push the ball down the field has been unparalleled this season, as Jackson is leading in both average intended air yards (IAY) and average completed air yards (CAY), per Next Gen Stats.
IAY measures how far past the line of scrimmage Jackson throws the ball per attempt, indicating that Jackson is taking shots downfield more frequently than the rest of the league. CAY measures the same statistic, but only counts completed passes.
So, not only is Jackson throwing the ball downfield more than his fellow quarterbacks, he’s connecting on those passes, too, adding a deep passing element to the Ravens’ already-formidable offense.
If Jackson continues to connect on deep passes, opponents will no longer be able to stack the box against the Ravens’ highly-efficient, league-leading rushing attack. Defenses will be forced to pick their poison: do they load up to stop the run and risk Jackson hitting his receivers for huge gains, or do they drop back in coverage and allow Jackson to run wild?
There’s no good answer to a weapon like Jackson, and if he continues to accurately throw the ball downfield, there’s no ceiling to the Ravens’ offense.