Getty Lamar Jackson has some words of encouragement for a struggling Baltimore Ravens position group.
His receivers let him down against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 5, but Lamar Jackson is backing the group to improve ahead of the Baltimore Ravens facing the Tennessee Titans at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday, October 15.
The Ravens slipped to a 17-10 defeat to the Steelers largely because receivers let seven of Jackson’s passes get away. Jackson wouldn’t assign blame immediately after the game at Acrisure Stadium, and he’s revealed what’s been said between quarterback and receivers since.
Speaking after a practice session on Wednesday, October 11, Jackson said, “I believe our guys are locked in right now. They are going to be better. So will I,” per ESPN’s Jamison Hensley.
While it’s laudable for the face of the franchise to take his share of the blame, Jackson was largely without culpability in Pittsburgh. Not compared with wide receiver Rashod Bateman dropping what should have been a sure touchdown in the second quarter, nor rookie wideout Zay Flowers being unable able to reel in a deep throw that had travelled beyond the last line of the Steelers’ defense.
Asked if he’d taken his primary pass-catchers to task for the failed connections, Jackson responded, “I don’t need to say anything. Those guys feel how I feel. They want to make a play.”
The pitch for unity is a good way to heal wounds after the Ravens let slip a game they ought to have won with room to spare. Yet, Jackson’s creditable display of leadership won’t ease the pressure on his receivers to make amends in London.
Ravens’ Receivers Must Step Up Where it Matters
Baltimore’s receivers can go a long way toward making up for last week’s gaffes simply by getting their hands on any passes into the end zone. Bateman’s critical drop was highlighted by “Ravens Vault” co-host Bobby Trosset.
As Hensley noted, “since 2020, the Ravens’ seven drops in the end zone are tied for the third most in the NFL, according to ESPN Stats & Information.” That has to change or else the Ravens risk wasting the solid football Jackson is playing so far this season.
He’s responded well to Todd Monken replacing Greg Roman as offensive coordinator and calling a more expansive scheme. Jackson’s completed 69.9 percent of his passes, but he’s thrown for only four touchdowns, per Pro Football Reference.
The latter number was supposed to be higher after the Ravens selected Flowers 22nd overall in the 2023 NFL draft, following signing Odell Beckham Jr. and Nelson Agholor in free agency. Things would look better if Jackson’s go-to receivers were helping.
Targets like All-Pro tight end Mark Andrews, who was guilty of three drops against the Steelers, according to The Baltimore Banner’s Jonas Shaffer, citing TruMedia.
The Ravens had 7 drops Sunday, according to TruMedia, tied for the 3rd most by any NFL team since 2013.
The final breakdown:
Mark Andrews (3)
Zay Flowers (2)
Rashod Bateman (1)
Nelson Agholor (1)
Putting a day like this behind him won’t be easy for Andrews and the rest of Jackson’s targets. Not on an unfamiliar playing surface.
Ravens Working Against London Field
Firm footing is a sure way to reduce the number of dropped passes. Unfortunately, sure ground is in short supply on the field in north London. At least based on observations from those who have witnessed the playing surface for themselves.
Hensley was among those who highlighted how “there was a lot of slipping at the Tottenham training ground” during Wednesday’s practice.
There was a slot of slipping at the Tottenham training ground.
#Ravens ILB Patrick Queen went down to the ground after losing his footing and was looked at by trainers. He then got up and continued to practice.
More worrying is how the Buffalo Bills struggled on the field against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 5. The Bills lost linebacker Matt Milano to a torn ACL, prompting cornerback Taron Johnson to slam the turf as “terrible.”
Other players, including Johnson and defensive tackle DaQuan Jones, also suffered injuries. This lengthy a casualty list is an ominous precursor for the Ravens ahead of a game where Jackson will need his receivers on point.
Drops are impacting Jackson’s numbers, despite his obvious improvement as a passer this season. No. 8 would lead the NFL in completion percentage if his receivers were holding onto the ball, according to Kevin Oestreicher of The Ravens Wire.
Through five weeks, Lamar Jackson ranks 5th in completion percentage (69.9%)
However, if all seven of his dropped passes were caught against the Steelers in Week 5, he’d rank at No. 1 in completion percentage (74.8%), beating out the current leader in Bills’ Josh Allen (73.1%)
If his receivers fix this issue the way Jackson expects, the Ravens will soon put the disappointment against the Steelers behind them.