“Super Bowl or bust” is a ridiculous statement. Rather, 14-2 is going to be tough to match, making this the most important offseason in order to put the Ravens in the best position to be a contender once again. A contender that takes the next step as a team.
On Saturday night, Lamar Jackson officially became the 2019 NFL MVP in a unanimous decision. I usually don’t watch award shows but I DVR’d the NFL Honors expecting to see John Harbaugh (Coach of the Year) and Jackson accept their respective awards. It was pretty cool that they only showed a highlight montage of Jackson rather than tease Russell Wilson, Pat Mahomes, Christian McCaffery, Michael Thomas. Jackson got all the votes, so they cut right to him without mention of the others in the conversation.
He exceeded all expectations. Before the season, with so much speculation on what to expect, I posted some fair over/unders.
61% completion percentage. OVER. 66.1%
3,400 passing yards. UNDER. 3,127
800 rushing yards. OVER. 1,206
24 passing TDs. OVER. 36
32 total TDs. OVER. 43
18 Fumbles + INTs. UNDER. 15. 6 INTs, 9 fumbles, not all lost.
60.0 QBR. OVER. 81.1!!!!!!!
I basically gave him 4,200 total yards and he got 4,333. 24 passing and 8 rushing TDs. Goes for 36 and a modest for him 7 on the ground. 81.1 QBR? That’s the stuff of MVPs.
We have Lamar Jackson to thank for the most fun regular season Ravens fans have gotten to enjoy. Yeah, the 2000 defense was fun to watch. But not scoring a touchdown in five games wasn’t.
Now that the bar is raised, what is the 2020 season expectation level? How do you measure it? Numbers? 4,500 total yards and 40 total touchdowns? What about individual hardware? More than five “player of the week” honors? Another MVP?
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How about none of that? How about build upon 2019 and take the next step. Get to the AFC Championship game at a minimum. For that, it’s going to take a team effort and not the weight of the world to rest on Lamar Jackson’s shoulders. Jackson’s 81.1 QBR is the highest mark since Aaron Rodgers put up an 84.5 in 2011. What did the Packers do in 2011? Go 15-1, first round bye, and lose the divisional round game to the 9-7 New York Giants. Sound familiar?
In my opinion, we can’t ask any more of Lamar Jackson other than to continue to work hard, be prepared each week, and carry the torch as the leader of this team that even a future hall of famer, stalwart veteran like Marshal Yanda can follow. Jackson may even be a candidate for regression. Jim Brown, Joe Montana, Brett Favre, Peyton Manning. These are the only guys to be named NFL MVP two years in a row (Favre three times).
The Ravens sent 12 players to Pro Bowl, tying the 1973 Dolphins. Not even the 2007 Patriots that went 16-0 (18-1) did that. Are we to expect them to do that again? Have 12 players or more play among the best at their positions? It’s unlikely to happen.
The Ravens set records for rushing yards in a season. Became the first team to rush and pass for over 200 yards a game, the ultimate balance of power. Are we to expect them to beat their own records, set new ones in other categories?
It’s going to be really hard to expect the Ravens to match what they accomplished last year. Making this the most important reload ever. The most important offseason in franchise history. They had their fun in the regular season last year, steamrolling the competition. But when the bully got bullied by the Titans, they folded.
This is a team built for success with many pieces staying in place thanks to proactive signings and extensions by Eric DeCosta and company, as well as Lamar Jackson playing on his rookie contract pay scale. They just need improvements to take that next step. Whether it’s in house, like Marquise Brown becoming and every down threat for the offense, or Tavon Young remaining healthy and becoming a solid addition in the secondary the Ravens didn’t have last year. Or if it comes from the outside, with the Ravens having a solid draft of rookies who make an impact or pushing the right buttons in free agency like they did in bringing in would be Pro Bowlers Mark Ingram and Earl Thomas.
Accepting that we are good enough is unacceptable. I love Lamar Jackson’s T-shirt he sports that says “Nobody Cares. Work Harder”. That is a mantra we can all live by. Will the opposition care that Jackson was the MVP? Will they care we had 12 Pro Bowlers? Will they care the coach of the year is on the other sideline? Will they care the Ravens were 14-2, or are 7/1 odds to win this coming years Super Bowl? No. They won’t. In fact, it makes the Ravens bullseye even bigger. Do we care that the Chiefs are the Champions? No. The title that matters is the next one that is currently up for grabs for any one of 32 teams.
It’s a new season. We have no MVP, no Pro Bowlers, have won zero games. Just like everyone else. Work harder this offseason.
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.