The NFL certainly could’ve given the Indianapolis Colts an easier Week 1 matchup.
But nope, that wasn’t in the cards. What was in the cards is a clash with the Baltimore Ravens.
The Ravens, as you are already well aware, are led by superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson, who is a two-time NFL MVP.
Jackson is the poster child for a dual-threat quarterback, and so he puts pressure on defenses in ways that pretty much no other QB does.
It’s one thing to prepare for Week 1 with a group of new and old defenders all try to get on the same page.
It’s another thing entirely when the task at hand is slowing down Jackson.
How Do Colts Stop Lamar Jackson?
The good news for the Colts is that defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo knows what Indy needs to stop when going up against Lamar.
“Everything,” Anarumo told reports with a laugh on Tuesday, via The Athletic’s James Boyd.
Anarumo did have more to say after that.
“Anybody that’s probably headed to the (Hall of Fame) pretty quickly, there’s a reason why,” Anarumo said. “And Lamar can hurt you both ways.”
Facing Jackson as a defense requires both staying disciplined to assignments but also having your top players step up and make plays.
A guy like DeForest Buckner will have to be stout on the interior. Young linebackers like CJ Allen and Bryce Boettcher will have to be in the right place at the right time.
When the Ravens pass, the likes of Sauce Gardner and Cam Bynum will have to be locked into their assignments.
If even one person slips up, Jackson can make you pay.
Lamar Jackson Vs. Colts
Jackson has played in three regular season games against the Colts — in 2020, 2021 and 2023.
The Ravens won the first two of those, but the Colts won the most recent.
Jackson has completed a whopping 80.4% of his passes across three games against Indianapolis.
That’s helped in a big way by the 2021 clash, when Jackson went 37-for-43 passing with 442 yards and four passing TDs.
Jackson ran for 58 yards in the 2020 meeting, 62 in the 2021 meeting and then 101 in the 2023 showdown.
He had either 13 or 14 rushing attempts in all three meetings against Indy. He found the end zone once in 2020 and twice in 2023.
Clearly, the Colts haven’t done a great job at slowing Jackson down in the past, but this is a new day. Those historical meetings don’t have to mean anything to the upcoming Week 1 contest on Sunday.
That doesn’t mean it’ll be easy. It’s tough to face a more challenging quarterback than Jackson. But the Colts have had all summer to get ready knowing that Jackson would be the first QB on the schedule. If there was ever a time to be well prepared to slow him down, it would be now.
Colts Have Lamar Jackson Problem