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Jamison Hensley, ESPN Staff Writer
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Some Baltimore Ravens have admittedly become unfazed by quarterback Lamar Jackson‘s greatness. After Jackson threw five touchdown passes in Sunday’s 35-14 win at the New York Giants, Ravens offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley just isn’t surprised anymore.
“It’s pretty normal for me to see Lamar have a bunch of touchdowns,” Stanley said.
But the latest “Jackson 5” — as wide receiver Rashod Bateman described it — isn’t normal. It’s historic.
This marked the seventh time that Jackson finished with as many or more passing touchdowns (five) as incompletions (four), according to ESPN Research. Jackson now has the most such games in NFL history, breaking a tie with quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Drew Brees (six).
Jackson completed 21 of 25 passes (84%) for 290 yards, throwing touchdown passes of 13, 49, 20, 21 and 27 yards. He is now 99 passing yards and three touchdown throws away from setting career highs while averaging a career-low 8.4 carries per game.
“I actually was chatting with him recently and I just told him, ‘Yes, bro. You know you’ve had MVP years, and different things like that,’ but I told him, ‘Hey, you’re playing a different style of ball right now,'” Pro Bowl middle linebacker Roquan Smith said. “He wants to beat you from the pocket, and then, if that’s not available, then he can take it down; running is second. So, it’s kind of crazy.”
Smith added, “What the guy is doing is truly special, and you just have to actually be next to the guy and actually just watch him from a view to truly appreciate some of the things that he’s doing.”
It didn’t seem like it was going to be a near-perfect game for Jackson. He had the ball stripped from him on a run at the Giants’ 12-yard line less than a minute into the first quarter.
Jackson’s fifth lost fumble leads the league and appeared to motivate him even more.
“I was hot about that,” Jackson said. “I was ticked off. So, we just had to lock in and play Raven football, and that’s what we did.”
After the Ravens’ second drive resulted in a punt, Jackson responded by throwing touchdown passes on five straight drives. It was his sixth game with five touchdown passes, which is tied with Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes for the most in a player’s first 100 games in NFL history.
“You never know what’s he going to do,” Ravens defensive tackle Broderick Washington said. “But it’s awesome just to see him continue to grow and embarrass folks.”
Jackson was at his best when he had time in the pocket and attacked downfield.
He was 17-of-18 for 210 yards and four touchdowns when not pressured Sunday. His 30 touchdown passes when not pressured this season are the most of his seven-year career.
Jackson was 7-of-9 for 155 yards and four touchdowns on throws that traveled at least 10 yards in the air, which are the most such touchdowns in a game in his career.
He had a feeling that deep throws would be there against the Giants.
“Just watching the film on those guys, [they play] a lot of man [and] a lot of zone [coverage] here and there,” Jackson said. “Our guys just did a great job of getting open and just running their routes and catching the ball. The offensive line did a great job protecting, so it was just an all-around team effort.”
With 34 touchdown passes and three interceptions this season, Jackson has put himself on a path to repeat as NFL Most Valuable Player.
He joined the New York Jets‘ Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady as the only quarterbacks in NFL history with 30 or more touchdown passes and fewer than five interceptions through 14 games of a season. Rodgers and Brady went on to win MVP in those seasons, 2021 and 2010, respectively.
“He’s been locked in all season. He was locked in all week,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “He’s on the guys [in] meetings, walk-throughs, everything, just keeping it about football and getting the football right.”
Jackson helped Baltimore avoid a letdown against the Giants (2-12). In five days, he faces another challenge.
On Saturday, Jackson goes against a Pittsburgh Steelers team that has caused him the most problems of his career. He is 1-4 against Pittsburgh, throwing five touchdowns and eight interceptions. His 39.3 QBR against the Steelers is his lowest against any team he has played multiple times.
A win would move Baltimore into a first-place tie with Pittsburgh (10-4). With a loss, the Ravens would watch the Steelers clinch the AFC North on their home field.
Jackson said he’s just as anxious to play the Steelers as any team.
“Our record just being 9-5, those five losses [are] just sitting in the back of our minds,” Jackson said. “I feel like everyone’s minds is like, ‘We have to go into every game with the same mentality from this day forward.'”
Source: www.espn.com