MVP repeat? Ravens QB Lamar Jackson separating from NFL field yet again

BALTIMORE – If the second half of the 2024 NFL season looks anything like the first, Lamar Jackson will win his second straight MVP award. And he’ll have claimed them in contrasting styles.

Last year, the Baltimore Ravens quarterback won a last-man-standing style race. Through nine weeks this season, he is the undeniable, dominant force who has made more than a sufficient case to take home the third MVP honor of his career.

Jackson completed 16 of 19 passes for 280 yards and three touchdowns Sunday against the Denver Broncos, which previously stood as one of the best defenses in the NFL. The Broncos entered Sunday by averaging -0.14 expected points added per play (EPA/play), the best mark in the league. Baltimore and Jackson carved the unit up nonetheless, and the quarterback didn’t even need to use his physical gifts as a runner (three rushing attempts, four yards) on the way to domination.

As Ravens running back (and Offensive Player of the Year front-runner) Derrick Henry said to describe Jackson: “MV3.”

“He’s dangerous with his arm, and I think he showed that today,” Henry said. “If you want to take away him running the ball, go over your head and throw it. If he has to run it, he’ll do that as well. Hats off to him. He’s an engine that makes this thing go.”

It was the fourth time he posted a perfect passer rating of 158.3 in his career, tying former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger for most all time, according to ESPN Stats and Information.

Coming off a disappointing road loss to the Cleveland Browns last Sunday, the Ravens were without Jackson in practice for both Wednesday and Thursday – effectively maintenance days for the 27-year-old who doesn’t often take big hits but still feels the effects of constantly having the ball in his hands.

“I just knew what the assignment was. I definitely studied (the Broncos),” said Jackson, who added that he and quarterbacks coach Tee Martin put in extra work in the film room throughout the week to compensate for his lack of practice reps.

Said Henry: “I feel like it doesn’t matter if it’s one day or half a day (of practice), he’s going to be ready.”

Denver entered the contest ranked third in red zone defense (41.2% of possessions going for touchdowns) and total yards allowed per game (282.6). The Broncos were tops in yards yielded per play (4.43) while giving up just 176 passing yards (fourth) per contest.

In the first half, the Ravens averaged 9.6 yards per play. Jackson was 11-for-12 with 208 yards and two touchdowns, and Baltimore took a 24-10 to the locker room.

“Lamar knows what he has to do, and he makes great choices,” Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said. “He was standing in there and just throwing it. I remember, I believe I mentioned it to one of the guys on the (headset) after the second or third series, ‘Lamar is one fire. He's on fire throwing the ball.’ He had a great game.”

Zay Flowers caught both of Jackson’s first-half touchdowns, the second of which was a 53-yard score the second-year receiver made happen by breaking tackles and outrunning the defense.

“God blessed him with the ability to make guys miss. It’s always been him. Going back to Broward County – back in youth football – he's always been that player,” Jackson said, referencing their shared home area in Florida. “Him catching a post pattern, making guys miss, and getting extra yards for a touchdown, that’s just him playing ball.”

After punting on their opening possession, which included Jackson’s worst play of the game in which he took his lone sack that knocked Baltimore out of field-goal range, the Ravens scored on seven straight drives. Four consecutive possessions ended with touchdowns.

The addition of Henry (23 rushes, 106 yards, two touchdowns), who eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark for the season and passed Barry Sanders, Marshall Faulk and Shaun Alexander on the all-time rushing touchdown list, allows the Ravens the luxury of icing games in the second half and takes pressure off Jackson. Josh Johnson relieved Johnson for most of the fourth quarter with the game safely in hand.

“We have been good at running the ball for a very long time,” Harbaugh said. “But he is different. He is adding a dimension that we have not had before. You can go back to Jamal Lewis, maybe? This is different.”

The last time the Broncos and Ravens played was a 10-9 Denver victory in December 2022. Jackson left early with a knee injury that turned out to be the strained PCL cost that him the remainder of that season. The Ravens still made the playoffs as the No. 6 seed but fell in the wild-card round to the Cincinnati Bengals as Jackson watched from home.

A trade request and contract extension took place in the ensuing offseason, and Jackson reeled off his second, nearly unanimous MVP season. Facing the team that ended one season prematurely, Jackson made his strongest argument yet for MVP No. 3.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lamar Jackson's NFL MVP repeat case is only growing stronger