Texans Coach Backs Ravens' Lamar Jackson For MVP

Players and coaches around the league see the special season Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is having.

Jan 20, 2024; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) rolls out to throw against the Houston Texans during the second quarter of a 2024 AFC divisional round game at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images / Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images

Despite already winning two MVP awards, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is playing arguably the best football of his entire career this season, and those around the league have taken notice.

Many teams have tried to slow down Jackson this season, but few, if any, have been fully successful in that endeavor. The Houston Texans are the next to step up to the plate, as the Ravens head down to NRG Stadium for a Christmas Day showdown.

When asked about the challenges of defending Jackson, especially on a short week, Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans heaped some serious praise on the star quarterback.

"I think Lamar is playing some of the best football he’s played," Ryans told reporters. "Like he definitely jumps off the tape as the best player I’ve seen this year. You talk about MVP, he’s definitely the MVP in my mind just for what he’s doing not only in the run game, but also throwing the football. The accuracy, the decision making like he’s playing unbelievable ball right now, so it’s going to be a really tough challenge for us this week.”

Through 15 games, Jackson has completed 67.9 percent of his passes for 3,787 yards, 37 touchdowns and just four interceptions, easily the best passing numbers of his career. Add in his ability to run the ball, which is essentially unrivaled for a quarterback across NFL history, and you have arguably the hardest player to defend in the league.

“The main thing when you’re playing against Lamar is everyone has to be disciplined. Understand and have elite awareness of what he’s capable of and I think everyone knows that by now. He can run it, whatever he wants to do. He can buy time and throw the ball down field, throw the deep passes. It’s a matter of just working together as a defense. Not only D-line, but linebackers, secondary. It’s everyone just working together. Being disciplined in our coverages, being disciplined in our rushes. Everyone just being dialed in.”

Last time these two met, Jackson accounted for four total touchdowns in a 34-10 victory in last year's divisional round. The Texans' defense has come a long way since then, but that doesn't make defending Jackson much easier, if at all.

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