Lamar and the Ravens Assert Themselves Atop AFC

Lamar Jackson and the Ravens traveled to Jacksonville for Sunday Night Football this past weekend and reminded everyone why they are legit Super Bowl contenders. Baltimore came out with a 23-7 victory on SNF fueled by their defense and the dominant rushing game.

Lamar Jackson didn't throw the ball too well, completing 14/24 passes for 171 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. He was his usual self on the ground, leading the team in rushing with 97 yards on 12 carries. Jackson got help from all three of his backs: Keaton Mitchell, Justice Hill, and Gus Edwards. The three backs combined for 154 yards rushing and a touchdown, driving Baltimore to victory. Isaiah Likely has filled in beautifully for Mark Andrews as he recovers from his injury. Likely has been pivotal these past two weeks, going for over 70 yards and a touchdown in each game.

Baltimore's defense flew around the field Sunday night as they took control of Jacksonville's run game. Travis Etienne had a quiet game, rushing for only 31 yards on ten carries and four catches for 28 yards. Trevor Lawrence completed 25/42 for 264 yards and a touchdown and led the Jags in rushing with 41 yards on four carries. Lawrence did lose two fumbles, which have been a severe issue since he came into the league. With WR Christian Kirk on IR, players like Calvin Ridley, Tight End, and Evan Engram must step up. Ridley had five catches for 39 yards, while Engram had four for 28 yards.

Regardless of the final score, this game was much closer than the score depicted. Jacksonville missed two field goals in the first quarter alone; that is good enough to kill momentum for an entire game. With fumbles and missed field goals, self-inflicted mistakes took Jacksonville out of this game. Moving forward, Super Bowl-winning Head Coach Doug Pederson must have his team ready next week as they are in a tight race for the top spot in the AFC South.