The biggest offseason task for the Ravens will be to start trying to get their MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson under contract long term.
The 24-year-old finally got a playoff win in 2020, beating the Titans, and it’s a no-brainer that the Ravens want to keep him around for the future.
Jackson took home the MVP in 2019, and is still regarded as a star in the making, and in his three seasons he’s thrown 68 touchdowns with 18 picks, and carries a 102.6 quarterback rating in three years.
In three seasons as starter he’s led Baltimore to a 30-7 record, and despite being just 1-3 in the playoffs there’s no doubt the team is better with him under center.
Coach John Harbaugh said on Wednesday that it’s just a matter of time before a deal with the 24-year-old quarterback gets done.
John Harbaugh is "totally certain" that QB Lamar Jackson will sign a long-term deal w/ the #Ravens. He just didn't commit to whether that would be this year or next.
Lamar Jackson and the Ravens can finally breathe again – the 2019 NFL MVP has finally won a playoff game.
Not that it was easy, as the Ravens fell behind the Titans early 10-0 in Nashville, but the Ravens rallied, outscoring the Titans 20-3 the rest of the way to win 20-13 to advance in the AFC playoffs.
If the favored Steelers beat the Browns it means the Ravens will play the Kansas City Chiefs, if Cleveland wins the Ravens will go to Buffalo to play Josh Allen and the Bills.
Jackson was the story, going over 100 yards rushing, and changing the game with the Ravens down 10-3 on a 48-yard touchdown run on a play when he could have been sacked.
It was the second-longest postseason touchdown run by a quarterback.
Baltimore allowed an early touchdown and field goal, but tightened up and allowed just a field goal to the Titans the remainder of the way.
They gave up just 40 yards to NFL leading rusher Derrick Henry on 18 carries, a 2.2 yards per carry average.
Jackson overcame a shaky start to play well, going He went 17-for-24 for 179 yards throwing with an interception. He ran for 136 yards on 16 carries including the long score to tie the game at 10.
The Titans had one last chance in the final minutes to tie the game, but Marcus Peters came up with an interception to seal the win.
It’s week 15 in the NFL and the Ravens are still in the AFC playoff race despite having a mid-season disaster when it seemed like over half the team tested positive for Covid-19.
Baltimore showed a ton of heart this past Monday night, as the team traveled to Cleveland and it seemed like against all odds were five points better than the Browns, beating Cleveland with a Justin Tucker 55-yard field goal in the final seconds to win 47-42.
This week the competition is a lot easier, as the team is at home to play host to the Jacksonville Jaguars, a team that won in week one and has not won since, losing 12 in a row and entering action this week at 1-12.
Here’s a couple quick keys to making sure that things will go Baltimore’s way on Sunday to get the team to 9-5, keeping them in the AFC Wild Card race with a couple other teams as the 2020 season gets close to the end.
1. Jackson Needs to Keep Playing at a High Level
Coming back from a positive Covid-19 test, Lamar Jackson looked fantastic against the Browns on Monday night, going 11 of 17 passes for 163 yards and a touchdown after he came back into the game from leg cramps.
Jackson didn’t throw a pick which was great, as the team could not afford any turnovers against a Browns team that was playing with everything on their side.
The reigning NFL MVP’s legs were just as impressive as his arm, as he rushed for a season-high 124 yards and two touchdowns. The game came down to the final minutes, in which Jackson was at his best, throwing a touchdown to Marquise Brown on a 4th down play.
He and the offense cannot afford to give the Jaguars life Sunday, and if he can play at the same level he did against Cleveland, the Ravens will come out with a win.
2. Calais Campbell’s Impact on the Ravens D is Huge
The Ravens defense is just that much better when both Calais Campbell is in the lineup, and that came out again on Monday against the Browns.
Right now entering Sunday Campbell is tied for the team lead with four sacks and has five tackles for a loss and 10 quarterback hits.
The Ravens are just a different team when he plays, and the team is siked to have him in the lineup, as the defense is just that much better.
Consider the fact that Baltimore lost all three games when he Campbell was sidelined with a calf injury.
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Look for the Ravens defense to feast off of the Jags, and once again for Campbell to play at a high level.
Pick: The Ravens can’t afford to have a letdown even against a team that has lost a dozen in a row and has not won a game since a 27-20 win over the Indianapolis Colts on September 13th.
Look for Jackson to have a huge game on the ground along with the big two of J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards, and look for the D to have a big game as well with some turnovers and halting the Jags tepid offense.
Ravens wide out Dez Bryant has taken to social media to announce that he’s tested negative for COVID-19 on Thursday, two days after he tested positive in a move that kept him out of the game against the Dallas Cowboys.
“He’s doing as well as can be expected,” Ravens coach Jim Harbaugh said about Bryant.
“He’s a guy that cares. He sacrificed a lot to leave home and leave family behind. He’s a family man and has kids. I think he’s pretty hurt by it. He’s not mad at anybody. But just the circumstances, I think he’s a little stunned by it, surprised that it came up. I think he’s trying to work his way through it right now.”
The little-used wide out produced a positive just a half-hour before Tuesday’s kickoff against his former team after his tests that morning were inconclusive.
He was not placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list by the Ravens, said Thursday on Twitter that it could have been a false positive.
“I tested negative back to back for covid and I’m not excited about it,” Bryant posted.
It’s already been a tough week for the 6-4 Ravens and they haven’t even taken the field yet as they get ready to head to Pittsburgh to take on the 10-0 AFC North leading Steelers.
The team has a large handful of players already on the covid-19/reserve list – and now it’s being reported that 2019 NFL MVP Ravens QB Lamar Jackson has tested positive for the covid-19 virus, meaning that he won’t be able to play IF there’s a game at 1:15pm Sunday at Heinz Field.
Among now those that have tested positive include:
QB Lamar Jackson RB J.K. Dobbins RB Mark Ingram DE Jihad Ward LB Pernell McPhee QB Trace McSorley C Matt Skura OG Patrick Mekari DE Calais Campbell
NT Brandon Williams is on the covid-19/reserve list due to being a high-risk close contact.
ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter says now that it’s becoming more and more unlikely that Sunday’s game between the Steelers and Ravens will be played at all.
Four more Ravens’ players and one more staff have tested positive for COVID, source tells ESPN.
Game Sunday still on for now, but chances of it being played are diminishing quickly.
Ravens players were told today by their HC John Harbaugh that, for everyone’s safety, they will not be allowed back in the training facility until Monday at the earliest, sources tell ESPN.
Ravens are scheduled to play Steelers on Sunday, so that game doesn’t seem possible.
November 23rd, 2020 Matt Loede Posted in Injuries, News
The Ravens are already in a must-win situation for Thursday’s game against the Steelers on the road, and now they are going to have to do it minus two of their best best running backs.
Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports that running backs Mark Ingram and J.K. Dobbins have BOTH tested positive for the Covid-19 virus, and both will miss Thursday’s huge showdown.
#Ravens RBs Mark Ingram and J.K. Dobbins have tested positive for COVID-19 and will be placed on the reserve list later today, according to sources. All aboard the Gus Bus for Thursday vs. the #Steelers.
The absence of both those running backs leaves the team having to go with Gus Edwards as the club’s featured back for the game.
You can bet that quarterback Lamar Jackson will get plenty of designed runs as well.
Dobbins this season has 483 yards from scrimmage, and Ingram this season has 232 yards with two scores.
The Ravens amassed 457 total yards in the first game between the two teams, a Steelers 28-24 win. In that game the Ravens rushed for 265 yards, with an average of 5.6 yards per carry.
In that game Dobbins rushed for a game-high 113 yards on 15 carries, but will be watching on Thanksgiving night.
They might not get Desir’s services right away, as he has to clear the COVID-19 testing protocol.
He won’t be able to get things done in time for Thursday night’s monster game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but could return for the week 13 game against Dallas.
Desir was a fourth-round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft by the Browns, and has bounced around the NFL, playing for the Chargers, Colts and Jets.
January 20th, 2021 
CJ 
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