Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson won the NFL MVP Award for the second time in his NFL career last year. The other time he won the MVP won his career was during the 2019 season. Jackson led the Ravens to the number-one seed in the AFC in both seasons.
The Baltimore Ravens lost to Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game a season ago. The Kansas City Chiefs repeated as Super Bowl Champions when they defeated the San Francisco 49ers in double overtime. Baltimore also lost at home in the postseason when Jackson last won the MVP against Ryan Tannehill and the Tennessee Titans.
Some think that the Ravens championship window could potentially be closing soon under head coach John Harbaugh. Baltimore lost many key pieces on both sides of the football this offseason. Who knows if they are going to win the AFC North Division again this season? It is the toughest division in all of football and the Cincinnati Bengals, the Cleveland Browns, and the Pittsburgh Steelers all got better this offseason.
Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson was ranked as the second-best player in the NFL Top100 for the 2023 season. The only other player who was ranked ahead of him in the Top 100 was Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill. Jackson was ranked ahead of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Michael Baca of NFL.com said about Lamar Jackson being ranked as the second-best player in the Top 100:
“One of the most electrifying dual-threat quarterbacks the game has ever seen, Jackson’s arm was relied upon more than ever in 2023, as he registered career highs in completions (307), pass attempts (457), completion percentage (67.2) and passing yards (3,678) while providing an efficient touchdown-to-interception ratio (24-7). But Baltimore’s star playmaker continued to be a marvel with his impulsive act, leading all QBs with 821 rushing yards (5.5 yards per carry; five TDs) as he powered the Ravens to an NFL-best 13 wins. It resulted in Jackson, 27, winning his second Most Valuable Player award, which makes him the second-youngest player to accomplish the feat. Jackson’s 70-spot jump from last year’s Top 100 ranking is the biggest improvement in 2023’s edition, and his talent ceiling is only rising after an enhanced showing.”
Jackson last season completed 67.2% of his passes for 3,678 yards passing, 24 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He also rushed for 821 yards on 148 carries and five touchdowns, along with averaging 5.5 yards per rush. What is interesting about his stats from a season ago is he was ranked 15th in the NFL in passing yards and only tied for 11th in passing touchdowns.
However, this goes with the eye test more than the stats. Where would the Baltimore Ravens have been last season without Lamar Jackson playing? He led them to the top spot in the AFC. Jackson won the MVP last season when they took down the San Francisco 49ers, Brocky Purdy, and Christian McCaffrey on Christmas Day. It will be interesting to see what he can do for an encore this season and it was a surprise Jackson was ranked ahead of Mahomes.
