The Steelers’ plan to beat the Ravens and Lamar Jackson on Sunday was apparently deceptively simple: make Lamar be Lamar. Of course, it helps that Lamar hasn’t really been “Lamar”, the two-time NFL MVP, for most of this season. He has wrestled with injuries almost constantly since early in the season, routinely missing practices due to them.
After limited participation last Wednesday, he missed Thursday’s practice before returning Friday and playing against the Steelers. Yet if you listened to Tony Romo on the CBS broadcast, you would think he was setting a single-season rushing record on the afternoon.
“Really, we just give it up to the game plan from [Teryl Austin] and Coach [Mike] Tomlin”, Steelers CB Joey Porter Jr. said of their plan for Jackson and the Ravens, via the team’s website. “We wanted a five-man front really to just stop the rush, and we really leaned on that plan, and we wanted to make Lamar be Lamar and have that little MVP where you like to stretch plays and make stuff happen so we could capitalize on turnovers. And that’s what we did, really”.
So what does a “Lamar being Lamar” game look for Jackson—generally and against the Steelers? Last season, he averaged 54 rushing yards and 245 passing yards per game. He threw 41 touchdown passes and rushed for another 4, throwing just 4 interceptions.
Against the Steelers on Sunday, Jackson went 19-of-35 for 219 yards, rushing for 43. He did throw a touchdown pass and ran for another, but he also threw an interception. It was arguably the best he’s looked in weeks, even if not quite MVP status. Then again, outside of Matthew Stafford or perhaps Drake Maye, there isn’t a runaway favorite for that award this year.
While Jackson didn’t take over the game, the Ravens successfully ran the ball against the Steelers. On 40 rushing attempts, they gashed Pittsburgh for 217 yards, including a 55-yard breakaway run. I don’t have the exact figures, but a quick analysis says they had a robust run-success rate as well.
All-time, Lamar Jackson is 2-5 against the Steelers. He has gone 128-of-223 for 1,503 yards with 9 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He has also rushed for 373 yards on 73 attempts with 1 touchdown. While he has averaged 214 yards passing and 49 yards rushing, he has turned the ball over too often. His interception, Jackson picked off by his cousin, James Pierre, certainly didn’t help on Sunday.
The Ravens began the season 1-5 before reeling off a five-game winning streak, largely coinciding with Jackson’s return. They are on a two-game skid now, however, and have a difficult road ahead. They still have to play the Steelers again, in Pittsburgh, as well as the Packers and Patriots. And the Bengals in Cincinnati next week won’t be easy, either.