‘Crazy:’ Ravens wants everyone to stop thinking that Lamar Jackson can’t throw – Baltimore Ravens Blog

Baltimore Ravens thinks the football world shouldn’t be surprised if quarterback Lamar Jackson leads them to victory by throwing the ball.

As Jackson recorded his second 300-yard feed game on Sunday in a 23-7 win over Denver, Ravens ’wide receiver James Proche opened his eyes when asked about Jackson’s performance.

“I can’t believe people said he couldn’t throw,” Proche said. “It’s crazy, isn’t it? It’s wild. About the Barbarian. It’s like saying the water is dry. It’s just crazy.”

The Ravens (3-1) are tied to AFC North’s head mainly because of Jackson’s arm. Jackson is considered the best runner in NFL history, and he throws better than ever. He has overtaken more than 275 yards in consecutive games, having done so only once in the first 40 starts.

After Sunday’s games, Jackson is currently ranked 11th in the league with 1,077 yards running 22nd in the past two seasons.

Jackson shook his head when asked if he believes he will silence critics who say he can’t lead Baltimore to victory with his arm.

“No. There’s always noise,” Jackson said. “You have to block it and play football.”

Ravens hoped Jackson would take the next step as a bypass in his fourth NFL season. When Baltimore’s top two backs (JK Dobbins and Gus Edwards) went into end-of-season injuries before the start of the regular season, it was necessary for Jackson to move the attack by throwing the ball.

In Detroit, Jackson threw 287 yards and set Justin Tucker’s winning field goal by converting the fourth and 19 with a 36-yard pass to Sammy Watkins. In Denver, he produced 316 yards, which was eight yards below the highest level of his career.

The teams once thought they would stop the Ravens attack if they included a Baltimore running game. Not anymore.

“It’s important to be able to win in many ways and whatever is needed,” Ravens head of defense Calais Campbell said. “We know that if we have to throw the ball 300 yards, we can. If teams stack the box and make it harder to run, which is good football, we know Lamar can do the job.”

The Ravens knew the Broncos would dare pass them by stacking the box. As he searched for the Broncos, Jackson noticed how the Denver players were right behind the line of defense.

“We watched it from the movie over and over again,” Jackson said. “We knew we had to beat them with such passes and such game invitations, and we did.”

At training camp, Ravens coaches and players talked about how important it is to get teams to pay when trying to slow down their running game. It felt like a big challenge for Overtaking, which finished last in the NFL last season.

But Baltimore has been in offensive mode throughout the season. On Sunday, Jackson joined the longest pass of his career (in terms of air yards) as he threw a stunning 49-yard touch pass to Marquise “Hollywood” Brown. Jackson’s last 19 yards are 20th this season, third in the NFL, after Tom Brady and Derek Carr.

“Of course, we wanted to limit his ability to carry it and rob it,” Broncos coach Vic Fangio said. “We did it, but they were able to run long feeds that forbade it.”

The Ravens are now facing the Indianapolis Colts on Monday night football (20:15 ET, ESPN), allowing their passing attack to be even stronger. Broad receiver Rashod Bateman, the first-round pick, may make his debut after he has left the first four games after groin surgery.

“The sky is the limit,” Jackson said of the transient attack. “We just have to keep it up. One game at a time, one exercise at a time. Just stick and focus on our responsibilities.”