What the Ravens start 2-0 on the team's chances for the playoffs



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BALTIMORE – Lamar Jackson has kept his best for last.

The Ravens faced a 3rd and 11th in their 44-yard line and at 3:05 remaining in the match, they played a pass. This ended in Jackson's longest run.

Wide receiver Marquise Brown had a man-to-man coverage along the right lane and grabbed a perfectly placed Jackson ball for a 41-yard gain.

The Ravens ran for the first time in the clock, while Jackson racked up 272 yards, the second total of his career, in a 23-17 win over the Cardinals on Sunday at M & T Bank Stadium.

"He could not have done better than that," said Brown of the third conversion. "He put the game in a great place, and all I had to do, as I said, was to keep my line."

Jackson's afternoon, passing the ball was not the only story.

He also ran for a career-high 120 yards in 16 races, leading the Ravens in the race and in the process.

Despite everything, he found criticism during his performance one day when he carried the Ravens from end to end.

"I feel like it's good," Jackson said. "Got out, did some things. Could have been better. I want to get a lot of passes, some bags, but we won. "

Jackson may not have been impressed, but he impressed everyone else. He was the first player in NFL history to have raised more than 270 yards and 120 points in the same game.

Jackson was breaking records – and he still thought he was on leave. Only nobody else did it.

"He plays with his feet, more than most quarterbacks," said Cardinals linebacker Terrell Suggs. "It was good to see how much he has grown since last year. He is now a quarterback of the NFL and he is phenomenal. "

Suggs, returning home, could not get his hands on Jackson, making three combined tackles. He had zero sack.

His prowess in the pocket put Miami off guard last week, and his lack of flexibility in the pocket put Arizona off guard this week. He was involved in 392 of the Ravens' total 440-yard offensive against the Cardinals.

That's what makes him one of the most dangerous quarters in football.

"This is going to be a real headache for them," explained coach John Harbaugh, who explained that his opponents were preparing for Jackson's double threat capability. "It will be a real challenge for them to understand that. They will have to discover it for themselves. But this league has a lot of smart people and a lot of great players. "

Jackson has made a living with two tight ends in the first two games of the season, including Andrews, who scored eight receptions for 112 yards and a touchdown against the Cardinals. He has regularly pitched Andrews, to the point that Andrews became the first Raven since 2016 to have played two consecutive 100-yard games.

The link between the two partners was a stable presence for the offensive, something the team could count on for key third and fourth downhill situations.

"I say to Mark all the time," We're going to play street ball, "Jackson said," and that's the case. "It was a bit like a street ball, but everyone wants to win.

Balloon or not, Jackson has developed a relationship with Andrews that was a link that neither the Dolphins nor the Cardinals could understand.

"The fierce attitude with which Mark is playing is a good, very descriptive quote," said Harbaugh. "(He had) huge conversions in third, third and many times if I remember correctly. Lamar has made some excellent shots … but, Mark, he has an idea of ​​the game going on. "

Of Jackson's 37 attempts, Andrews was targeted at nine of them.

The other large number of targets went to Brown, who got eight shots on 13 targets. He totaled 86 yards, including receiving 41 yards at the end of the game. But when his favorite targets are not there, Jackson can run offside script for decisive games.

"You all watched Lamar make big shots all day," said Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury. "So he improved dramatically there. You have to take off your hat. He stands there and can throw him, and can beat you like that and with his legs. It's a very good offense. "

In the past two weeks, Jackson has demonstrated his pitcher and passer-by abilities. He was AFC's offensive player of the week last week thanks to his arm. Today, he led the Ravens to victory with his arms and legs.

He might not have thought of playing his best game, but the problem with opposing defenses now is to figure out what poison to take on Jackson's double threat capabilities.

"I think for him, it's his coolness until the end of the match," said the right guard, Field Marshall Yanda. "It was not good at times, but we just went on, and in the fourth quarter, he played the jackpot."

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