Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson nears 5,000 rushing yards،
BALTIMORE – The Baltimore Ravens and Seattle Seahawks were tied 13 late in the third quarter on Oct. 20, 2019, and second-year quarterback Lamar Jackson convinced coach John Harbaugh to go for it on fourth and second position of the Seattle 8. -court line. Harbaugh called for “the power of the quarterback.”
The play was designed for Jackson to dart through the heart of the defense, and the Ravens QB didn’t stop until he reached the end zone, leaving two tacklers in his wake.
“Lamar is one of the most spectacular athletes in the National Football League,” then-Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson told ESPN earlier this month. “I like his competitiveness, what he can do on the field.”
Four years later, Jackson will likely join Wilson in the record books. Jackson needs 28 rushing yards to become the fourth quarterback in NFL history to rush for 5,000 yards, joining Wilson, Michael Vick and Cam Newton. He can do that Sunday night, when Baltimore plays the Los Angeles Chargers (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC).
It’s fitting that he joins this group, because Jackson combines the speed of Vick, the fearlessness of Newton and the elusiveness of Wilson in his own style.
“That mark is a special mark,” said Wilson, who was the last quarterback to surpass 5,000 rushing yards when he did so Sept. 17 against the Washington Commanders. “But there is still a lot of football to be played [for Lamar]. I think Lamar is definitely going to gain a lot more yards in his football life.”
Jackson took the dual-threat quarterback’s production to the next level during his six seasons in the NFL. He set the single-season rushing record for a quarterback with 1,206 during his 2019 NFL MVP season, and he is the only quarterback to produce multiple 1,000-yard rushing seasons.
Now he’s on pace to eclipse 5,000 rushing yards in the fewest games possible for a quarterback. It took Vick 104 games, Newton 129 and Wilson 175 to reach 5,000. Sunday will be Jackson’s 82nd.
“I’m in the line of greats,” Jackson said Tuesday. “That’s great.”
Speed
He was on third-and-3 in the third quarter on October 18, 2020, when Jackson made the Philadelphia Eagles pay for their mistake. Half of the Eagles defense ran to the right after Jackson faked the ball to running back JK Dobbins, and the other half moved to the left to follow a few Ravens offensive linemen.
This left a huge hole in the middle, which essentially gave Jackson a running route to the end zone.
Jackson sprinted 37 yards untouched for a touchdown, outrunning three defenders, including one who appeared to have a good angle on him. He reached a top speed of 21.01 miles per hour, which according to NFL Next Gen Stats is the fastest speed he has ever recorded.
“He’s like a roadrunner,” former Ravens cornerback Brandon Carr said. “His feet go so fast.”
How fast is Jackson? He didn’t run the 40-yard dash at the 2018 NFL combine, but a day after being the last pick in the first round, Jackson was asked his best time in the 40.
His answer: 4.34 seconds.
“I also ran it with turf toes,” Jackson said.
Since Jackson entered the league in 2018, he has produced 70 carries when he reached a top speed of 19 mph or more, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. No one else in the NFL – including running backs – has totaled more than 51 during that span.
“Lamar has equipment that few human beings don’t have,” Newton said in 2020. “I say Michael Vick, I say Lamar, I don’t even think I’m in that stratosphere.”
Intrepidity
After Jackson’s second career start in 2018, Vick offered him some advice.
“With quarterbacks, we’re not used to getting hit all the time,” Vick said. “When we do it, it can either get you into the game or shake you up a little bit.
“It’s not like if a guy is sitting in the pocket he’s running the risk of getting hurt. I’m not saying that should deter Lamar or scare him, I’m just saying proceed with caution.”
For those who watched Jackson’s 828 rushing attempts, no one would ever accuse Jackson of being afraid.
Since NFL Next Gen began tracking designed runs for quarterbacks in 2006, Jackson’s 3,271 are the most of any quarterback in their first six seasons, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Newton is second with 2,117.
And Jackson doesn’t take the ball and run to the sideline. He gained 2,216 yards running between the tackles. That’s more than double every quarterback since 2018 except Josh Allen (1,904) and Jalen Hurts (1,130).
“When you ask him to throw the ball inside, he has toughness and vision,” Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken said. “That’s probably the most important thing: the toughness and the vision that some guys don’t have.
“They might be athletic, but they don’t have a great running feel or running lanes, and he has that. It’s unique.”
Jackson’s toughness is highlighted by the amount of contact he’s taken. He had an NFL-high 1,012 hits since 2018, averaging 12.5 per game.
Ravens coaches have said over the years that Jackson is more likely to get hurt in the pocket — when his eyes are focused on the field — than when he’s running. When Jackson’s two season-ending injuries are brought up, he is quick to point out that he was injured twice while trying to throw.
“He’s like a cat,” Ravens quarterback Tyler Huntley said. “You know, when you chase a cat, he finds any way to get away with it. I just pray that he keeps doing what he’s doing.”
Elusive
Jackson’s most electrifying run of his career came at Cincinnati in 2019, when a spin move in the open field became the defining moment of his MVP season.
To get around two defenders at the Bengals’ 32-yard line, Jackson spun and corkscrewed with a 360-degree move to break free for a 47-yard touchdown. The touchdown probability for this run was 0%. In less than 24 hours, the highlight generated six million views on the NFL X stream.
“They will follow this unfold for decades and decades,” Harbaugh said.
Jackson’s 508 yards after contact are the most of any quarterback since 2018, according to ESPN Stats & Information.
“It’s the most frustrating thing for a defense,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor said. “You have a game to play and he’s an elite athlete.
“We’ve played some good athletes; he’s one of the rarest I’ve seen in person. Just one little crease and he’s 30 yards on you.”
Once Jackson reaches 5,000 rushing yards, the next step is to pass Vick for the most rushing yards ever by a quarterback. Jackson trails Vick by 1,137 yards, meaning he will likely break that record next season.
Until then, how can teams prepare to stop Jackson from running the ball?
“I play Madden,” 49ers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks said. “This guy is extremely dynamic, he can make plays when you don’t think there’s a play to be made. He’s just Houdini, I guess.”
ESPN Broncos reporter Jeff Legwold contributed to this article
