Ravens QB Lamar Jackson is ‘one of one’ and Chargers’ next big test
Nov 22, 2024
EL SEGUNDO — Lamar Jackson is the kind of quarterback who has troubled the Chargers.
Aw, who are we kidding?
He’s the kind of quarterback who troubles everyone in the NFL.
He’s a passer. He’s a runner. He’s a playmaker. He’s a destroyer of defenses.
“He’s one of one,” Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter said Friday.
Minter also called Jackson “the most electric quarterback in the history of the National Football League.”
Jackson will be the Chargers’ problem this week, when they host the Baltimore Ravens on Monday night at SoFi Stadium. Jackson is another in a string of standout quarterbacks the Chargers will face during what is without question the toughest, most challenging part of their 2024 schedule.
The Chargers rallied past Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday night, pulling out a 34-27 victory on a last-minute drive led by Justin Herbert. Now, here comes Jackson, followed quickly by Kirk Cousins of the Atlanta Falcons, followed quickly by Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs.
No rest for the weary.
No question, Burrow, Jackson, Cousins and Mahomes could wear out a defensive coordinator, causing him to lose sleep. In fact, it’s already happened, as Minter admitted last week while preparing to face Burrow, who led the NFL in passing yardage going into the game, and still does.
Jackson (2,876 yards) is second to Burrow (3,028) going into Week 12. Jackson (25) is also second to Burrow (27) in touchdown passes. Jackson (nine) is second to Jared Goff of the Detroit Lions (9.2) in yards per passing attempt. Jackson leads the NFL in passer rating (117.3).
No one has passed and run for as many yards as Jackson (3,460).
“It’s an ultimate challenge,” Minter said.
The Chargers have struggled to contain players with a similar mix of skills to Jackson, including Mahomes, Justin Fields of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Bo Nix of the Denver Broncos. Jackson does it better than the others, and that’s what keeps Minter up late at night, worrying about how to contain the uncontainable.
“We’ve played against different types of guys, guys who do different things well,” Minter said. “(Jackson) does everything well. The second you overcommit to where you’re going to have all these eyes on him to run, he’ll throw the ball over your head. There’s no one you can compare him to, he’s one of one.”
Plus, Jackson isn’t all the Chargers must worry about Monday.
Jackson serves as something akin to a basketball point guard, distributing the football as he sees fit, whether it’s handing it off to bruising running back Derrick Henry, the NFL’s leading rusher with 1,185 yards and 13 touchdowns, or throwing it to wide receiver Zay Flowers or tight end Mark Andrews.
Related Articles
Los Angeles Chargers |
Chargers’ Jim Harbaugh embraces 3rd matchup with brother John
Los Angeles Chargers |
Chargers review: ‘Every man is all in. I see poise. I see confidence.’
Los Angeles Chargers |
Swanson: Chargers start hot, go cold and still come out winners
Los Angeles Chargers |
Chargers build, blow, and regain lead in thrilling win over Bengals
Los Angeles Chargers |
Chargers’ pass rusher Khalil Mack sits out vs. Bengals with groin injury
The Ravens are first in the NFL in net yards per game (430.1) and yards from scrimmage per play (8.64). They are second in points per game (30.4) and net rushing yards per game (177.3). They are third in net passing yards per game (252.8). They also are first in red-zone touchdown percentage (77.8%).
The Ravens are 7-4, second in the AFC North.
The Chargers are 7-3, second in the AFC West.
“The ultimate red-zone weapon because every play can be so many different things,” Minter said of Jackson’s versatility. “High, high level of respect for him, how he works. Just a challenge. You can run to the challenge. You can run from the challenge. We’re going to run to the challenge, meet it head on, put our best stuff out there and see what happens.”