Criticism against Lamar Jackson is drying up at this point. The crows beat the Bengals on Sunday night footballand like the hands of a clock, Matt Hasselback turned on Sports Centre then talked about how Jackson had to improve as a pocketman.
It’s true that Jackson didn’t have his best game – he threw just 174 yards, one touchdown, one interception and a couple of bad flips – but these criticisms have remained constant regardless. how well he plays on a given day.
Never before has a player who led the league in passes and so many games with perfect passing stats in the same season have been dissected like this. Above is what he did in 2019, but here is “what have you done for me lately?” League. So maybe he needs to improve, become a lowly third on passing TDs and a abyss sixth in passerby ratings.
This is all in addition to being the best running quarterback the league has ever seen. I could list out dozens of statistics that, although they may not be perfect, combine to paint a clear picture. Lamar Jackson is currently the top three midfielders.
At least, he’s definitely better than Kirk Cousins. [Editor’s note: You like that?] A few weeks ago on FirstChris Russo said he will bring in Kirk Cousins to replace Lamar in key moments. Of course, people on debate shows just say things like that to get a reaction, so I guess I’m taking the bait. Kirk Cousins - the undisputed king of 8-8 and 7-9 – is always 10-18 in primetime games.
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On Sunday, Lamar Jackson improved to 11-5 in prime time, a better record than any regular season in the Cousins’ career. Jackson was 1-3 in the playoffs he started while Cousins was 1-2, even though he attempted 10 passes in another game. You can point out that Cousins’ playoff record as a starter is technically better, although I feel it’s a bit of an allegation against Cousins that he’s starting less playoff games. than Jackson, but was in the league six years longer.
Remember, this is all while Jackson has played his whole career without a real #1 receiver. His best target is Mark Andrews, a tight finish. Meanwhile, Cousins played against one of the league’s best scorers, Justin Jefferson. Before that, he had Stefon Diggs, who left Minnesota as soon as he could.
There is a racial element to Jackson’s criticisms that cannot be ignored, in the same way that white football players are always “brain”. “A student of the game,” “The first to come and the last to leave,” “Have a really lunch-carrying attitude,” “A leader of men,” “The type of guy you want your daughter to marry,” and Black players are always “fast” or have “given ability” and “natural talent”.
Analysts are clearly willing to offer some defender money for things they are not willing to give Jackson. No one has ever criticized Justin Herbert’s playoff record, in large part because he never made it to the knockout stages. But that doesn’t stop people from awarding him a top 5 midfield spot. I guess some people have to prove they can do it on the biggest stage and for others it is assumed that they can.
Even more so, I think the criticism is really a confession that he’s really good, and they’re holding him to a higher standard because of that. Analysts don’t have many other midfielders so farhoned. Daniel Jones is a double-threat quarterback just like Jackson, but no one puts his pocketbook through because he’s so bad. Only the best players would scrutinize and dissect their game this much.
