Despite an interception-riddled game, Baltimore Ravens star quarterback Lamar Jackson was still able to generate a few moments of magic in Week 12 against the Cleveland Browns, earning the respect of Browns defensive end Myles Garrett in the process.
Cameras caught Garrett shaking hands and exchanging a few words with Jackson after the Ravens’ star quarterback found tight end Mark Andrews for a wild 13-yard touchdown in the third quarter.
Ultimate respect.
After the game, both players revealed what was said in a moment of sportsmanship during last night’s hotly-contested game.
“I said it was a hell of a play. He told me ‘Good stuff’ but, you know, a little more explicit,” said Garrett to media after the game, “I mean, he made a helluva play and that’s what he does.”
#Browns Myles Garrett on Lamar Jackson’s TD pass
The two-time All-Pro went on to explain that he was surprised that Jackson managed to complete a pass on the play, much less score a touchdown.
“I hit his arm when he was throwing. I was expecting it to be a fumble or an incomplete pass, Garrett said, “And he gets it 30 yards down the field, into the end zone.”
The Texas A&M product emphasized the importance of sportsmanship, even in the middle of a primetime slugfest between two bitter division rivals.
“The guy is a great player. I dapped him up because I have sportsmanship,” said Garrett, adding, “He appreciates my play, I appreciate his. We should do that more often instead of tearing each other down,” per News 5 Cleveland’s Camryn Justice.
Garrett’s teammate and fellow former no. 1 overall draft pick Jadeveon Clowney had a very different reaction to the play, slamming his helmet on the ground in frustration.
Lamar Jackson runs around and still somehow throws a TD:
Myles Garrett: Respect, man.
Jadeveon Clowney: This is unfair
Despite frequently finding his way into the Ravens’ backfield on Sunday night, Clowney repeatedly struggled to bring down Jackson, including on the pivotal third-quarter touchdown.
Jackson Breaks Down TD Catch
Jackson was also asked about the exchange during his postgame press conference, revealing that Garrett “just shook his head” and “gave me props on the play.”
He broke down the touchdown pass, his 15th of the season, saying that it was “probably” the longest 13-yard touchdown of his career.
Lamar Jackson’s fadeaway 13-yard touchdown pass to Mark Andrews actually traveled about 37 yards. Wow.
Next Gen Stats charting of the play reveals that Jackson was at the 35-yard line when he released the ball, finding Andrews a few yards deep in the end zone to extend the Ravens’ lead.
The touchdown was one of few bright spots on the night for Jackson, who threw four interceptions in a single game for the first time in his career.
Mark Andrews Reacts to Key Plays
The touchdown was also the second Jackson-Andrews connection in a four-play stretch that accounted for a majority of the Ravens’ 75-yard scoring drive that kicked off the second half.
The first play was a 39-yard completion on 3rd-and-4 that took the Ravens from their own side of the field to the Browns’ 13-yard line. Jackson rolled right to evade pressure before unleashing an almost 50-yard bomb off his back foot that Andrews reeled in with one hand.
That was incredible. #RavensFlock
📺: #CLEvsBAL on NBC
📱: t.co/a7J5Y5xpbt
The play was initially ruled an incomplete catch with a defensive pass interference penalty called on Browns safety Ronnie Harrison. But Andrews was insistent that the ball didn’t hit the ground.
“Well, I knew it was a catch,” he told media with a chuckle after the game, “So, I was like, ‘They better give me that dang catch, man!'”
Replays clearly showed that Andrews was able to cleanly make the catch despite interference from Harrison, and the referees changed the call to a completed catch. That set up Jackson’s impressive scramble drill completion to Andrews two plays later that ended up being the decisive score in last night’s game.
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Lamar Jackson, Myles Garrett Reveal On-Field Exchange After Wild Touchdown