Lamar Jackson Laments Lack of Team Bonding, Could Have Led to Shortfalls

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OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson contends the lack of team bonding contributed to the team’s struggles this season.

Baltimore might need a more unified front this year.

“We had everything else, but we didn’t really have that team bonding,” Jackson said. “Coming out [of] the building, we’re going home and stuff like that. I feel like we need to bond more, and it’ll take a toll over on the season – the football life.”

The Ravens were plagued with injuries and issues with COVID-19. There were also protocols with social distancing, so it was a challenge for the players to find time to bond

Baltimore finished 8-9 and missed the playoffs for the first time in four years.

The team is already undergoing change with coach John Harbaugh parting ways with defensive coordinator Don Martindale.

Jackson, who missed five games with an illness and ankle injury, is determined to have a better season in 2022.

“I care about our season, what happened, but I don’t care, because it’s over with now. I’ve got to worry about getting better [for] this season coming up now – getting our guys right so we can see things happening before it happens, beating everybody to the punch against us,” Jackson said. “[I’ll be] just trying to get my guys, all of us, one unit, together this offseason – not just the receivers and tight ends; offensive line and all. We’ll just try to get those guys, all in one unit, to be together so we can have real team bonding, and we can start fresh, I’ll say, to this upcoming season, because I feel like we didn’t have that throughout the season.

Patrick Mahomes vs. Josh Allen could be the next great quarterback rivalry, but people are forgetting about Lamar Jackson

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One thing that became crystal clear in the 2021 NFL season is that the future of the quarterback position is in good hands. While senior statesmen like Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers are still around and playing at MVP levels, there will be no shortage of elite players to take their places if and when they decide to step down.

That was evident during the Divisional Round of the playoffs last weekend when Joe Burrow helped lift the Cincinnati Bengals to heights many of us have never seen them reach with a win over the No. 1 seed Tennessee Titans. Then Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen had one of the all-time great duels while potentially establishing the first true quarterback rivalry since Brady and Peyton Manning.

Twitter users took notice of the awesome quarterback play from the three stars, all under 27 years old, and how they’ll make it very difficult for other AFC teams for the foreseeable future. Some even lumped 23-year-old Justin Herbert into that mix.

Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert is a pretty dope future at the QB position. — Ryan Roberts (@RiseNDraft) January 23, 2022

Every year in the AFC for the foreseeable Future can have Mahomes, Burrow, Allen and Herbert. Rolling into any playoffs with a Tannehill level QB is gonna get you in trouble — Cody Tapp (@codybtapp) January 22, 2022

Next decade in the AFC should be decent:

Patrick Mahomes (26)

Josh Allen (25)

Joe Burrow (25)

Justin Herbert (23) — Rich Keefe (@Keefe21) January 23, 2022

But aren’t these people forgetting somebody?

Ah, yes, Lamar Jackson, the former MVP who was again in early-season MVP talks in 2021 as his entire team disintegrated around him but the Baltimore Ravens continued to win.

Eventually, the injuries became too much and even caught up to him to put an end to the Ravens’ playoff hopes, but it wasn’t long ago when the debate about the next great QB rivalry was Jackson and Mahomes instead of Allen and Mahomes. In fact, it was Week 2 of this season when Jackson led the Ravens to an incredible fourth quarterback comeback win over the Chiefs.

Or did that happen at all?

Silver lining: if the Cowboys ever do pull it together, at least the vast majority of the young, exciting, amazing QBs in this league seem to play in the AFC? Mahomes, Allen, Burrow, Herbert. All 26 or younger. Yeesh. — David Helman (@HelmanDC) January 24, 2022

Watching some of the elite young QB talent on full display this weekend in the AFC GL to teams trying to go through Mahomes, Allen, Burrow (Herbert too but not there yet) every fall en route to winning the conference — Todd Fuhrman (@ToddFuhrman) January 24, 2022

Tom Brady

Peyton Manning

Ben Roethlisberger

Philip Rivers Patrick Mahomes

Josh Allen

Joe Burrow

Justin Herbert — Paul Hembekides (@PaulHembo) January 24, 2022

So how did Jackson get lost in all of this?

Mahomes, Allen and Burrow are all receiving the spotlight now because of the playoffs, as they should. But that doesn’t explain the inclusion of Herbert, who has yet to reach the playoffs in his short two-year career. It would seem, then, the exclusion of Jackson is intentional, even though by the end of his second season, he not only had an MVP but also two playoff games under his belt.

As great a season as Herbert just had, it doesn’t compare to Jackson in 2019, who played two fewer games than Herbert but threw for nearly as many touchdowns and added over 1,200 yards rushing while leading his team to the AFC’s top seed…and his interception total was more than half of Herbert’s…and he was a year younger. Even division foe Burrow’s 2021 pales in comparison.

Of the young quarterbacks, Mahomes is the only other with an MVP. Yet, only sportsbooks seem to show Jackson that level of respect. He entered the season with +1500 odds on Tipico to win a second MVP, only trailing Mahomes, Rodgers, Allen and Brady.

The rest of the AFC teams when you realize you gotta play Joe Burrow, Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen and Justin Herbert for the next 15 years pic.twitter.com/uuWBATEO4Z — Shane (@TheShaneRose) January 24, 2022

You better have a bonafide franchise QB to even sniff the AFC Championship in the next 15 years: Mahomes

Allen

Burrow

Herbert — Andrew Russell (@PFF_AndrewR) January 24, 2022

Recency bias could be a reason why Jackson is being snubbed, as he hasn’t played since Week 13. However, his game has always been under a microscope because of how different it’s perceived as being. People often hold a 1-3 playoff record against him, too, never mind he had to get there three out of his first four seasons to post that record. That also never really kept Manning’s name out of conversations when he lost six of his first nine playoff games including the first three.

Whatever the reason, Jackson’s talent is undeniable and his accomplishments can’t be erased. So when the future of quarterback in the NFL is discussed, it should include Mahomes and Allen and Burrow and even Herbert and Kyler Murray. But people should really stop leaving Jackson out of that conversation, because he’s more than proved he isn’t going anywhere.

Ravens news: Lamar Jackson’s six-word clap back about missing playoffs

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Due to his injury, Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens had some bad luck towards the conclusion of the season, which resulted in the Ravens missing the playoffs.

Despite the fact that Lamar was not on the field, his critics will continue to point the finger at him, with a few taking to Twitter to vent their displeasure at his absence from the playoffs.

Tight face ahh tryna be funny🤣 https://t.co/BcpafZopbY — Lamar Jackson (@Lj_era8) January 23, 2022

Lamar Jackson couldn’t accomplish much for this Ravens team due to an injury that kept him out of the last few games of the season. The Ravens had a playoff spot when he was on the field, and it seemed that they may have even won their division while he was still on the field.

Lamar has established himself as one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL, and there isn’t much else to say. When he’s on the field for the Ravens, they have a lot of success on the offensive side of the ball. This season, when he wasn’t on the field with them, they struggled on both sides of the ball and couldn’t get the job done without him.

Baltimore is expected to get him back fully healthy next season, and if they can maintain his health throughout the season, they should be a playoff team with a chance to go far. He’s one of the best quarterbacks in the game, so it was inevitable that the Ravens would struggle without him on the field.

Lamar Jackson Already Ranks High Among QB Rushing Leaders

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OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Ravens and quarterback Lamar Jackson generally dismiss the notion that he is running the ball too much.

The risk for injury increases each time he sprints downfield.

Ironically, Jackson was sidelined this year when he injured his ankle attempting to throw a pass against the Browns.

Over just four seasons, Jackson has run the ball 615 times, which ranks 12th all-time. However, he has played in less than half the games of the quarterbacks ahead of him.

His 3,673 yards rushing ranks sixth all-time.

Ravens coach John Harbaugh said the Ravens are trying to win each game, and if Jackson has to run 20 or more times to accomplish that goal, that’s just the way the team will play.

“There’s no long-term sustainability observations. It’s not even relevant,” Harbaugh said following a Week 9 win over the Vikings when Jackson ran for 120 yards on 21 carries. “Would you rather not run 21 times today and lose the game? It’s crazy to even suggest that. So, it’s not even a relevant question to be answered.

“We don’t plan on running any number of times. We plan on running as much, throwing as much, handing it off as much, blitzing as much, playing zone coverage as much as you think it takes to win the game in the game, and that’s really what you do. So, the sustainability questions are like, ‘Man, life is short. Run to the ball.’ I’m trying to win the game.”

Quarterbacks with the most carries:

1. Cam Newton — Attempts: 1,118; Games: 148

2. Michael Vick — Attempts: 873; Games: 143

3. Russell Wilson — Attempts: 846; Games: 158

4. Randall Cunningham — Attempts: 775; Games: 161

5. John Elway — Attempts: 774; Games: 234

6. Steve Young — Attempts: 722; Games: 169

7. Aaron Rodgers — Attempts: 685; Games: 213

8. Fran Tarkenton — Attempts: 675; Games: 246

9. Steve McNair — Attempts: 669; Games: 161

10. Tobin Rote — Attempts: 635; Games: 149

11. Donovan McNabb — Attempts: 616; Games: 167

12. Lamar Jackson — Attempts: 615; Games: 58

Quarterbacks with the most yards rushing:

1. Michael Vick — 6,109 yards rushing

2. Cam Newton — 5,628 yards rushing

3. Randall Cunningham — 4,928 yards rushing

4. Russell Wilson — 4,698 yards rushing

5. Steve Young — 4,239 yards rushing

6. Fran Tarkenton — 3,674 yards rushing

7. Lamar Jackson — 3,673 yards rushing

However, Jackson is on pace to overtake the players ahead of him.

If he runs more than 100 times again, he will be in the top six or seven all-time at the age of just 26.

Jackson admitted that he plans to run less as his career evolves. However, Jackson was tied with running back Devonta Freeman with a team-high 133 carries. Jackson led Baltimore with 767 yards rushing despite playing only 12 games

“To be honest, it really doesn’t matter, as long as it’s going to help us win the game,” Jackson said about running the football. “But I doubt that I am going to be carrying the ball a lot going further into the future because we have dynamic running backs and even more receivers.”

Bears sign DB Lamar Jackson to reserve/futures contract

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The Chicago Bears signed cornerback Lamar Jackson to a reserve/futures contract on Wednesday.

Jackson, an undrafted free agent out of Nebraska, signed with the New York Jets in 2020. As a rookie, he appeared in 13 games, including six starts, where he totaled 28 tackles, one tackle for loss and two pass breakups.

Last season, Jackson spent 17 weeks on the Jets’ practice squad before making his regular-season debut in a Week 18 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he played five special-teams snaps.

#Bears roster move:

We have signed DB Lamar Jackson to a Reserve/Futures contract. — Chicago Bears (@BearsPR) January 19, 2022

Cornerback was a huge position of need last season, where there wasn’t an answer opposite Jaylon Johnson. It certainly didn’t help when the entire starting secondary was wiped out with COVID for one game. Although, it did open the door for rookie Thomas Graham Jr., who spent most of the season on the practice squad, to get his first start and impress enough to earn a spot on the 53-man roster.

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