BALTIMORE (AP) — Already the owner of two MVPs, Lamar Jackson looks as good as ever.
And his new sidekick in the Baltimore backfield has been outstanding, too.
The partnership between Jackson and Derrick Henry has turned an already impressive offense into an overpowering one, and that has been enough to help the Ravens overcome some real slippage on the other side of the ball. Baltimore has scored at least 35 points in four of the last six weeks, and its season average of 446 yards per game leads the NFL.
“Lamarvelous,” wide receiver Zay Flowers said after Jackson produced a perfect passer rating in a 41-10 win over Denver on Sunday.
Jackson leads the league with a rating of 120.7, having thrown 20 touchdown passes and only two interceptions. Henry leads in yards rushing, having already surpassed 1,000 in his first season in Baltimore. With Flowers blossoming in his second season, Baltimore has plenty of weapons, and a rebuilt offensive line has been good enough.
“It’s a pick-your-poison offense, so based on what the defense is giving me, certain guys might have a day,” Jackson said. “It’s really based on the defense of how they are feeling. ‘Who’s this offense tilting towards?’ But all of the great guys we have, it could be the tight ends one game, it might just be the running backs one game. You really never know.”
Where the Ravens (6-3) have struggled is on defense. Linebacker Patrick Queen and pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney left via free agency, but it’s actually been the secondary that’s become a problem spot despite the presence of star safety Kyle Hamilton. Baltimore ranks last in the NFL against the pass.
The Ravens lost defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald in the offseason when he left to become Seattle’s new coach. Two other defensive assistants also exited to become coordinators elsewhere, and that may have contributed to this season’s woes.
Jackson may very well contend for another MVP, but this team isn’t quite as well-rounded as the group that posted the league’s best regular-season record a season ago. If the Ravens do show improvement on defense, this could be Jackson’s year to break through and reach the Super Bowl.
What’s working
Baltimore has averaged at least 6 yards per play in all nine games this season, tying the 2000 St. Louis Rams for the longest streak at any point in a season. And the Ravens have done a nice job turning yards into points. They’ve been the NFL’s top red-zone team.
What needs help
Baltimore has been outscored 93-61 in the fourth quarter, and the Ravens let games against the lowly Raiders and Browns slip away late. That’s the reason they’re trailing Pittsburgh in the AFC North.
Baltimore did keep Denver off the scoreboard in the second half Sunday.
“We are kind of scarred by our past right now, and we’re not trying to give up anything at this point, so everybody had that mindset today,” Hamilton said. “We did it for the most part.”
Stock up
This felt like a make-or-break year for LT Ronnie Stanley, and he has been up to the challenge at a time when the Ravens have had to rely on less experienced players at other spots on the offensive line.
Stock down
Justin Tucker is an all-time great, but the star kicker has been a lot more ordinary of late. He is 2 for 5 from 50 yards and beyond this season.
Tucker made a 56-yard kick to save the Ravens in a win at Cincinnati, but a miss from 50 cost them in a loss at Cleveland.
Injuries
The Ravens had to put DL Michael Pierce (calf) on injured reserve last week, but they’re reasonably healthy overall. RB Keaton Mitchell could be back soon from a December knee injury.
Key number
10 — The most points the Ravens have trailed by at any point since the start of the 2023 season. When Jackson is healthy, it’s just really hard to outplay Baltimore by a significant margin.
Next steps
The Ravens have a short week to prepare for a Thursday night matchup with Cincinnati. Baltimore rallied from one of those 10-point deficits to beat the Bengals 41-38 in overtime in October.
Both Baltimore-Pittsburgh matchups are still to come as well. The Ravens have lost seven of their last eight meetings with the Steelers.
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Noah Trister, The Associated Press