Lamar Jackson took the game over, put the team on his back, and won.
He won plenty of games last year, but how many did he do it seemingly on his own? He opened 2019 with a bang, but it was Miami whom the Patriots kicked while they were down today, 43-0. This was a close game, though never in the Cardinals favor. The run game didn’t find it’s footing. Receivers weren’t always open. This was the first time in a long time that quarterback here shouldered the load and seemingly made the plays to win the game. 3rd and 4, no one open, pick up five yards with his legs, move the chains. 2nd and 20, rush for 15+ yards to set up 3rd and more than manageable. Convert that too. 3rd and 11. A first down pretty much puts the hay in the barn, just drop a dime 40 yards downfield for the 1st.
Last week was amazing. This week might have been his best complete game in keeping an air raid offense on the bench for most of the second half.
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Size doesn’t matter.
This game featured two rookies whose size was scrutinized on draft night. Kyler Murray, and our Marquise Brown. Who needs to worry about contested catches when you can just run past everyone? Brown ran the gamut of routes in this game, short, intermediate, long. Defender all over him on the clutch 41-yard strike to seal the game. He just wins.
Murray throws for 349 yards. Second straight game with 300+ through the air. I guess when you are the size of Murray and Brown, you are used to looking over big men in college and used to facing bigger DBs as well. You just learn to do it. These guys are going to open doors for other guys written off based solely on size.
Missing persons report: The secondary.
I just mentioned the kind of game Kyler Murray had in his second career start. Where was Earl Thomas in this game? Losing Jimmy Smith and Tavon Young seems to have set this unit back in a big way. Brandon Carr gets a grade of “F” in this one for me. I was ready to replace him with Cyrus Jones in the slot, but the Cardinals ran a lot of 10 personnel (4 WRs) so it was all hands-on deck out there. I hope this was a case of not having much of a book on Kyler Murray or Kliff Kingsbury. Credit them for keeping them out of the endzone early because they had their chances. A lot of coaching up heading into a matchup with the explosive Pat Mahomes.
Can they get the run game going again in Kansas City?
It will be essential. The Ravens got a little cute in calling a lot of pass plays after Jackson’s big game a week ago. Mark Ingram didn’t really get going until the second half and Gus Edwards plodded along to burn clock near the end. Take out Jackson and the Ravens running backs rushed 16 times for 58 yards. That has to change. I think a big dose of all three backs (Justice Hill) in creative ways will be necessary to keep drives long, keep the defense rested, and keep the reigning NFL MVP on the bench, Pat Mahomes. I can’t think of a better coordinator to get creative with their run game this week than Greg Roman. If Jackson throws less than 25 passes, the Ravens win. Book it.
Too early to start talking playoffs scenarios?
Yes. But humor me for a second. Kansas City was the #1 seed in the AFC last year. Safe to say that the road to the Super Bowl is favored to go through Kansas City or Foxboro once again. Picking up a win this week gives you two games up on Chiefs come playoff time if these two teams are still in the mix. A win gives you a game up in record (BAL 3-0, KC 2-1) and the head to head tie breaker should they end up with the same record when all is said and done. Winning this game could earn the Ravens more than one home playoff game.
Ravens Analyst
Mike was born on the Eastern Shore, raised in Finksburg, and currently resides in Parkville. In 2009, Mike graduated from the Broadcasting Institute of Maryland. Mike became a Baltimore City Fire Fighter in late 2010. Mike has appeared as a guest on Q1370, and FOX45. Now a Sr. Ravens Analyst for BSL, he can be reached at mike.randall@baltimoresportsandlife.com.