By Andrew Kruszka, Contributing Writer
So, you want to hear my opinion? Here’s one for you, the so-called Most Valuable Player of the NFL this year is most certainly one of the worst in the league.
I am not discrediting anything that Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has done over the past two seasons. I would rather take a quarterback like Jameis Winston. Winston was the first overall pick in April of 2015 for the Buccaneers. As per ESPN.com, he had a 60.7% completion with 5,109 yards and 33 touchdowns. Despite his 30 interceptions in the 2019 season, I would take Winston over Jackson next year.
Coming out of college, fresh off of winning the Heisman Trophy as quarterback of the Louisville Cardinals, Jackson was a late first-round draft pick by the Baltimore Ravens in 2018. The numbers that he put up his first season as a starter for the Ravens were promising. In 2018, he took over as the starter in Baltimore in week 11 after starter Joe Flacco, who once led the team to a Superbowl title earlier in his career, suffered an injury. Jackson led the team to a 6-1 record for the rest of the season. Baltimore won the AFC North and played the Los Angeles Chargers in the wild card round. In an absolute putrid game, where the Chargers almost blew a 12-0 lead at halftime, Jackson did not have his best showing. He went 14-29 with 194 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Running the ball, he had nine carries for 54 yards and fumbled three times three times. One of which resulted in a turnover. The Chargers won 23-17 and ended the Ravens season.
Jackson did put up MVP numbers this season. In 15 games, he completed 66.1% of his passes, threw for 3,127 yards, 36 touchdowns and only threw six interceptions. He ran the ball 176 times for 1,206 yards and seven touchdowns. He led Baltimore to the AFC’s best record at 14-2. The Ravens were the No.1 seed in the AFC and had home-field advantage.
For the second consecutive year, Jackson and the Ravens choked. This time against the six-seeded Tennessee Titans. In the 28-12 loss, Jackson was 31-59 with 365 yards passing for one touchdown and two interceptions. He had 20 carries for 143 yards but fumbled the ball once.
Jackson has had two unbelievable runs in his first two seasons in the NFL. He’s only lost three regular season games as a starting quarterback, but he’s 0-2 in the playoffs. Where it really counts.
Tim Tebow has a better playoff record then you at 1-1. I’m not discrediting anything that he has done in his first two seasons. What I’m arguing is that people have to jump off the Jackson hype train. Defenses are figuring out his style of offense just like every running quarterback in the NFL. Baltimore won’t make the playoffs next year because Jackson will continually be forced to throw the ball. Although the stats say otherwise, throwing is still his weakness.
If I were John Harbaugh, head coach of the Baltimore Ravens, I would put Jackson at wide-receiver. Find another quarterback. One that can throw.
kruszka18@bonaventure
