RGIII Mocks Lamar Jackson Critics After Ravens Beat Patriots

Lamar Jackson and Robert Griffin III

Getty RGIII has a message for Lamar Jackson's critics.

Lamar Jackson sent a message to his critics when he inspired the Baltimore Ravens to beat the New England Patriots 37-26 in Week 3. Jackson was the headline act at Gillette Stadium, throwing four touchdown passes and running for another.

It was the latest standout performance from a franchise quarterback playing in a contract year. Jackson added yet another 100-yard rushing performance to his CV, but it’s how he’s gashing defenses through the air that’s making a mockery of a common criticism of his game.

Robert Griffin III knows all about the criticism faced by running quarterbacks, and the former Ravens backup mocked the line oft-used by Jackson’s detractors.


RGIII Has a Message for Jackson’s Critics

Griffin applauded Jackson’s awesome performances this season by using the refrain often made about Jackson’s playing style: “Not bad for a running back.”

It’s a line Jackson has thrown back at the naysayers more than once during his career. He threw the line out early in his NFL MVP season of 2019:

The knock Jackson is more of a runner than a so-called “prototype” quarterback has followed him throughout his career. Even Cincinnati Bengals middle linebacker Logan Wilson connected Jackson more with a backfield role than the signal-caller of an offense last season, although Wilson was quick to point out he was trying to be complimentary:

Jackson may not have taken the compliment since he’s long had to deal with assertions he should be playing another position. The narrative dates back to when he was entering the draft in 2018.

He’d been a dual-threat sensation for Louisville, but Jackson’s exploits as a runner earned him the rather patronising moniker of being a “project” among many analysts, according to Melissa Jacobs of The Guardian. Some around the league even believed Jackson was best suited to playing wide receiver at the pro level.

It’s one of many misconceptions about his game Jackson has been shattering in recent years, with 2022 already shaping up to be his best yet, despite uncertainty about his next contract.


Jackson’s Shaping His Next Payday

Jackson has so far resisted any and all attempts from the Ravens to agree a new deal. Instead, he’s trusting his talent and performances to put him in a strong position at the end of the season.

The strategy is what Griffin referred to as Jackson having “bet on himself.” So far, so good, because Jackson is currently playing himself into either being franchise tagged by the Ravens or calling his own shot in free agency.

There’d be no shortage of eye-watering offers for a one-man scoring machine who is pacing almost half the league, per NFL on CBS:

Ironically, the only risk in Jackson’s gamble on himself comes from the very things that are making him unstoppable this season. The 107 rushing yards he tallied against the Pats gave Jackson a third-straight century on the ground after he scampered for 119 against the Miami Dolphins a week earlier.

More running exposes Jackson to taking more hits, something that could lead to injury for a quarterback who has yet to complete a full season at this level. Any serious injury would put Jackson’s next deal in jeopardy.

Griffin knows all about what that kind of setback can mean for a quarterback’s development. His career went off the rails when he suffered a torn ACL, LCL and meniscus against the Seattle Seahawks in the playoffs, after being named Offensive Rookie of the Year for Washington in 2012.

Jackson’s running remains a key part of what the Ravens do on offense, but his accuracy and big-play potential through the air have now become more important. As Heavy’s Senior NFL Reporter Matt Lombardo put it, “Jackson is flourishing and growing before our eyes as a quarterback” and “showing significant growth from the pocket.”

Head coach John Harbaugh and coordinator Greg Roman won’t want to keep Jackson in the pocket, but they may have to refine how they use the rushing threat of an accomplished passer with few equals this season.