BAL- Lamar Jackson was QB9 weeks 11-16 (when he was a starter except his 1st start) ahead of guys like Brady, Stafford and Goff. Lamar is being drafted at QB14 and drafted in 11th round. Jackson’s dynamic legs are where he has a bunch of value for fantasy football team owners, and John Harbaugh said that he will not reign Jackson in this season running the ball.
The Baltimore Ravens are a fun team to watch. Quarterback Lamar Jackson is perhaps the most dynamic QB in the NFL. He can beat you through the air or rush for 100 yards in any given game. It's still unreal how at least one NFL executive insisted Jackson should have converted to receiver coming out of college (with a Heisman Trophy in his possession btw!). Before Jackson's arrival the NFL drooled over pocket passers with rocket arms. Then Michael Vick came along and people started looking at the QB position differently but it wasn't until Jackson's arrival did the league begin to shift its preference toward mobile quarterbacks.
Regarding Jackson and his style, he has faced two negative story lines in his career. First and foremost was his health. Mobile QB's are at a higher risk of injury. And for most of Jackson's career that was true. He couldn't make it to the finish line of a long grueling season and was often hurt. This year he is healthy and dangerous!
BALTIMORE RAVENS
The other knock was more about the team. The Ravens were too Lamar-centric and didn't seem to get him any weapons. That's different this year with Odell Beckham Jr., Zay Flowers, and Mark Andrews playing together. With all of them on the field the Baltimore Ravens seem to be the team to beat for the Super Bowl. Let's take a closer look at the Baltimore Ravens with Trivia on Craig Shemon and Company on ESPN Southwest Florida.
TRIVIA
- Before taking the Ravens job in 2008, for what previous NFL team was John Harbaugh an assistant coach? Philadelphia Eagles
- Before landing the Eagles assistant job, Harbaugh was a college assistant coach at 5 different What Big 10 team was he the Special Teams Coordinator under Cam Cameron just before going to the Eagles? Indiana University
- Where did Lamar Jackson go to school? Louisville
- Who was the 2016 Heisman runner up behind Lamar Jackson? Deshaun Watson
- The Ravens blew out three teams this year by more than 30 points. Can you name one? Lions 38-6, Seahawks 37-3, Dolphins 56-19
- In the 2018 NFL draft Baker Mayfield went #1. Lamar Jackson went #32. Name the other three quarterbacks that went in the first round? Sam Darnold, Josh Allen, Josh Rosen
- The Steelers swept the Ravens this year by 17-10 score both times. Can you name one of the other two teams to beat them this season? Colts 22-18 OT, Browns 33-31
- The Ravens have won two Super Bowls. Who’d they beat? Giants, 49ers
- Name the Ravens head coach for their first Super Bowl win in 2000-2001? Brian Billick
- Where did Zay Flowers go to school? Boston College
3 Teams the NFL Could Force on Hard Knocks
Hard Knocks owns a special place in football fans hearts. It's our first taste of football leading up to the season and fills a void on Tuesday nights in August. There is no doubt that fans love it. Even if it is not your favorite team being featured most fans still watch. But in recent years the NFL is having a harder and harder time finding a team open to being on the program. This year there are 3 teams the NFL could force on the show Hard Knocks. The 3 teams the NFL could force on Hard Knocks are the Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos, and New Orleans Saints. League rules state that teams who made the playoffs the previous 2 season, have a new head coach, or have been featured in the last 10 years.
Last year the NFL had to force the New York Jets to be the featured team. Most players did not enjoy the extra attention. The league and HBO have also started airing an in-season version of the program. That too has been met with hesitation from players and coaches. Miami Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard didn't hold back when speaking with reporters. The former Pro-Bowler called it "Bull S---" and went on to say that he did not like cameras throughout the facility. So the players and coaches aren't fans of being filmed. Big whoop. The content is too good for the NFL to move on from Hard Knocks. I believe of the 3 teams the NFL could force onto Hard Knocks there are two that would be great entertainment. Here are the teams listed in order of their entertainment factor looking ahead to next season.
1. Chicago Bears
I think the Bears should stick with Fields. However I think they will end up drafting Caleb Williams #1 and trading Justin Field elsewhere. Williams is the highest rated QB prospect coming out of college in a few years. Would love to see how he leads behind the scenes and how the coaching staff tries to set him up for success.
2. Denver Broncos
If Russell Wilson is still with the Broncos then they become #1 on this list. The way Russ was benched this season and the news about the teams asking him to restructure his deal that would make him easier to cut or else he would be benched made waves around the league. Sean Payton called the 2022 Denver Broncos the worst coached team in league history. His version lost by 50 to the Dolphins in week 3.
3. New Orleans Saints
The Saints are stuck in mediocrity, and I don't really care to see how they operate during training camp. We've seen Derek Carr on Hard Knocks when he was with the Raiders... I don't need to see him again. And Dennis Allen might be the most blah coach in the NFL. It would be tough to sell the Saints to a national audience. Unless something drastically changes with their roster I don't want to see them on Hard Knocks.
