It's Just 3 Games, But Ravens QB Lamar Jackson Playing at MVP Level

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson playing at high level.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — There were questions entering the season about whether Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson would be distracted by the uncertainty with his contact situation. 

Jackson has put any of those concerns to rest over the first three games.

He is playing at an MVP-type level and has led the Ravens to the NFL's highest-scoring offense. 

Over three games, Jackson is ranked:

• No. 1 for passing touchdowns

• No. 1 for QB rating

• No. 3 pass yards average.

• No. 4 (overall) for yards rushing.

Jackson’s odds to win NFL MVP improved from 12-1 to 7-1 after the weekend, according to Caesars Sportsbook. 

"I mean, no one has to tell me about Lamar Jackson," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. "I believe in him. I love him. I just believed him the first day we drafted him, the first day we talked about drafting him. Felt like he could be everything he is.

"But I'll say this about his process. What's he, in his fifth year now? So, his process as a quarterback in terms of preparation has taken another step. He's always been going this way. That's another step in that direction. I think he's really kind of gotten to a point where he's really kind of found himself in terms of his quarterback preparation process."

The @Ravens rolled to a 37-26 victory over the New England Patriots, improving to 2-1 on the season.
Here's the Report Card.#RavensFlock #RavensFootball https://t.co/q1UZP8TCwV via @toddkarpovich

— Todd Karpovich (@toddkarpovich) September 26, 2022

In the 37-26 victory over the New England Patriots in Week 3, Jackson completed 18-of-29 passes for 218 yards, four touchdowns and an interception (110.3 rating), while also adding 107 rushing yards and one score on 11 carries (9.7 avg.). 

It’s his second-straight game with three or more passing touchdowns and 100 rushing yards. Jackson became the first QB in Ravens franchise history to record three or more touchdown passes in each of the team’s first three games of a season.

Jackson is the first player in the Super Bowl era with 10 or more touchdown passes and 100 or more yards rushing in the first three games of a season.

He also became the third player in NFL history to record four touchdown passes and rush for 100 yards in a single game, joining Cam Newton (2015) and Randall Cunningham (1990).

"Just focus, determination," Jackson said. "I feel like we build more off adversity, and we play better off adversity. We've just got to keep going though because we have a long season ahead of us."