Lamar Jackson authors ‘MVP performance’ for Baltimore Ravens،
SANTA CLARA, Calif. – When quarterback Lamar Jackson took the field for pregame warmups, he heard chants of “MVP” coming from Baltimore Ravens fans at Levi's Stadium. After the Ravens' 33-19 victory over the San Francisco 49ers, it was Jackson's coaches and teammates who declared him “hands down” the best player in football.
“I thought Lamar had an MVP performance,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “It takes a team to put together a performance like that, but it takes a player to play at that level – to play at an MVP level – it takes a player to play that way. And Lamar was all over the court for everything TO DO. “.
In a battle between the teams with the best records in the league, Jackson took control of the MVP race by resoundingly defeating 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy. Weaving around 49ers passers throughout the game, Jackson threw for 252 yards and two touchdowns while leading Baltimore on the ground with 45 yards. Purdy, meanwhile, threw a career-worst four interceptions.
As of Monday night, Purdy was the betting favorite for NFL MVP and Jackson was second, according to ESPN BET. After the game, Jackson became the favorite for the MVP title (-180) with two weeks remaining in the regular season.
“He can do anything,” Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers said. “You [saw] he [Monday night]. He directed it; he threw it away; he led the team. He's the MVP. You run your team, you have the best record in the NFL, and he goes out and continues to go out and do what he [does] entry and exit game even if people [say], 'He can't do that. He can't do that, and he proves them wrong every time.”
This season is shaping up to be a repeat of Baltimore's 2019 season, when Jackson won the NFL MVP and the Ravens were the AFC's No. 1 seed. Baltimore (12-3) can clinch first place on Sunday if it beats the Miami Dolphins.
On Monday, Jackson said he didn't care about what others described as an “MVP performance” and pointed out how the 2019 team lost its first playoff game, a 14-3 loss to the Titans. Tennessee.
“We know that it was in 2019 when we played against [teams] like that [and] win regular season games [and] When the time comes, we're not done with the season,” Jackson said. “We're just going to continue to take it one day at a time, one practice at a time and one game at a time. That’s all I’m focusing on right now.”
With 19 touchdown passes this season, Jackson would become one of the NFL's most unlikely MVPs. The fewest touchdown passes by an MVP was 24 by Steve McNair, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.
But Jackson captivated the football world with his ability to buy time and get going down the field. Against San Francisco, Jackson went 10 of 12 for 132 yards and a touchdown under pressure. It was his most completions and second-most passing yards under pressure in a game in his career.
“I think if anyone watched the game [or] if anyone watches football this season and has watched the Baltimore Ravens, they know this for a fact [that] Lamar Jackson is the MVP, hands down,” Ravens middle linebacker Roquan Smith said. “Anyone who watches football and knows football and [can] see the type of impact he has on the game – not even stat-wise, but just individually, the plays he makes quarter, play and play – compare his film to anyone else in the league. Then I’d like to hear what others have to say after that.”
The Ravens were 6.5 point underdogs to the 49ers. This is the second largest underdog role in Jackson's six-year career.
Being a decided underdog was brought up during Sunday's team meeting, and several players said they felt “disrespected” by so many people picking the 49ers to win. Baltimore inside linebacker Patrick Queen brought it up during his speech in the final pregame meeting on the field.
“We’ve worked too hard for people to write us off already,” Queen said. “You get a certain feeling about things like that when someone writes you off before you even have a chance to play the game. So my message was to go out there and take what we want.”
